For a second straight year, the Fort McMurray Oil Barons picked up a split at the annual Alberta Junior Hockey League Showcase in Camrose.
The MOB fell 5-3 to the Canmore Eagles Friday afternoon after defeating the Drumheller Dragons a day earlier.
The Barons (4-2-1) got off to a quick start against the Eagles (4-1-0) when Reed Morison scored 1:09 into the game. Kole Gable’s centering pass was intercepted but Morison stripped the defender in the slot and beat an unsuspecting Thomas Davis for his league leading 7th goal.
The Eagles would get one back when former Oil Baron Owen Reith jumped on a rebound off the pad of Josh Dias and buried his 3rd goal of the year. The Eagles took a 2-1 lead when Alex Young walked out from the corner and fired a backhand to the far side that beat Dias up high.
Before the period was out, the MOB tied the score 2-2. Taner Miller floated a shot in from the right point that was deflected in front by Jackson Verstraete for his first goal of the year.
The Barons took the lead early in the second period when Miller out muscled Alex Young in centre ice and hit Jarred White on the left wing. Miller broke towards the Eagle goal and tipped White’s pass in behind Davis to make it 3-2.
The Eagles struck twice to end the second period with goals from Colton Young and Connor Lyons. Young tucked home a wrap around and then set up Lyons on a powerplay as the former Oil Baron roofed a shot after a scramble in the slot.
Lyons would get a second goal in the third period on another Eagles powerplay when he deflected in a point shot to make it 5-3.
The Oil Barons will look to rebound Friday night at home against the Calgary Canucks. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Casman Centre.
