The Week That Was - October 13th

 Happy Thanksgiving everyone! There is so much to be thankful for, which I will get to my reasons later on, but first how about those two games in Fort McMurray?!?

Fans at Centerfire Place were treated to EVERYTHING hockey could throw at you. Goals galore, highlight reel saves, massive hits and a full roster brawl at the end of Sunday's game, this weekend had it all! I won't go into details about the brawl on Sunday, as that is in the hands of the league, but even without it, there are a number of kudos to hand out. 

First off, a thumbs up to Logan Cunningham. Logan's last outing was a rough one during the home opener. There were a number of rebounds coughed up that Drumheller took advantage of. While Cunningham wasn't heavily tested yesterday, he faced some grade A scoring opportunities and made some highlight reels saves. None of the goals against were on him, in my opinion. A terrific bounce back effort by the Sherwood Park kid.

If you told me heading into the weekend that Fort McMurray would be involved in another game where both teams combined for over ten goals, I probably would've laughed. But that's exactly what we got on Saturday and this time the Oil Barons found a way to win. What was impressive in that victory was Fort McMurray's resiliency. They erased four Calgary leads, built a lead at the end of the second period and locked things down in the third. Sure, the coaching wasn't happy with how the game was left to chance, but good teams find a way to win. That was a game where the Oil Barons learned the lessons from the home opener and turned it into success.

If there was one person I felt bad for, it was Canucks' goaltender Noah Nelson. The former Oil Baron made his return to Centerfire Place and it was a battering for the veteran netminder. Nelly is a terrific person, greeted me with a massive hug and a big hello before locking into game mode. Noah had a great start to the season before that game and I expect him to bounce back in a big way. Sometimes it's tough to return to the building you used to call home, fortunately for Nelson, this will be the only time he plays in Fort McMurray this season.

Around The League:

When I look at how everything is unfolding in the AJHL one thing is clear, anyone can win on any given night. Yes it's early, but the standings are tight. Four points separates third to sixth in the North, six points between first and four in the South. Drumheller and Whitecourt lead their respective divisions, but the packs are closing on them and the standings could look very different in a month's time.

I love looking at stats and the Bonnyville Pontiacs are a team that surprises me. The Yaks are a team that, I feel, will explode offensively. They are averaging the most shots on target, but are only 10th in goals per game with a team shooting percentage of 8.7%. To me, a successful offence is able to cash in on around 10% of their shots. I feel like the Pontiacs will see that shooting percent rise as the year goes on, especially if they can continue to average 38 shots on goal. My biggest concern for Bonnyville, can they keep the puck out of their net.

There is a new scoring leader in the AJHL! Whitecourt's captain Jalen Bianchet continues to impress in his overage season. Now 18 points in nine games, the Pickering, Ontario kid is the leader of the top offence in the league. What's really helped Bianchet's success is the supporting cast around him. Kyle Tucker is tied for fourth in points, Brendan Ruskowski has ten points in five games, Tyler Pretty is third in the league for assists. A Whitecourt squad has prided itself on strong defence has now added a dangerous layer to their team and is showing the league why they are a contender for the title.

Wrap Up:

This weekend should be entertaining at Centerfire Place! One of the best rivalries in the league reunites for three games in three nights as Grande Prairie comes to town. I was told recently by a member of the Storm that they felt like these are the toughest two teams in the AJHL and that helps get him ready for the weekend series. Over the last couple years, the games in Fort McMurray have been evenly contested, will that trend continue this season, or will one team wrestle control?

With it being Thanksgiving, there are plenty of things I am thankful for. Faith and family are at the top of my list. During a week that was turbulent personally, those two I leaned on heavily to keep me going. It's also the best time of the year! Working in the best sport in the world, entertaining some of the best fans on the planet, I will forever be grateful for those connections and to be in the job I'm meant to be. What are you thankful for?

Upcoming Oil Barons Games:

Friday, October 17th vs Grande Prairie 7pm
Saturday, October 18th vs Grande Prairie 7pm
Sunday, October 19th vs Grande Prairie 2pm

All Oil Barons games can be found on the MOB Radio Network

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SJHL Rink Rankings

Image
Not all arenas are built the same, obviously. Some are bigger, some have character, some are cookie cutter. As a broadcaster, I feel like we look at rinks in a different lens than most people. That means we have our own opinions on which rinks are better than others. Now, quick disclaimer, this is purely my personal opinion. Just because your rink is lower on this list doesn't mean it's a bad arena. I know some people will defend their home rinks till the earth comes to an end. For me, this is how I rate the rinks in terms of my favorite to broadcast a game to the least, starting with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Stay tuned as I will also do one of the Alberta Junior Hockey League rinks. **Couple quick notes. I know La Ronge is moving to the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Center, while the Notre Dame Hounds are relocating to Warman. For this list, I will be ranking the Mel Hegland Uniplex and Duncan McNeil Arena, respectively, as those are the rinks I've persona...
Read more

WAY To Early AJHL Predictions

Image
First let me say that this is all speculation. I don't have any inside information on who will leave, who will stay. That said, as broadcasters it is fun to make bold predictions and every once in a while a blind squirrel finds a nut. This upcoming season could be one of the most wide open years in recent memory for the AJHL. It will be the first full season since the NCAA rule change, no team will be hosting the Centennial Cup in Alberta (that we know of, the 2026 edition has yet to be announced), and there could be an influx of young players coming to the league whose WHL teams feel like aren't quite ready for major junior. So let's take a look and do some waaaaaaaay too early 2025-26 AJHL predictions.  North Division 1. Whitecourt Wolverines Key Returnees: Jalen Bianchet, Ethan Short, Marcello Giorgi, Xavier Lacoste, Jack Pollock Graduates: Zac Onyskiw, Braden Keeble, Travis Verbeek, Joey Vetrano, Dylan Ruptash, Timothy Kim, Ewan McPherson, Matthew Gallant Possible Depar...
Read more

The Week That Was - September 15th

Image
The preseason wrapped up with Fort McMurray finishing with a 1-5 record. The team headed four hours southwest to the town of Slave Lake to battle the Grande Prairie Storm. Head Coach Sam Klassen made it very clear that he was not happy with the team's performance over the first four games of the preseason, and expected measured improvement in the team's final tune up. Defence and goaltending were turning into major concerns for the Oil Barons. By the end of the preseason, the MOB conceded over five goals a game, a stat that does not bode well for a team's success.   When looking solely at the two games in Slave Lake, there were several positives and concerns to take away.      - On the plus side was the play of the youngsters. Noah Kelly continues to impress with his tenacity and work ethic. Leading the team in points through the preseason, it would be a shock to not see him on the opening day roster. It was also the first look of Jaggar John in action for his hometo...
Read more