Story Coming In:
It’s been a long rest for the Oil Barons, who have not played since their 7-1 loss at the hands of the Drumheller Dragons on February 3rd. Another slow start put Fort McMurray on the back foot, as they battle for positioning in the AJHL Play In series. With five of their last seven games against teams the Oil Barons could play in the postseason, every point becomes important for the blue and gold. In addition, the MOB saw the departure of three players to the BCHL in Ryan Arnold, Ethan Sundar and Dylan Bidyk. With these key players gone, it opens the door for guys like Anthony Campbell, Keenan Ingram and Ethan King to take on bigger roles as they attempt to move their development forward. It also means that Fort McMurray will continue to lean on their big producers in Carter Schmidt, Simon Gaul and Vincent Lamanna, all of whom make up the top three in points on the team.
View From Canmore & Camrose:
No team in the AJHL has been more inconsistent than the Canmore Eagles. The team is capable of beating top tier teams in the AJHL, but they’ve also dropped games against teams below them in the standings. Currently on a four game losing streak, Canmore looks for traction as they try to solidify home ice advantage in the Play In series. A lot of the Eagles’ success will depend on their goaltending tandem of Matthew Malin and Matthew Kieper, while Logan Ziegler and the AJHL leader in defensemen scoring, Brody Tallman, will continue to look to put up points for Canmore. With five of their last six games on home ice, the Eagles have the opportunity to gather momentum heading into the postseason in front of their fans. The Camrose Kodiaks have been one of the best teams in the AJHL as of late. Going 7-3 in their last 10 games, which included a four game winning streak, the Kodiaks continue to climb their way up the standings. A big reason for their success is the recent emergence of goaltender Elliott Pratt. The Toronto, Ontario product has won five of his last six starts, which included a pair of shutouts. Ludovik Tardif has also found his stride in central Alberta, as the man from Quebec City heads into the weekend posting 13 points in 6 games.
Stats Leaders For Fort McMurray:
Goals: Gaul (19)
Assists: Lamanna (20)
Points: Schmidt (32)
PIM: Hoogendoorn (107)
Goalies: Nelson: 6-10-0-2, 4.05 GAA, 0.902%, 1 SO
Stewart: 2-5-0-0, 4.56 GAA, .884%