OKOTOKS, AB (March 12, 2025) – The Okotoks Oilers were in Blackfalds tonight for the final time in the 2024-2025 BCHL season and came up on the wrong end of a 4-3 hockey game against the Bulldogs Wednesday night (March 12).
Olivier Ciarlo (Laval, QB) would make his sixth start against the Bulldogs this season making 34 saves in the contest. Ciarlo and the Oilers would end up with a 3-3-0 record against Blackfalds this season, with the Oilers taking the first three games and the Bulldogs responding with wins in the final three meetings. The Green and Gold would outscore the Bulldogs 22-17 during the regular season series.
The Oilers opened the scoring with three former Drumheller Dragons getting in on the scoring. Alternate captain Cyle Clayton (Strathmore, AB) would get the puck to Jacob Goudreau (St. Albert, AB) and end up on a 2-on-1 with Jamie Hikida (Richmond, BC). Goudreau got the puck over the Hikida after entering the Bulldogs zone, and Hikida would go short side beating Blackfalds netminder Kirill Kapustin for the opening goal in the first period.
The Bulldogs got on the board with Dean Toskos answering with a goal 4:13 into the second frame to tie things up at 1-1.
Okotoks alternate captain Brett Wilson (Calgary, AB), who has been a thorn in the side of the Bulldogs collected his fifth goal of the season against Blackfalds to give the Oilers their one-goal lead back. Oilers captain Jackson Rowland (Calgary, AB) would pick up his fist point of the night with the helper.
The third period didn’t start how the Green and Gold wanted, with the Bulldogs getting back-to-back goals less than two and a half minutes into the third period to take their first lead of the game. Thomas Neu and Luke Dahlen were the goal scorers to start the third period for Blackfalds.
Just over two minutes later, Hunter Sawka (Cochrane, AB) would attempt to pull off “Michigan,” a move made famous by Mike Legg, who pulled off the move while with the Michigan Wolverines during the 1996 NCAA Tournament. Sawka wouldn’t get it past the Bulldogs goaltender, but Rowland, who was standing near the paint, was able to bat the puck in for the game-tying goal. Brock Souch (Edmonton, AB) who has meshed well with his line-mates Sawka and Rowland this season grabbed the secondary assist on Rowlands goal.
Unfortunately for the Oilers, the Bulldogs would get the game-winner just over 10 minutes later with Jared Langdon finding the back of the net for Blackfalds.
The Oilers still have another two games to play this week as they head to Brooks Friday (March 14) to face the Bandits and then come back home Saturday to host the Cranbrook Bucks for the final time during the 2024-2025 BCHL season.
Tickets for Saturday’s game against the Bucks are still available at tickets.okotoksoilers.com.
Recap: Scott Savard
Photo: 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.
