The Blackfalds Bulldogs held on for a 5-4 win Saturday at home versus the Fort McMurray Oil Barons.
The Bulldogs got on the board just 50 seconds into the game when Brendan Ross beat Joshua Nadler upstairs for his sixth of the season. Blackfalds took a 2-0 advantage 11:55 into the period after Ethan Lund netted his seventh of the campaign. Late in the first, Tyler Wallace solved Lucas Massie on the power play, making it a 2-1 contest.
The Oil Barons tied the game up at two 7:27 into the second on the power play when Wallace recorded his second of the evening.
It was a fast and furious start to the third period for the Bulldogs. Ethan Lund, Spencer Bell and Brendan Ross would all score before the third frame was eight minutes old. Despite trailing 5-2, the Oil Barons did not fold up their tent.
Ryder Matter connected at the 18:30 mark of the final frame on the man advantage, which cut the lead to two. Tyler Wallace completed the hat trick with 28 seconds remaining, making it a 5-4 game. Lucas Massie would close the door the rest of the way as the Bulldogs skated away with two points. Massie ended up making 28 saves for the victory.
With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 16-25-1 on the campaign, which still has them in sixth in the AJHL South.
Blackfalds will look for its second straight win Wednesday at home when they host the Drumheller Dragons at the Eagle Builders Centre for the first time this season.