Written by: Scott Savard
Headline photo: Chad Goddard
Okotoks, AB (November 29, 2025) – The Okotoks Oilers took the second-ever meeting against the Coquitlam Express last night by a score of 5-3 at Viking Rentals Centre.
While it was the second time in franchise history the two met, last night marked the first time the Express made their way to Okotoks, as the first meeting was played last season in Coquitlam.
Jordan Murray (Decker, MB) continued his hot hands on home ice as he earned the first star honours after posting three points (1G, 2A) last night.
“To be honest, it’s just homeplay. I’ve had every single point at home so far. I just like the way that the coaches coach here. It fits really well with my style, and I get to use my feet a lot more than I did before. Our forwards are smart with the puck; they find me in open areas, and then they’re helping me finish. It’s up to those guys, and they do it for me,” Murray said about his success at home.
Murray, who scored the game’s second goal just before the closing of the first frame, explains that he wasn’t sure it was his goal until Jamie Hikida (Richmond, BC) made it known that he scored by pointing at Murray after the puck crossed the line.
“We were going to the draw, I just told Andy (Ethan Anderson, Stratford, PEI), let’s switch sides so I can look for the onetimer. Wally (Michael Kowalski, Chicago, IL) snapped it back, forwards were on the same page, drove to the net, and it went off someone’s butt, and it kept bouncing and bouncing. I thought one of the boys pushed it in, and Hiks (Jamie Hikida) turned around and pointed right at me. I was like ‘Oh, I guess that’s me. Alright.’ It all starts with Wally winning the draw. You don’t win draws in your O-zone, you don’t get shots like that, you don’t get offence, ” he explained about his third goal of the 2025-2026 BCHL season.
Murray would also give credit to his new twig for helping him put up the points last night, as he made a switch earlier in the week.
“Yeah, I switched the curves. I switched to a P88 yesterday off of a 92, and just decided I’ll keep going with it in the game today, and I guess it worked. The most shots I’ve ever had in a game,” Murray added.
Eric Young (Mill Bay, BC) made the start in net as he faced his former team in the Express for the first time. Young would stand tall, making 29 saves in the contest to help lift the Oilers against his former club.
“It feels pretty good. They’re obviously a great team with their record,” Young said about getting the win against the Express. “We had a lot of desperation. We put our bodies on the line, especially guys in front of me. They did a great job with that, and having the will to win was huge tonight, and that’s something we’ve been working on in practice, and it’s been paying off so far this weekend.”
Young would have stretches in the game where he would be peppered with shots and then not see a shot for over a minute. He explained that it’s not something that ever crossed his mind and just stays focused on the next shot, next save.
“I don’t really think about it. I’m always ready, always wanting to make a save, always wanting the puck to come down my side, something me and my mental coach have been working on. It just gives me confidence to make the save,” he explained.
The first period was a strong one for Young as he made 15 saves in the frame alone to help keep the Oilers keep the lead to close the frame. Josh Wiebe opened the scoring in the game after Murray got the puck to Wiebe in their own zone. Wiebe would put on a one-man show, going coast to coast and ringing it off the bar, beating Maddox Osaka, the Express netminder, for the game’s opening goal. Murray added the second goal of the night with less than two minutes left in the first frame. Kowalski would get the assist on Murray’s marker.
Cole Bishop would respond for the Express in the second period on the power play. Brady Engelkes (Middleton, WI) answered back with just over a minute left in the second to regain the Oilers’ two-goal lead. Murray would pick up his third point on the night on Engelkes’ goal, with Hikida picking up the secondary assist for his first point on the night.
The Express wouldn’t go away in the third period as they were able to find a way to tie the game halfway into the frame with goals from Carson McGinley and Justin Ivanusec. The Oilers wouldn’t dwell on losing their two-goal lead and continued to apply pressure on the Express, outshooting them 18-10 in the final period. It would pay off for the Oilers as Gabe Simpson (Lafayette, CO) would score the game-winning goal at 13:27 into the third frame. Assistant captain Ryder de Nys (Canmore, AB) collected the primary helper with captain Wilson getting the secondary assist.
Kowalski would then ice the game with an empty-netter with 35 seconds left in the game. Wilson would collect his second point of the night wth the lone assist.
“They’re a high offence team, that whole conference is. Honestly, to keep them at three (goals), we could have kept them lower, but to keep them at three and get that win, and just kind of dig it out, it’s a great win. We just got to get tomorrow (Nov. 29) and finally have a sweep on the weekend,” Murray said about the win.
The Green and Gold will be back on home ice tonight against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks as the two teams will meet for the first time this season.
The Okotoks Oilers are a not-for-profit, community-run junior hockey franchise competing in the BCHL and operating out of Viking Rentals Centre. For more information, visit okotoksoilers.com or follow the Oilers on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
