Story Coming In:
Fort McMurray split their home stand versus the Drumheller Dragons and remain in fourth place in the North Division. Coupled with a Bonnyville win earlier this week, and the Oil Barons lead over the Pontiacs has been trimmed to five points for the final playoff spot. It was a milestone filled weekend against the Dragons. Ryan Arnold tallied five points to reach 100 in his career, Cody Nordstrom got his first career goal in his third season in the AJHL, while Charles-Olivier Villeneuve played his 150th career junior hockey game. The MOB are starting to find offence as they approach the Christmas break. Fort McMurray has scored four or more goals in five of their last six games, going 4-2-0 in that stretch. Villeneuve, Arnold and Danny Akkouche have led that charge, as the three players combined for 24 points in the last six games.
View From Devon & Whitecourt:
Devon recently snapped a lengthy 11 game losing streak at home with a 5-4 win over Bonnyville. However, the Xtreme find themselves 17 points outside of a playoff spot, with one of the youngest teams in the AJHL. Tyler Pretty leads the team in points and has five in his last three games, while goaltender Logan Cunningham notched his first win in a Devon jersey last Wednesday. One bright spot for the Xtreme is the play of rookie Malcolm Baar. The young man from Revelstoke, British Columbia leads all rookies in goals scored with 12. The Wolverines find themselves sitting in first place in the AJHL. Whitecourt went 1-1 this week on an eastern Alberta road trip. Tuesday saw them drop a 4-3 decision to Bonnyville, before they took down the Lloydminster Bobcats at the Centennial Civic Centre. Zac Onyskiw continues to have an unprecedented season. The Edmonton product leads the league in wins, goals against average and save percentage. Onyskiw’s .943 save percentage is on pace to break an AJHL record held by Oil Baron alumni Jesse Gordichuk.
Stats Leaders For Fort McMurray:
Goals: Akkouche & Arnold (12)
Assists: Villeneuve (17)
Points: Akkouche & Villeneuve (28)
PIM: Kunz & Nordstrom (60)
Goalies: Filion: 14-10-1-1, 2.35 GAA, 0.925%
