Storm - 1 at Oil Barons - 2

After a scathing video session on Thursday night in which reportedly very few players were left unscathed for their performance in Wednesday's loss in Sherwood Park, there was some curiousity as to how the Storm would react Friday night in Fort McMurray. 

For two periods, they looked pretty good, as the Storm put in one of their best overall performances of the year.   But the gas tank looked to empty in the third period, as the Oil Barons out shot them 14-2 in the final frame, and got the game winning goal almost 7 minutes into the frame en route to a 2-1 win. 

Dustin Beairsto opened the scoring for the Storm with 1:23 left in the first, after Cam McWilliam made a nice chip out of the defensive zone right to the speedy Spruce Grove native.  Beairsto then beat an Oil Baron defender to the outside and out waited Jesse Kallechy before putting it glove side into the goal.

Oil Barons tied it early in the second as league scoring leader Mitchell Board beat Storm netminder Jacob Edwards right off the faceoff.   Board would also be involved in the game winning goal, as he bit Caylen Walls outside on a one-on-one battle, firing a shot the Edwards could not completely squeeze.  The loose puck would sit in the crease until Markus Gerbrandt could poke it into the open goal. 

The Oil Barons would then turn it over to their forecheck, who kept the Storm pinned in their half of the rink for most of the final few minutes of the game, not allowing them the chance to get a final press on Kallechy in the final seconds. 

The teams will meet again tonight at 8 at the Casman Center in Fort McMurray, in the final game of this three game road swing for the Storm.

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

Jacob Edwards looked very solid in his debut for the Storm, making 35 saves, including 13 in the third period which kept the Storm in the game when they had trouble generating offence.

It was by far the most physical game of the season for the Storm, as they were on both the giving and receiving end.  John Girman was very physical, laying out Ben Lake with a thunderous hit late in the first period, then handling himself very well after being jumped by Oil Baron Drew McLaughlin.  How McLaughlin did not receive an instigator penalty on the play still baffles me.

STORM - 1  at OIL BARONS - 2
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
1. GP Dustin Beairsto (1) (Cam McWilliam, Mitch Neumeier) 18:37
Penalties:
Cam McWilliam GP (Charging) 2:14, Cam McWilliam GP (Tripping) 12:21, John Girman GP Drew McLaughlin FM (Fighting) 19:49
Shots - FM - 9  GP - 9
2nd Period
2. FM Mitchell Board (3) (Carson Cooper) 6:24
Penalties:
Taylor Cote GP Shay Laurent FM (Misconduct) 2:38, Brendan Wright FM (Slashing) 6:24, Bench Minor GP (Too Many Men) 7:43, Ben Lake FM (Holding) 13:01
Shots - FM - 14/23  GP - 12/21
3rd Period
3. FM  Markus Gerbrandt (1) (Mitchell Board, Carson Cooper) 6:51
Penalties:
Brock Maschmeyer FM Dustin Beairsto GP  (Roughing) 12:38, Jon Aylward GP (Holding) 12:46.
Shots - FM - 14/37  GP - 2/23
Power Plays:  FM - 0/4  GP - 0/2
Goalie Stats:  FM Kallechy (W 2-1, 22/23)  GP Edwards (L 0-1, 35/37)
3 Stars:  1. Board (FM)  2. Edwards (GP)  3. Cooper (FM)