Spruce Grove vs. Fort McMurray (Saints win 4-3)
The Spruce Grove Saints are heading back to the Gas Drive Cup Finals following a 3-2 overtime victory over the Fort McMurray Oil Barons on Tuesday night.
The Saints opened the scoring 5:00 into the opening period as Carson Samoridny (assist to Cole Nicholson) redirected his team leading 8th goal of playoffs, behind Oil Barons’ goaltender Tanner Jaillet.
The Oil Barons would respond as Kevin Miller (assist to Luc Lalor) fired his team leading 9th goal of the post season, past Saints’ goaltender Kenny Cameron at 16:30 of the opening period.
Shots favored the Oil Barons 15-12 in the opening period.
The Oil Barons would take the lead late in the second period on the power play, as Kevin Miller (assists to Luc Lalor and Austin Yadlowski) would snap his second goal of the night and 10th of the playoffs over the glove of Cameron at 14:41.
The Oil Barons lead lasted 1:43 as the Saints would tie the game at 16:24.
Paul Lovsin (assists to Connor James and Carson Samoridny) would show some great hand eye coordination and bat the puck out of the air and into the net.
It was his 2nd goal of the post season.
Shots favored the Saints in the second period 14-12, but favored the Oil Barons 27-26 after two periods.
Both teams would play a very defensive third period as neither team would score which would send the game into overtime.
Shots favored the Saints 9-6 in the third period and 35-33 after three periods.
Flashback to 2012 where the Saints and Oil Barons went to overtime in game seven of the North final tied at 2-2.
It was the Oil Barons who picked up the win that year in overtime.
This year it would be the Saints to celebrate as Parker Mackay (assists Jake Mykitiuk and Cameron Hughes) would score his 7th goal of the post season on a rebound over Jaillet’s shoulder at 9:42 of the first overtime period.
Shots favored the Saints 8-6 in the overtime period and 43-39 in the game.
The Saints will meet the Drumheller Dragons in the Gas Drive Cup Finals.
Story by Chris Colwell