OKOTOKS, AB (April 13, 2024) — Led by multi-point outings from Jagger Tapper (Calgary, AB), Connor Gourley (Calgary, AB), Logan Magowan (Calgary, AB), and team captain Dean Spak (Calgary, AB), the Okotoks Oilers punched their ticket to the BCHL Alberta Division semi-finals with a a 5-4 win over the Spruce Grove Saints on Saturday night.
Teo Pisani tallied a hat trick for the Saints in Game 3 at Okotoks Centennial Arena, but Oilers goaltender Christian Green (Boothwyn, PA) made 21 saves for his third consecutive playoff win. The Oilers swept their BCHL play-in series against the Saints three games to none and will now take on the Brooks Bandits in a best-of-seven series.
The Saints opened the scoring just 2:28 into the first period when Pisani netted his first of three goals of the evening. The Oilers answered back just over a minute later as Brett Wilson (Calgary, AB) deflected a long-range shot by Magowan past Spruce Grove’s Ryan De Kok for his first BCHL playoff goal.
The two teams entered the second period deadlocked at one goal apiece; they exited it tied up at four. Tapper, Gourley, and Jackson Rowland (Calgary, AB) looked to have the Oilers on track to cruise to a win by the 12:49 mark of the period; however, two more goals by Pisani and one from Ryan Harvey brought the Saints back on even footing in the back half of the frame.
After picking up an assist in the first period and scoring in the second, Tapper led the charge in the third and set up Spak’s game-winning and series-winning goal just 3:12 in. The RPI commit forced a turnover at the Spruce Grove blueline and drove the puck down low in the zone before putting it on a tee for Spak in the low slot. The Oilers captain made no mistake in tight, redirecting Tapper’s feed past De Kok to make it a 5-4 game.
The Oilers went into lockdown mode after taking the lead, allowing just five shots on goal (and taking only three) over the final 20 minutes of play. Although they were unable to score when Spruce Grove pulled De Kok in the final few minutes of the game, they still managed to steer home what ended up being a series-deciding victory.
After dispatching the Saints in the minimum number of games, the Oilers’ next task will be to get past a Brooks team that they have yet to beat this season. Game 1 of that series will take place in Brooks on Friday, April 19.
Recap: Mike Gould
Photo: Chad Goddard
