OKOTOKS, AB (February 22, 2025) – Friday night (Feb. 21) marked Billet Appreciation Night for the Okotoks Oilers, and they sent over 1,000 fans home happy with a 3-1 win over the Vernon Vipers at Viking Rentals Centre.
Before the game got underway, the Oilers brought each billet family onto the ice after introducing them to the Green Army. Each player would greet their billet family on the ice during the introduction and pose for a photo before the ceremonial puck drop.
Olivier Ciarlo (Laval, QB) was back in the net for the Green and Gold for his 30th start for the Oilers. Ciarlo stood tall as he stopped 21 of 22 shots he faced to claim his 17th victory of the 2024/2025 BCHL season.
The first period would go scoreless, with both Ciarlo and Vipers netminder Jari Kykkanen stopping a combined 21 shots in the period.
Kade Duell (Taber, AB) broke open the scoring 29 seconds into the second period after breaking into the Vipers’ zone with Coy Pighin (Nanton, AB) and ripped a shot from the left side of the ice, beating Kykkanen for the first goal of the game. Oilers alternate captain Cyle Clayton (Strathmore, AB) picked up the primary assist on the marker with Ryder de Nys (Canmore, AB) grabbing the secondary assist. Vernon answered back just under 17 minutes later with a goal coming from Ryan Watt.
16-year-old Ryan Boyce (Calgary, AB) would pick up the game-winner 2:19 into the third frame for his second goal in three games. Oilers captain Jackson Rowland (Calgary, AB) grabbed a helper for his team leading 33 points on the season, and Hunter Sawka (Cochrane, AB) picked up his 25th helper on the season with the secondary assist.
Jamie Hikida (Richmond, BC) has come up clutch multiple times this season, added his 10th goal as an Oiler 12 and a half after Boyce’s marker to extend the lead to 3-1. Both Clayton and de Nys would grab their second points on the night with the assists on Hikida’s goal.
With the win, the Oilers now sit 10 points ahead of the Vipers and sit one point behind the West Kelowna Warriors who are the seventh seed in the BCHL Interior Conference.
Okotoks has a chance to extend their lead over the Spruce Grove Saints tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. MT with a tilt between the two teams at Grant Fuhr Arena. The Saints currently trail the Oilers by three points in the standings.
Recap: Scott Savard
Photos: Chad Goddard
About the Okotoks Oilers
The Okotoks Oilers are a not-for-profit, community-run junior hockey franchise competing in the BCHL and operating out of Viking Rentals Centre. The Oilers are currently in their 20th year of play and their first full season since officially joining the BCHL in January 2024. For more information, visit okotoksoilers.com or follow the Oilers on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
