Photo courtesy of Allan Gimblett and Dynamic Photography.

 The Okotoks Oilers could not stop the speedy and freewheeling Olds Grizzlys at the Okotoks Centennial Arena on Tuesday night and fell to the bears 7 to 4.

Scoring for the Oilers were Kyle Reynolds, Jeff Barrett, and 2 by John McInnis.

 The Olds Grizzlys score first at 4:11 when Matt Tinordi tips in a point shot by Craig Gans for a 1-0 lead. The Oilers tie it up at 5:46 on a textbook 2 on 1 with John McInnis tearing down the right side and passing over to a charging Kyle Reynolds who scores on his backhand for his 18th. of the year. Landon Kadatz of Olds puts the Grizzlys up by one at 7:45 when Oiler goalie Michael Matyas could not corral a rebound and leaves a loose puck on his doorstep that Kadatz knocks in. The Oilers tie it up once again at 13:25 when Jeff Barrett intercepts an Olds clearing pass and goes in on Grizzly goalie Brayden Hopfe and scores his 10th of the year. Olds round out they scoring in the first period at 14:59 on a goal by Cale Wright that then causes Oilers coach VanHereweghe to pull Matayas and put in Sean Cahill. Olds outshoot the Oilers 12 to 11.

 The teams exchange goals in the second period starting at 2:49 when Grizzly Daniel Burkat blows by Oiler defenseman Jordan Principalli and scores on Cahill. A huge clean open ice hit by an Oiler player just inside the Olds blueline should have sparked the Oilers, but on a later Okotoks powerplay, the Grizzlys take control and play keep away with the puck. John McInnis then scores even strength at 15:52 for his 32nd. of the year and the teams go to the intermission with Olds holding a 4 to 3 lead. Okotoks plummet Brayden Hopfe with 21 shots on goal in the period.

 The Olds Grizzlys come out in the third period with fresher legs than the Oilers and use their speed to control the puck throughout the period resulting in the Grizzlys outscoring them 3 to 1 in the period. Goals by Nicholas Bourgeois at 2:11, Sean Neumeier at 8:47 on the powerplay and Matt Tinordi at 19:04 with an Oiler powerplay goal squeezed in by John McInnis, his second of the game and 5th. goal in 2 games on a nice set-up by Kyle Reynolds and the Oilers lose 7 to 4.

 Game Notes: Oiler scratches were Matt Strong, Chris Korpach and Jonathan Turk. Final shots on goal favored the Oilers 40 to 29. The Oilers gamestar was John McInnis with 2 goals and 1 assist.

 Next up: The Oilers travel to the new Centennial Regional Arena in Brooks on Friday night to take on the Brooks Bandits then they are in Canmore on Saturday night for a game against the Canmore Eagles. They return home on Friday, February 12th. for a return date with the Brooks Bandits.