Despite a gritty and determined effort, the Lloydminster Bobcats came up just short in Fort McMurray Saturday night.
The Bobcats played stride for stride with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons all night but wound up on the wrong end of a 2-1 final score.
Just one day after dropping a 7-1 decision to the same Oil Barons team, Lloydminster provided a much more competitive contest for Fort McMurray on Saturday, with the game coming down to the final seconds.
For the fourth straight contest, the Bobcats surrounded the first goal of the game. Fort McMurray jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Will Conley found the back of the net midway through the opening frame.
With the shots staying relatively equal throughout the contest, the Bobcats drew even on the scoreboard 9:32 into the second period. Rob Johnson deflected an Andrew McCann point shot past Oil Barons goalie Chris Curr to tie the game 1-1.
Unfortunately for the Bobcats, Fort McMurray would regain their advantage in the late stages of the second.
With under two minutes to play in the frame Ryan Cox netted his third goal of the season to put the Oil Barons up 2-1.
Both teams had multiple chances to score in the third but Bobcats goalie Reece Klassen and Curr both made big saves for their respective teams.
Down and out, Reece Klassen made a spectacular glove save on a Will Conley breakaway, before denying a one-timer in the slot later in the period.
Despite the Bobcats efforts in the dying moments they were unable to find the equalizer with their net empty.
For Lloydminster, the loss is their fourth straight as they fall to 1-4, while the Oil Barons improve to 4-0.
The Bobcats will continue their season on Thursday when they battle the Drumheller Dragons in the first of two games during Showcase weekend.
