The Okotoks Oilers were edged out 2-0 by the league-leading Brooks Bandits last night (Nov. 8), and then they followed it up with a 3-2 win over the West Kelowna Warriors in their first-ever meeting for their BCHL weekend games.
The Oilers and Bandits met for the first two games of the 2024-2025 season, and the Bandits came away with two wins, outscoring the Green and Gold 10-1 in the two games combined. Since the start of the season, Brooks has only lost one game and beaten most teams convincingly. Last night, however, they had trouble figuring out the Oilers in their third meeting of the season.
Okotoks netminder Simon Westling made the start in net and made 22 saves in Brooks last night. Härnösand, Sweden's own, has started in four games in the BCHL season, and all have come on the road.
It took nearly 36 minutes to figure out the Oilers and Westling, Nathan Free would land the first goal with one second left on a five-on-three powerplay for his 12th goal of the season. Bandits Keith McInnis added the second goal 59 seconds into the third period for the final goal of the game.
Tonight, the Oilers picked up two points in a back-and-forth thriller, taking the win against the Warriors in OT.
Olivier Ciarlo made the start in the game, picking up his sixth win in eight games since changing to his Oiler-coloured gear. The Laval, Quebec product made 36 saves in the contest to help the Oilers over West Kelowna. Ciarlo earned the second star of the night for his efforts with 1176 fans at Viking Rentals Centre.
The first period would go scoreless, with the Warriors leading the shot count 12-9. The Oilers came out with a purpose in the second with a goal from Coy Pighin 15 seconds into the period. Brett Wilson and Brayden Duy picked up the helpers on Pighin's fourth goal of the season. The second period ended with an Okotoks 1-0 lead.
West Kelowna answered back in the third period with a goal from Sam LeDrew. Jacob Goudreau got the Oilers' lead back after parking himself in front of the opposition's net, a place that has essentially become his office, and banged home his fourth goal of the season. Wilson got the primary assist for his second point on the night, and Casey Black grabbed the secondary helper. The Oilers held the lead until Jack Pridham made it a brand new hockey game with a goal coming with 2:00 minutes left in the game.
The Green and Gold didn't let the late Warriors goal dampen their spirits as Beaverlodge's own Spencer Rheaume took it upon himself to skate around the Warriors zone in overtime and rifle a shot into the back of the net for the game-winner. The OT goal marked Rheamue's third of the season along with Goudreau and Duy picking up their second points of the night.