February 20, 2013

Junior Gold to host Sidney on Friday

The Watford City Oilers boys hockey team recently returned from their last trip to the east for the season. They played the Fargo Freeze on Saturday afternoon, coming out on top 9 to 1.
 Sophomore winger Jon Dunn opened the scoring for the Oilers just 2:52 into the contest converting on a rebound off the stick of Daniel Marmon. Sophomore winger Dalton Wright, fresh off a shoulder injury, scored his first of four goals on the night four minutes later ripping a shot past the Fargo goalie. Marmon and Ted Ramage assisted on the play.
The Oilers struck quickly in the second period when senior captain Brandon Taylor took a Dunn feed and blasted the puck by the Fargo netminder  just  17 seconds into the period. Ramage, on assists from Dunn and Taylor, then added to the Oilers’ lead three minutes later to put the Oilers up 4-0.
The Oilers kept the pressure on and added their fifth goal of the game when Wright notched his second goal of the game with Marmon picking up the assist. Senior defenseman captain Alex Hansen, on an assist from Dunn, closed out the second period scoring when he blasted a wrist shot past a screened Fargo goalie for his first goal of the season.
Fargo spoiled Quayde Shores’ bid for a shutout 7:07 into the second period after a face-off deep in Oiler territory, when a Fargo forward ripped a shot over Shores’ shoulder.
In the final period, the Oilers would add three more goals, with the first coming off senior defenseman captain Davis Zubke just 26 seconds into the period when he ripped a slapshot past the Fargo netminder. Taylor and Dunn added assists on Zubke’s goal. Wright then added his hat trick goal just 22 seconds later on assists from  Beau Heiser and Ramage. Closing out the scoring with 9:30 remaining in the game, Wright added his fourth goal of the game on assists from  Zubke and Ramage.
 Shores turned aside 30 shots on the night, while the Oilers put 59 shots on the Fargo goalie.
On Sunday, the Oilers traveled to Mayville-Portland to take on the Ice Dawgs with the teams skating to a 3-3 tie.
The Ice Dawgs jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead before Jon Dunn would put the Oilers on the board when he slapped home a rebound off Taylor’s stick.
Both teams went scoreless in the second period as both goalies played very strong. Dunn would cut the lead to one with seven minutes left in the game, whipping the puck past the May-Port goalie. Erick Leiseth and Taylor added the assists. Scoring his hat trick goal, Dunn tied the game on a Ramage assist with just over five minutes left on a shorthanded effort.
 Both teams had great chances in overtime only to be stopped by great goaltending. Shores turned aside 24 Ice Dawg shots.
The Oilers close out their regular season on Friday, Feb. 22 when they host the Richland Rangers in an 8 p.m. game. The Oilers will recognize the Senior hockey players prior to the start of the game.

WATFORD CITY WEATHER