With six regulars out of the line-up Sunday afternoon, the Fort McMurray Oil Barons depth was tested as they took on the Calgary Canucks.
The MOB led for a good majority of the game but were unable to come away with the two points as they fell 3-2 in a shootout.
Coming off a loss in Brooks in the night prior, the Barons (25-5-3) were able to jump on the Canucks (15-19-1) early as they opened the scoring 2:09 into the game when Shane Fraser knocked home his own rebound after his initial shot was stopped by Kolby Matthews.
Owen Reith picked up his third assist in two games on the goal while Nolen Coventry recorded his 1st career AJHL point with an assist. With the Oil Barons short staffed over the three game trip, Coventry suited up in all three games and contributed solid minutes for the Oil Barons.
The Barons held the Canucks at bay until late in the second period when an unfortunate deflection ended up in the MOB net. Andrew Marshall skated down the right wing and threw a pass into the slot area. MOB defenceman JC Thivierge tried to intercept the pass and it deflected off his stick and past an unsuspecting Chris Curr to tie the game 1-1.
The MOB didn’t let the goal get them down as they stormed out to start the third period and restored their lead 2:47 in. Trevor Schroder and Luke Harvie won a battle along the boards and Harvie found a wide open Spencer Yanke in front of the Canucks goal. Yanke’s first shot was stopped but he stuck with the play and hammered in the rebound for his first career AJHL goal in his first career game.
The Barons dressed three affiliate players in the game with Ethan Jamernick suiting up for the second time over the weekend trip.
The Oil Barons will hope to get several bodies back after the Christmas break with Will Conley, Jack Hamly and Jarred White all out with minor injuries. Merritt Oszytko will return after serving his four game suspension while Curtis Roach is close to returning from a fractured wrist that has kept him out since the end of October.
A former Oil Baron would help set up the tying goal as Hayden Ursulak cut across the MOB blueline and found Michael Clarke who snapped a quick shot past the glove hand of Curr to make it 2-2.
Curr made several big saves late in the period to force overtime and kicked out five Canuck shots in overtime including a point blank shot from Zach Russell.
Zach Webb would score the lone goal in the shootout as he beat Curr through the five-hole as the Canucks beat the Oil Barons for the first time this season in three attempts.
The MOB will be off until December 29th when they return against the Sherwood Park Crusaders at the Casman Centre.
