The Oil Barons won their lone contest at the AJHL Showcase, their first win at the annual event since October 1st, 2022. In the 6-5 overtime triumph over the Calgary Canucks, Justin Dumais got two goals and a helper, to extend his point streak to 13 games. Ryan Arnold, Lucas McDonald and Carter Ellsworth each had a goal and an assist earning the Oil Barons 22nd win of the season.
Calgary opened the high scoring affair about midway through the first period. Max Sullivan found Conner Radke for an easy tap-in. It was Radke’s first of four points on the day. Fort McMurray equalized before the end of the period. After delivering a punishing body check, the puck found Griffin Gidney in the offensive zone, and the Calgary product ripped a shot top corner for his seventh goal of the season. The second period saw both teams combine for five goals. Ryan Arnold gave the Oil Barons an early 2-1 lead. A bouncing puck off Willem Terwoord’s stick went to Arnold, and the Spruce Grove product backhanded a shot past a down and out Dimitri Fortin. But Calgary would respond. Just after a power-play expired, a shot from Radke was turned aside by Brendan Gee, but the rebound went to Sullivan who tied up the game. Calgary then took a 3-2 lead on a power-play goal. A clever no-look pass from Radke gave Grant Reid a wide open net, and the former Wenatchee Wild forward made no mistake. Late in the second period, the Oil Barons got a power-play goal of their own. Justin Dumais went around the outside of the offensive zone, before picking the top corner for his 20th goal of the season. Just when it looked like the game would be tied heading into the intermission, Calgary restored their advantage. With less than a minute to go, a Josh Kelly shot bounced off the back wall and Reid tucked home his second goal of the game to put Calgary in front 4-3. Early in the third period, the Canucks struck for their second power-play goal. Radke found a wide open Harper Lolacher on the right wing, and the Pilot Butte, Saskatchewan product scored his league leading 33rd goal of the season, giving the Canucks some insurance. Cue the comeback for the MOB. With six minutes to go, Carter Ellsworth scooped up the puck and stepped to the right wing, before rifling it over the shoulder of Fortin, making it 5-4. Then the Oil Barons evened the contest with 2:45 to go. A drop pass from Ewan Gillis found Lucas McDonald, who snapped the puck through a double screen to the back of the net, and the game headed to overtime. Both teams had several chances to end it early in the extra frame. Gee made two stellar saves to keep the game alive, including one on Kelly driving to the net. With the shootout beckoning, Fort McMurray ended up with one last opportunity. Spencer Kunz made a tremendous defensive play in the neutral zone, preventing a 2-on-0 breakaway. It set up Arnold and Dumais on a 2-on-1 of their own, where Dumais slipped the puck through Fortin, giving the MOB the victory.
Fort McMurray will embark on a mini three game road trip against tough in-division opposition. It starts with a battle between first and second in the AJHL, as they take on the Whitecourt Wolverines on Saturday and Sunday. Puck drop Saturday is at 7pm, Sunday’s game starts at 2:30pm.
