OKOTOKS, AB (September 28, 2024) — Fuelled by a three-point night by Jamie Hikida (Richmond, BC), the Okotoks Oilers rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to defeat the Cranbrook Bucks by an 8-5 final score at Viking Rentals Centre on Saturday night.
Eight different Oilers scored goals in the victory, which went into the books as the club’s first of the 2024-25 BCHL regular season. First-year Oilers defenceman Brayden Duy (St. Louis, MO) tallied the game-winning goal on the power play at the 15:23 mark of the third period.
Jordan Murray, Maddex Marmulak, and Jacob Fletcher scored for the Bucks in the first period, which increased the Bucks’ run of consecutive goals to six after their rally from 2-0 down to beat the Oilers by a 3-2 score in Cranbrook on Friday. However, the Oilers outshot the Bucks 12-10 in the opening frame, and they continued to dictate the play after the first intermission.
After a string of impressive saves by Cranbrook goaltender Miles Roberts early in the second period, the Oilers finally broke through at the 4:34 mark when Jacob Goudreau (St. Albert, AB) redirected a long-range shot by Bowen Burke (Scottsdale, AZ) into the opposing cage for his second goal in as many nights. Coy Pighin (Nanton, AB) and Hikida followed suit in the back half of the period, sending the Oilers into the second intermission tied at three.
The Oilers took their first lead of the game early in the third period, with Spencer Rheaume (Beaverlodge, AB) beating Roberts to make it a 4-3 score. Although Nathan Simm responded for Cranbrook just over two minutes later, the Oilers struck back with two more goals immediately thereafter — a breakaway beauty by Myles Gauld (Calgary, AB) and the eventual winner by Duy.
Cranbrook forward Rasmus Svartström briefly made things more interesting with his fourth goal of the season just 21 seconds after Duy’s marker, but a picture-perfect one-timer by Hunter Sawka (Cochrane, AB) and an empty-netter by Jackson Rowland (Calgary, AB) restored the Oilers’ sense of security in the dying minutes.
With the win, the Oilers picked up their first two points of the 2024-25 regular season and also handed Cranbrook its first loss of the young campaign. Next up, the Oilers will look to build upon their newfound momentum over a two-game road swing against the Penticton Vees and Salmon Arm Silverbacks on October 4 and 5.
Recap: Mike Gould
Photo: Chad Goddard
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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 entering 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.
