The roles were reversed Saturday night in the second meeting in two days between the Fort McMurray Oil Barons and the Lloydminster Bobcats. On night two, it was the Bobcats jumping out to a lead and the MOB having to claw their way back into the game.
The Barons forced overtime with a late third period goal from Peter Tomaras but Zach Kaiser spoiled the comeback by scoring 2:32 into the extra frame to send the Bobcats home with a weekend split and a 3-2 victory.
“We had to battle back and I think we did a decent job of that of limiting their scoring chances and killing some penalties, getting ourselves back in the game but it’s a tough team to play against, they battle hard, they tie up sticks in front of the net…we just didn’t create enough tonight,” said MOB Assistant Coach Dave Dupas.
The Bobcats (4-8-1) jumped out of the gates very early in this game and it was Kaiser who got Lloydminster rolling. The captain came down the left wing and fired a shot under the glove of Chris Curr to put the visitors up a goal 1:13 into the game.
Lloydminster would double their lead just shy of the five minute mark when Ryley Hogan’s centreing pass went off a skate and in behind Curr putting the Bobcats up 2-0 quickly.
“We started slow and we talked about that last night (Friday night), they had all sorts of confidence, they were fired up, they wanted to play some more, they couldn’t wait to get here tonight and you could see it. We were a little bit flat, they were flying and we got behind the eight ball,” said Dupas.
The Barons (7-4-3) got some life in the second period when they finally got on the board. Just as a Bobcat penalty expired, Owen Kelly snapped a shot towards the Bobcats goal and it was deflected in front by Jack Hamly. The 20 year old now has goals in back to back games.
Kelly who was playing up in the line-up with Konrad Belcourt being recalled by the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League took advantage of the added ice-time he was given and provided some solid play for the MOB over the weekend.
“He played hard, he got his shots through, he won his battles, he was good one-on-one, was good in the d-zone, I thought he was real good tonight,” said Dupas on Kelly who has three assists in 11 games this season.
The Barons would tie the game 2-2 off a Bobcat turnover when Reed Morison stole the puck behind the goal. He fed Kole Gable in the slot and his shot was stopped by Cale Elder but the rebound popped right to Tomaras who whacked in his fourth goal of the year.
Both teams had chances late and in overtime but it was Kaiser ending the night after the MOB got crossed up on a line change that allowed the Bobcats to come in on a two-on-one. Kaiser snapped a shot far side on Curr for his second of the game to end it.
Next up for the MOB they will welcome the Okotoks Oilers to the Casman Centre Friday night before battling the Canmore Eagles on Sunday afternoon.
MOB Assistant Coach Dave Dupas on the Country 93.3 post-game show.
Written by: Taylor Pope, mymcmurray.com
Photo by: Dan Lines