It was a wild home opening weekend for the Oil Barons, who took three of a possible four points from the ninth ranked team in the country, the Drumheller Dragons. Ryan Arnold had a four point weekend, Jaxen Gauchier and Justin Dumais had three points, while the Fort McMurray connection of Cash Brebant, Jaggar John and Carter Ellsworth combined for five points.
Thursday’s home opener was as crazy of a game as it gets. Leo Adams opened the scoring for the MOB on a breakaway for his second goal of the season. Then Jaggar John tucked home a rebound off of Sean Cootes, to make it 2-0 Fort McMurray. Before the end of the first period, Matthew Hilderman slid home a rebound to make it 2-1. It was the first of three on the power-play and four goals total for the Cochrane native. Almost midway through the second period, Hilderman’s second power-play goal of the game tied things up at 2-2, as he tipped home an Allen Sherpa shot. Then the Oil Barons restored their advantage. Carter Ellsworth threw the puck to the front of the goal, where Cash Brebant deflected home his first career AJHL goal. John picked up an assist, ensuring all Fort McMurray kids had a hand on the play. The lead wouldn’t last long. A weird bounce that went off the back of Logan Cunningham knotted the contest at 3-3. Aiden Connell was credited with the goal in his 100th career game. The third period saw both teams combine for eight goals. Ryan Arnold gave Fort McMurray a 4-3 lead with his team leading third goal of the season. Matthew Hilderman’s hat-trick goal tied the game at 4-4 just over a minute later. Arnold gave Fort McMurray another lead with a one-timer on the power-play. Tristan Payne found the equalizer, placing the puck top corner on Cunningham. Less than a minute after that, Jensen Marsh gave the Dragons their first lead of the night to make it 6-5. The Oil Barons would not go away. Justin Dumais scored a highlight reel goal for the second of the season, tying the game at 6-6. Less than a minute after that, Matthew Hilderman scored his fourth goal of the game, giving Drumheller a 7-6 lead. The MOB pushed for an equalizer. With 45 seconds remaining, Arnold had his hat-trick goal disallowed due to the net being pushed off its moorings. Then with 5.3 seconds remaining in the game, Drew Freer deflected home a Ryan Arnold wrist shot, and the game headed to overtime tied at 7-7. The extra frame lasted 16 seconds. Tyler Deakos scooped up the loose puck and snapped a shot top corner, giving the Dragons the 8-7 win.
Friday, the Oil Barons turned to a new goalie and aimed to avenge the previous night’s loss. A couple of bounces went the way of Fort McMurray in the first period. After a missed tripping call on Griffin Gidney, the puck slid to Jaxen Gauchier, who smashed home his first goal as an Oil Baron and the MOB opened the scoring for the second straight night. Then with 3.6 seconds remaining in the period, Lucas McDonald got his first goal with the MOB, poking home a rolling puck to make it 2-0. Berney Weston made a couple stellar saves in goal, including robbing Matthew Hilderman with the left pad on the penalty kill. Early in the second period, Fort McMurray extended their lead on the man advantage. Evan Benoit had his stick checked, but the puck rolled to Ryan Arnold, who steered home his team leading fifth goal of the season. Fort McMurray got another reason to cheer just before the end of the second period. Drew Freer forced a Drumheller turnover and set up Carter Ellsworth for his first career AJHL goal in his hometown, gifting the Barons a 4-0 lead. The Oil Barons had to play strong defence in the third period, as they found themselves shorthanded three different times. Weston set the tone with an unbelievable glove save on Hilderman 11 seconds in. The only shot Drumheller got past Weston was a back-door feed to Tyler Deakos, and Fort McMurray skated away with a 4-1 win at home.
The Oil Barons return to action next Saturday and Sunday, when the defending nationals champion Calgary Canucks come to town. Puck drop on Saturday is 7pm, while Sunday’s game starts at 2pm. There is also a Family Skate after the game on Sunday.
