The Carstar Okotoks Bisons find themselves in second place in their division after splitting the games over this past weekend.
The Medicine Hat Cubs are in first place with a 7-1-0 record while the Herd holds a 6-2-0 record which is good for second place in the HJHL Southern Division.
Okotoks were on the winning side on Friday night (Oct. 11) with a 5-2 win over the Agra Risk Wheatland Kings. Assistant captain Adam Kirkpatrick got on the board late in the first period to open up the scoring in the game. Kegan Law and Caden Scott both picked up helpers on the goal.
Scott continued the scoring in the second period after getting a powerplay marker with Kirkpatrick and Easton Dean picking up assists. Jady Shighero added the third unanswered goal less than two minutes later for his second goal on the season. Sam Callahan got the helper.
The Wheatland Kings solved Bison's goaltender Dylan Walker late in the second period after Philip Raycroft found the back of the net for the Kings first goal on the night.
Scott answered back in the middle frame of the third period getting his second on the night and third goal on the season. Former High River Flyer Ethan Burgeson picked up the assist. Kaleb Brown, brother of former Bison Scott Brown, got his first goal on the season just over six minutes later to give the Herd a 5-1 lead. Owen McFarlane had the helper.
Cole Tweit for the Wheatland Kings scored with less than a minute left in the game, but that was all the goals they could muster as the Bisons took the game 5-2.
Saturday's game for the Bisons was a different story as they led in shots 34-28 but couldn't solve the Red Deer Vipders' goaltender Austin Deck, and fell 4-0. Foxx Doell picked up two goals in the game for the Vipers and added another two goals from Mason Hammerback and Evan Lemke for the shutout win over the Herd. The loss snapped the Bisons' five-game win streak.
Okotoks will head to Cochrane to face the Generals on Friday night (Oct. 18) as they aim to get back in the win column. After the game, they will visit Medicine Hat to play the Cubs in a battle for the top spot in the Southern Division on Saturday. Friday's game starts at 8:00 p.m. while Sunday's game starts at 7:30 p.m.