GAME RECAP:
The Whitecourt Wolverines and Fort McMurray Oil Barons met for the fifth time this season in Fort McMurray Saturday night. The Oil Barons continued their hot streak towards the top of the North Division with a not so easy 3-2 win over the Wolverines.��
Colten Mayor set up the opening goal 5:52 into the game, as the Wolverines first shot of the period would fool Oil Barons goalie Tanner Jaillet. He made the initial save but wasn’t able to control the rebound leading to Brandon Switzer driving his 12th of the season home. This would continue Switzer’s hot streak as it was his 3rd goal in 3 games and it increased his point total to 4 in his last 5 games.
The Wolverines would find themselves in some penalty trouble, as Brodyn Neilson would get called for roughing at the 7:39 mark. The Oil Barons would answer as Houcher would even the contest less than half way into the first period on that Power Play.
Joel Kocur would strike right back with his 7th of the season, driving home a rebound behind Jaillet at the 12:45 mark. ��The Wolverines would survive the charge by the Oil Barons early on, being outshot 7-1 at one point. However, the Wolverines would claw their way back and go into the 2nd period with a 2-1 lead.
It was all Oil Barons to start the second period as they would strike on the power play just :28 seconds into the frame and the 8:51 mark taking a 3-2 lead into the 3rd period.��
The 3rd period turned into a battle that kept the Oil Baron crowd on the edgeof there seats until the final whistle. The Oil Barons would be limited to just 7 shots in the 3rd and not one shot in the remaining 11 minutes of play.â?¨The Wolverines fired 14 shots on Tanner Jaillet in the 3rd period but it was too little too late as Jaillet stood his ground to carry the Oil Barons to their 36th win of the season.
Game Notes:
-Ryan Berlin was hauled down late in the 2nd period and was rewarded a penalty shot, Berlin tried to go back hand top shelf but was denied by Jaillet.
-Connor McCallum returned to Fort McMurray for the first time as the opposition.â?¨McCallum started the season with the Oil Barons before being dealt to the Calgary Canucks at the end of November.â?¨
Final Shots on Goal: 34-32 Fort McMurray
Whitecourt went 0/4 on the power play, while Fort McMurray went 3/8.��
Three Stars:��
1st – (FTM) Jetlan Houcher – (1G, 2A)
â?¨â?¨2nd – (WCT) – Mac Engle (31 Saves)â?¨â?¨
3rd – (WCT) – Brandon Switzer – (1G)â?¨â?¨
Attendance at the Casman Centre 1660
Next game for the Wolverines is a matinee tomorrow (Sunday) as the Wolverines visit the league leading Spruce Grove Saints, Game time is at 2pm.
Devin Rideout��
Director of Media Operations â?¨