(Photo Supplied: Oil Barons goaltender Eric Szudor tracks a shot in a 3-2 losing effort against Sherwood Park on October 21, 2015 at the Casman Centre. Dan Lines / FORT MCMURRAY OIL BARONS)
Oil Barons Head Coach Tom Keca discusses a 3-2 loss to the Sherwood Park Crusaders on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015.
Post-game interview – Oct. 21, 2015 – Tom Keca by Bradley Karp on Mixcloud
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MOB drop their fifth straight
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Shots 40-27 Crusaders
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All five goals scored in the third period
They were in it right until the end as they have been through a number of games this season, but you can tally up another loss for the Oil Barons after they fell 3-2 to Sherwood Park at the Casman Centre on Wednesday.
The two teams went into the third period scoreless where they’d explode for a total of five goals.
The Third Period
Ryan Kruper opened the scoring at 9:56 on a point shot from just inside the blue-line as the Crusaders forward was covering the point for a pinching defenceman. Chris McKay ended up scoring the eventual game winner from the same spot for Sherwood Park just nine minutes later.
“I thought that our guys battled hard, we sort of revamped our d-zone a little bit we’re not totally man on man so we’re trying to slouch and support and clog the house,” said MOB Head Coach Tom Keca on the ROCK 97.9 post-game show. “The ironic thing is yesterday we had a bunch of foam pucks and we were practicing shot blocking because we thought that we weren’t doing a good enough job and two goals today are Seeing Eye shot from the point.”
Shane Fraser tied the game just 36 seconds after Kruper’s game opening goal, the rookie wired a hard wrist shot over Zach Dymant’s glove hand.
Then it was a Tyler Maltby breakway goal at 14:50 off blocked shot in front, Ty Readman intercepted the point shot and fed a streaking Maltby who was able to bust through Mark Drohan and Tanner Miller.
“I watched the Oilers last week and I listened to an interview with Taylor Hall and he said ‘it’s no more time for moral victories it’s time for actual victories,’” said Keca. “While I look at this right now and I’m disappointed and it’s a moral victory we have to start translating this into some wins for the guys in that room.”
Connor McCallum made it interesting with 1:20 to go in the game with a short-side goal off a nice feed behind the net from Jackson McKinstry who picked up two assists on the night, but it was too little too late for the Oil Barons.
“There’s such a fine line between winning and losing.”
MOB skated with a bigger, stronger, and a pretty good hockey club in Sherwood Park that improved its record to 9-6 on the year, Fort McMurray fell to 1-12-4.
Goaltending & Special Teams
Eric Szudor was great again, especially on the penalty kill where the Oil Barons killed off three Crusaders power-plays. Szudor stopped 37 of 40 shots faced, while Zach Dyment made 25 saves on 27 shots.
“I’m gonna tend to look at it where the glass is half-full, we’re tied for the last playoff spot and we’re getting better,” said the Oil Barons Head Coach, who was pleased with a true 60 minute effort from his team.
Neither team was able to convert on the power-play with the Oil Barons getting four opportunities.
The Northstar Ford Lincoln helping those short-handed Food Bank Pot sits at $675, the fan pot is at $225.
What’s next?
The MOB are on the road for the second weekend in a row taking on the Spruce Grove Saints (15-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday night and the Sherwood Park Crusaders (9-6) at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
