The MOB opened the new year, splitting a home series against Grande Prairie. Carter Schmidt had a pair of goals, Justin Dumais put together three points over the weekend, while Shawn Eliav and Mason Finley got their first goals in a Fort McMurray jersey.
Saturday saw a back and forth contest go the way of the Oil Barons. Grande Prairie opened the scoring. After forcing a turnover, the Storm broke into Fort McMurray’s zone on a two man breakaway, with Alec Hall finishing off the passing play. The MOB tied the game after causing a turnover of their own. A pass from Keagin Kelln bounced off the skates of Dumais to Schmidt, who made no mistake, cashing in for his 11th goal of the season. Early in the second period, another Grande Prairie turnover led to the Oil Barons first lead of the game. The puck bounced to Cade Petersen, who rifled a shot through Kelln, making it 2-1 Fort McMurray. The Storm found a way to equalize late in the second period. Chayse Laurie, while on his knees, slid the puck to Max Algajer for a power-play marker, tying the game at two. However, the MOB restored their advantage with a power-play goal of their own in the dying stages of the second period. A beautiful passing play saw Danny Akkouche pick out Schmidt on the backdoor for his second goal of the game, making it 3-2 Barons. Fort McMurray got some timely saves from Vincent Filion and some insurance in the third period to help lock up two points. Filion robbed Algajer on a Grande Prairie 5-on-3 power-play, then shortly after, a shot from Charles-Olivier Villeneuve pinballed off Kelln, the skates of Dumais and in to make it 4-2 MOB. The Storm made things interesting with a Brandon de Haas goal late, but the Oil Barons held on for the 4-3 win to kick off 2025.
The Oil Barons got off to a dream start in the rematch on Sunday. Shawn Eliav opened the scoring with a wrist shot from the blue-line that found its way through a crowd for his first goal as a member of the MOB. Less than a minute later, a shot from Lucas Schaefer was stopped by Nicholas Jones and Reis Nyland jammed home the rebound to make it 2-0 Fort McMurray. Grande Prairie got one goal back. Forcing a turnover in the offensive zone, Will Harris snapped home a shot from the slot to cut the Oil Barons lead in half. Fort McMurray restored their two goal advantage with their second power-play goal of the game. Mason Finley, playing in his 200th career junior hockey game, deflected an Eliav point shot past Jones, for his seventh goal of the season. Video review was needed at the end of the first period. It confirmed that a laser beam from Tomis Marinkovic found the back of the net, and the Storm made it 3-2 before the end of the period. Grande Prairie tied the game at 3-3 early in the second period. After killing off a penalty, the Storm cycled the puck in the offensive zone before finding Alec Hall in the slot, who tucked home his 13th goal of the year. Halfway through the third period, Grande Prairie grabbed their first lead of the game. Hall scored his second goal of the game, a power-play goal, with a snipe from the left face-off circle. The Storm then pulled away in the final period. Marinkovic got his second goal of the game, finishing off a 2-on-1 with Logan Cunningham, before Zachary Wilson made it 6-3 with an empty net goal.
Fort McMurray will wrap up their four game homestand this upcoming weekend. The Oil Barons will battle the Drayton Valley Thunder on Friday, before a massive showdown against the Bonnyville Pontiacs on Sunday. Sunday is also Minor Hockey Day, where kids who arrive wearing their minor hockey jerseys get in for free.
