Hear the Highlights: [audio: http://pmd.country933.com/audio/oil_barons/MOB_HIGHLIGHTS_MAR23.mp3]
The Fort McMurray Oil Barons led for most of Game 1 of the AJHL North final, but a late surge by the Spruce Grove Saints gave the home team a 3-1 victory and a 1-0 series lead.
The Barons opened the scoring late in the 1st period when Justin Rose was sprung out of the penalty box for an odd-man rush. He fired a cross-ice pass to Killian Hutt who buried his fifth goal of the playoffs and team-leading 17th playoff point (tied with Rose) to give the Barons the first lead of the series.
That lead would hold until the dying minutes of the third period, when the Saints exploded for 3 goals in less than 4 minutes. First, Matthew Benning’s slapshot from the right point beat Brody Hoffman through traffic, then former Edmonton Oil King Josh Lazowski fired a high wrister into the McMurray net from the left circle, and soon afterwards, Whitecourt Wolverines affiliate Nicholas Bourgeois took a breakaway feed and beat Hoffman to make the final 3-1.
Hoffman made 39 saves on 42 shots, including 20 saves in the first period in one of his best performances of the season, earning second star honours despite the loss.
The Barons were outshot 42-31 on the night.
Game 2 of the series is tomorrow (Saturday) night in Spruce Grove; puck drop is 7pm with pre-game coverage at 6:45 on Country 93.3.
