By Terry Martin
The Saints came into tonight’s game looking to get back at the Oil Barons after losing 4-1 last night. Spruce Grove has now lost 2 games in a row, one of those games being in overtime. The Saints needed to get back into the win column tonight to secure first place in the North division.
Both teams would come out of the gate with a tight defensive style game, the highest quality chances would come later in the period. The Oil Barons would open the scoring for the second game in a row as Clarke Huxley would be the one to put the puck in the net. The Saints would trail 1-0 on the scoreboard and also trail 11-10 on the shot clock.
Brett Pfoh would be the one to tie the game with 12:44 remaining in the 2nd period as he sniped the puck on the Saints power play opportunity. Both teams would ramp up the physicality throughout the period, coming together on plenty of scrums. The score would remain tied 1-1 after 40 minutes of play and the Saints would trail 19-21 in shots.
Both teams would come into the 3rd period continuing the defensive and physical play throughout. Pisarczyk and McCoy even got into a fight in the Saints crease late in the period. Justin Ross would eventually score on a power play late for the Oil Barons to put them up 2-1. Then Tyler Wallace would add an empty net goal to give the win to Fort McMurray. Final shots in the game favoured the Oil Barons 29-26.
The Saints will continue their road trip and look to get back into the win column in Drumheller on Friday December 10th and then in Brooks on the Saturday.