It was a perfect start to the 2021-2022 AJHL Season for the Fort McMurray Oil Barons, as they won back-to-back games in Whitecourt against the Wolverines.
The MOB got off to a fast start in the first game on Friday night, with three goals within the first five minutes. Newcomer Pana Efraimidis opened the scoring at 1:59. Fort McMurry local Jesse Burchart would find the back of the net less than a minute later, and alternate captain Tyer Wallace struck on the powerplay at 4:47 of the first. Whitecourt Head Coach Shawn Martin called a timeout to settle his team down. Whitecourt captain Tyler Mahan got his team on the board in the dying minutes of the first, breathing life into Scott Safety Arena.
Whitecourt would press in the second, but goaltender MOB Josh Nadler made several key saves to keep his team in the lead, and a scoreless second would give way to a defensive third period for the Oil Barons, as they cruised to a 3-1 win in their first game of the season.
The Wolverines would open the scoring in the second game on Saturday night, with defenceman Tanner Komzak blasting the puck past Nadler on the powerplay. Alternate captain Tristan Kimmen would answer just moments later, and the two teams went to the first intermission tied at one. Brandon Sacchetti gave the MOB the lead in the second, his first goal as an Oil Baron. In the third, Tyler Mahan tied things up, his second goal in as many games, and proof of why he was voted team captain by the Wolverine players.
The third period, however, belonged to Oil Baron defenceman and Princeton committed Brendan Wang. He re-energized his team with a picture-perfect hip-check, sending the Wolverine attacker head over feet. Moments later, Wang would pounce on a loose puck in the slot and fire it past the glove of Whitecourt netminder William Grimard. Wang would take a roughing penalty late in the period, and with an empty net, the Wolverines were pressing to tie. The MOB penalty kill was up to the task, and Wang was sprung on an empty net breakaway after his penalty expired, sealing a 4-2 win for the MOB.
Due to renovations being done at Centrefire Place, the Oil Barons will be on the road this upcoming weekend in Drayton Valley, where they will play the Thunder at 7 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday respectively. You can listen to every game on Country 93.3.
