For the first time in the 2024-2025 BCHL regular season, the Oilers were able to string two wins together.
The first came on Friday (Oct. 18) night with a 6-2 win on the road in Coquitlam against the Express and then added another win tonight in a 4-3 victory back at home over the Vernon Vipers.
Olivier Ciarlo started in net for the Green and Gold, making 25 saves in the contest. Ciarlo has now won four games in the season and three in his last four games. Since donning the new gear in Oilers colours, Ciarlo has gone with a 3-1 record.
Okotoks opened to scoring at Viking Rentals Centre with a goal coming from team captain Jackson Rowland who now has five goals on the season. Brett Wilson and Hunter Sawka got the helpers on the opening goal.
Oilers opened the second period with a 1-0 lead. Vernon tied things up at one apiece with a goal from Marko Stojkov.
Joey Meredith who is originally from Toledo Ohio gave the Oilers their one-goal lead back just over a minute later. Otto Hanson and Bowen Burke got the assists.
The game continued to be a back-and-forth see-saw battle with the Vipers scoring the tying goal from Carson McGinley a minute after Meredith's goal and then taking the lead with Landon MacDonald getting on the board five minutes later. Both goals were on the powerplay.
Before the buzzer went in the high-scoring second period, Oilers forward and former Drumheller Dragon Coy Pighin tied the game up after a diving effort on a loose puck to get it past Colin Reay, Vipers netminder. Burke and Brayden Duy got credit for the assists.
The third period saw the game-winning goal coming from Wilson who took a nice shot in front of traffic and hit twine during a 5-on-3 powerplay. Sawka and Kade Duell got the helpers on the game-winner.
The Oilers finished the week with two wins and two losses with a lot of hockey being played. Tonight's game was the fourth game in six nights for the Oilers and will have a much-needed break this week.
The Green and Gold will play the Cranbrook Bucks in back-to-back games this weekend with Friday's (Oct. 25) game being played in Cranbrook and then Okotoks will host the second of back-to-back Saturday at Viking Rentals Centre. Puck drop for Saturday's tilt is set for 7:00 p.m.