For the first time since the 2018/19 season, the Oil Barons swept a three games in three days weekend, downing the Grande Prairie Storm 3-2, 5-4 and 4-2. The goaltending duo of Logan Cunningham and Berney Weston was terrific, stopping 108 of 116 shots they faced this weekend. Ewan Gillis scored his first three goals of his career, Ryan Arnold and Jaggar John had a pair of goals each which included a game winner, Ben Albers tallied his first career AJHL marker, while 16 different Oil Barons found their way onto the scoresheet. Even more impressive, Fort McMurray pulled off the sweep despite missing four veteran defenders due to suspension or injury.
Friday’s game was everything fans expected in a Fort McMurray vs Grande Prairie contest. It was tough, physical with neither team offered a whole lot of room on the ice. Grande Prairie opened the scoring with the lone goal of the first period. Roghan Walker raced down the right wing on a 2-on-1 before snapping the puck top corner on Logan Cunningam, for Walker’s second goal of the season. Fort McMurray had a response with a pair of quick strikes. The first was when the puck popped to Ben Albers in the high slot. The McKinney, Texas product lobbed home his first career AJHL goal, tying the game at 1-1. Then 1:03 later, Griffin Gidney gave the Oil Barons their first lead of the night. Justin Dumais carried the puck into the offensive, held up for Gidney, then dished off to the veteran from Calgary who wired the shot to the back of the net. The Storm tied the contest before the end of the second period. After forcing a turnover, Walker found Cole Penner in the slot, and the La Crete, Alberta man put home his first career AJHL goal. The third period was tight checking, but it was the MOB who found the game winner. Dumais charged into the offensive zone and put the puck in front for Ryan Arnold. The Spruce Grove native was stopped by Leland Gill, but the rebound slipped free and Arnold tucked it into the empty net.
Saturday was another back and forth game. Despite conceding a hat trick, the Oil Barons found a way to come out victorious 5-4. Jaxen Gauchier opened the scoring 1:19 in. A point shot from affiliated defender Damien Wiebe was turned aside from Keagin Kelln, before Gauchier scooped up the puck and tucked it home for his third goal of the season. Brandon de Haas and the Storm tied the game a little more than halfway through the first period. A snipe from the Okotoks product destroyed Logan Cunningham’s water bottle for de Haas’ first goal of the season. The second period turned into a goal fest. De Haas got his second goal of the game, sliding a rebound into the open net to make it 2-1 Grande Prairie. About 30 seconds later, the Oil Barons got a response. Ewan Gillis let a wrist shot go that found the back of the net. It was the Edmonton product’s first career AJHL goal and the game was tied at 2-2. 26 seconds later, the MOB took the lead. Cade Petersen dangled around the offensive zone before finally firing a shot that handcuffed Kelln, for his second goal of the season. Grande Prairie equalized a few minutes later. The Storm outworked the Oil Barons, despite being shorthanded. Colin Doherty fed Chase Christensen in the slot, where the Delburne, Alberta man snapped home his fifth goal of the season. That same power-play, Fort McMurray restored their advantage. The puck slid to Gillis at the blueline and he rifled a shot into the top corner for his second goal of the game making it 4-3. The Barons received a little bit of insurance. Cash Brebant slipped Jaggar John in behind the defence and the local kid wired a shot over the glove of Kelln for his third goal of the season. Grande Prairie got one goal back to make it 5-4. De Haas scored a highlight reel marker, deking the defence and Logan Cunningham to complete the hat trick. The Storm pressed for an equalizer in the third period, but Cunningham slammed the door and the Oil Barons made it two wins in a row against Grande Prairie.
Goaltending was the key to the weekend sweep for the Oil Barons. Berney Weston turned aside 34 of the 36 shots he faced on Sunday, including 17 in the second period alone. It was late in the first when Fort McMurray opened the scoring. Ryan Arnold grabbed a puck that was bobbled at the Oil Barons’ blue-line, sped away from the defence on a shorthanded breakaway, and slipped the puck five hold on Leland Gill for his team leading eighth goal of the season. The MOB doubled their lead before the end of the stanza. Noah Kelly banked the puck ahead for Jaggar John, and the rookie forward snapped a shot off the far post and in. It was goals in back to back games for John and his fourth of the year. The second period was all Grande Prairie. The Storm peppered Weston, forcing the Gull Lake, Saskatchewan product to make several difficult saves, including a diving one on Will Harris. Finally, a little more than halfway through the period, Grande Prairie solved Weston. After another stellar pad save, Max Leduc unleashed a backhand that went five hole on Weston, cutting the Oil Barons lead to one. Dane Pyatt tied the game at 2-2. Left open in the slot, Pyatt received a pass from Colin Doherty, before labeling a shot inside the post. Fort McMurray came out of the second intermission with more jump in their game and it paid off in the third period. After winning a board war, Jaxen Gauchier fed a wide open Ewan Gillis, and the rookie from Edmonton sniped the top corner for his third goal of the weekend, putting Fort McMurray back in front 3-2. Justin Dumais added an empty net goal while shorthanded, and the MOB held on to win all three games this weekend against the Storm.
Fort McMurray will now enjoy some time off before they wrap up their nine game homestand. Whitecourt will visit Centerfire Place on October 31st and November 1st. Puck drop both games will be at 7pm, and there will be a costume contest during the Halloween game.
