It was a busy weekend for the Fort McMurray Oil Barons (MOB), with two games, the Jan. 10 Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) trade deadline and the retiring of Scottie Upshall’s #7 jersey.
On Friday, Jan. 9, the MOB hosted the Whitecourt Wolverines.
The Wolverines opened the game with two goals within thirty seconds of each other mid-way into the first period. The MOB never recovered and fell 5-2, it was the Oil Barons first loss of 2015 and just their third in regulation since December, 2014.
On Saturday, Jan. 10, the Drayton Valley Thunder were on hand to witness Fort McMurray’s Scottie Upshall’s #7 be unfurled in the rafters of the Casman Centre.
Upshall, 31, is currently an Assistant Captain with the Florida Panthers of the NHL. Upshall played one season with the MOB in 1999-2000 when the Oil Barons hosted, and won the RBC National Junior ‘A’ Championship, Upshall had 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists) in 52 regular season games that year.
“It was awesome, really cool, really thrilled and honoured to be part of that class here from Fort McMurray. There’s a lot of people that you go down the line and thank, it starts with my parents, it starts with all my friends and family that have been there through my whole career. It’s just awesome to come back to Fort Mac and get in a hockey game and see everyone,” said Upshall. “It was amazing, I think the organization really did some really special things, it was nice to have Fran (Gow) here my coach to speak, it was nice to have my buddy Nick Roberts here who I played with, my family, everything just happened to work out. I’m proud to be on that wall, I’m proud to be from Fort Mac, and I’m proud that I was able to play here and be a part of this.”
Oil Barons Captain Jetlan Houcher led his team to a victory in overtime after blowing a two goal lead in the third period. Houcher scored a hat-trick, including the game winner in overtime to lead the MOB 4-3 over the Thunder.
The CJHL trade deadline also passed at 10:00 p.m Mountain Time during the Oil Barons – Thunder game. The MOB made two trades.
The first sent 19-year old forward Kyle Star to the Brooks Bandits for ‘Future Considerations’.
MOB Head Coach & GM Curtis Hunt then added 18-year old defenceman Brett Doiron from the Grande Prairie Storm, in exchange the MOB sent ‘Future Considerations’ to Grande Prairie.
