The first-ever game of the BCHL Showcase for the Okotoks Oilers came in a 6-2 loss to the Penticton Vees on Tuesday night (Oct. 15).
The Vees share second place in the Interior Division with the Cranbrook Bucks, who have only a single loss. The Bucks' only loss came at the hands of the Oilers in an 8-5 Green and Gold win at Viking Rentals Centre on September 28. The Brooks Bandits are at number one in the Interior Division with an undefeated record of 7-0-0.
Oilers goaltender Olivier Ciarlo did everything he could to keep the puck out making 48 saves on 54 shots. The Oilers also got pucks to the net, finishing with 35 shots in the contest.
Brock Reinhart got his first of the season with the Vees to open the scoring in the first period. Ryder Evers added his fourth goal of the season just over two minutes later to give the Vees a 2-0 lead. Former Okotoks Oiler Conyr Hellyer picked up an assist on the Evers goal.
The Vees took a 3-0 lead after Eli McKamey who was awarded Exceptional Player Status earlier this summer picked up an assist on a Luke Posthumus goal 6:15 into the second period.
The Oilers would stop the bleeding with Otto Hanson's third goal in two games. Two Vees would poke check at the puck but Hanson made no mistake in getting it top shelf for the Oilers' first goal of the game. Hanson's current roommate Rylan Oster picked up the helper.
Otto Hanson goes upstairs to get the Oilers on the board! 🎯#BCHL | @OkotoksOilers pic.twitter.com/7pCTBCoTdS
— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) October 16, 2024
Less than two minutes later Brett Wilson picked up his second goal of the season to cut the Vees lead to just one. Joey Meredith and Ryder de Nys picked up the assists on the goal.
Vees rookie McKamey ended the second period scoring with a goal just over a minute left in the period to give Penticton the momentum to start the third.
Max Heise and Landon Wright for the Vees added a goal each in the third to put the game out of reach for the Oilers.
Okotoks will head to Chilliwack for their second game in the BCHL Showcase which is being co-hosted by the Vancouver Canucks when they face the Langley Rivermen at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday (Oct. 17).