The Okotoks Oilers faced two South Division opponents over the weekend in the Brooks Bandits, and the Drumheller Dragons. Both games were crucial in the Oilers quest for top spot in the South Division, currently held by the Camrose Kodiaks.
Friday night the Oilers were host to the Brooks Bandits, who despite starting the year out strong, have slipped into 6th place in the South. Nevertheless, the Bandits always show up to play in Okotoks, and this night was no exception.
Brooks started the scoring for the night when Brad Deagle slipped one past Oiler netminder Michael Matyas to give the Bandits the lead. They would carry that lead into the second period, having both teams registering 12 shots each.
The Oilers got on the board in the second period when Chris Duszynski potted a goal behind Bandit goalie Rob Gunderson, with the assists going to Brad Ryan and Jeff Barrett. The duo or Duszynski and Barrett were not done there, as six minutes later they would set up Derek Rodwell for his first of the game. The Bandits answered back as RJ Reed scored his first of the night. Chris Korpach answered back for the Oilers a minute later to restore the 1 goal lead for Okotoks, assisted by Ben Gamache and Nolan Huysmans. The second period would end this way, with the Oilers up 3-2.
The Oilers would go to work on the powerplay in the 3rd period as Derek Rodwell would get his second of the night, with the assists going to Chris Duszynski and Jordan Principalli. Unfortunately this was not the end of the night for the Brooks Bandits as a minute later, RJ Reed potted his second of the night, making it a hockey game again. Finally, in desperation in the final 30 seconds of the game, RJ Reed would score again for the Bandits, completing his hat trick, and giving the Bandits new life in the game.
The game would need extra minutes to find a winner. Just 36 seconds into the first overtime period, John Stimson of the Bandits caught the Oilers off guard and fired one past Matyas to give the Bandits the come from behind win. The Oilers would have to settle for one point in the overtime loss. Final shots were 34-26 in favor of the Oilers. Players of the game were Derek Rodwell for the Oilers and RJ Reed for the Bandits.
*Out of the Oilers lineup for Friday night were Brett Adnum, Matt Strong, and James Bannister.
Saturday night, the Oilers traveled east for a date with the Drumheller Dragons. The Oilers would strike first as Chris Korpach got his first of the night from James McNulty and Ben Gamache.
Carrying a 1-0 lead into the second period, the Oilers continued their offensive ways, netting two more as Nolan Huysmans scored from Gamache and Olstad, and Ben Gamache scored from Adnum and Huysmans. Drumheller would answer back with one of their own, giving the Oilers a 3-1 lead going into the 3rd.
The Dragons would make it interesting, scoring the first goal of the 3rd and making it a 1 goal game, but the Oilers would prevail with goals from Chris Duszynski (Jeff Barrett) and Tanner Olstad (Barrett, Principalli).
Sean Cahill got the win in net for the Oilers, who Outshot the Dragons 29-21. Players of the game were Colin Bergman for the Dragons, and Ben Gamache for the Oilers.
*Scratches for the Oilers were Brandon Hoogenboom, Cody Dion, and Quinn Sproule.
With the 3 points over the weekend, combined with a win and a loss from Camrose, the Oilers now sit 2 points behind the Kodiaks for 1st place in the South having one game in hand on Camrose. Stay tuned to www.okotoksoilers.com to stay up to date on the Oilers as the playoffs approach!
Go Oilers Go!