Despite a valiant effort against the league-leading Penticton Vees, the Okotoks Oilers have been eliminated from the 2024-2025 BCHL playoffs.
The Oilers played host to Game 4 of the best-of-seven opening round, ultimately falling 4-2 to the visiting Vees.
Penticton took the lead just over seven minutes in, with Max Heise netting the only goal of the first period.
Oiler Brock Souch would even the score at 5:17 of the second, but Penticton reclaimed their lead two-and-a-half minutes later and widened the gap with another goal near the end of the period.
Coy Pighin put away another one for Okotoks with just over two minutes left in the game.
The Oilers pulled netminder Olivier Ciarlo in a last-ditch effort to even the score, but former Oiler Conyr Hellyer sealed the deal for the Vees with an empty netter with just 30 seconds to go.
Penticton will now advance to round two in their final BCHL playoff run before their move to the WHL next year.
