Written by: Scott Savard
Headline photo: Chad Goddard
Okotoks, AB (September 28, 2026) – The Okotoks Oilers returned to the home ice to cheers after finishing a three-game road trip to start the 2026-2027 BCHL season, giving the Green Army plenty to cheer about in the Home Opener to close out the weekend.
To start Saturday night at Viking Rentals Centre, the traditional player introductions were made, as this season’s team was announced in front of the Oilers faithful. The Green and Gold not only wanted to win for their fans, but they also had a receipt they needed to deliver, as the Spruce Grove Saints had taken the first meeting 6-5 in extra time. This time, the Oilers would take it convincingly with a 5-1 statement win over their Alberta rivals.
Justin Giguère (Saguenay, QC) continued to shine for the Oilers as he made 29 saves on 30 shots and held a shutout bid until the 4:33 mark of the third period, which would earn him the second star of the game. Colten Scott tended the goal for the Saints, making 27 saves in the process.
While the Oilers were down 8-6 in shots after the buzzer in the first frame, they were the ones who capitalized on their chances, as they held a 2-0 lead going into the second period. Ben Deacon (St. Albert, AB), who was chosen by many of the players in our social media video as the player to score first in the Home Opener, proved his teammates right as he cashed in on the Fortis Alberta Power Play for the game’s first goal 7:10 into the game, with Eli Molde (Plymouth, MN) earning his first point of the night and Ethan Anderson (Stratford, PE) collecting his first helper of the campaign.
Conner Radke “A” (Langdon, AB) earned the first start honours with three points on the night, with his first coming off a nice play made by Molde to free up space in the offensive zone and find an open Nolan DuPont “A” (Calgary, AB), who snuck it past Scott to make it 2-0.
The Green and Gold would explode with shots in the second period as they peppered Scott with 16 shots on goal and got another two past the Saints’ netminder. Radke made a terrific pass to his centreman Ian Kastamo (Hartland, MI), who turned on the jets and collected his first goal as an Okotoks Oiler near the halfway point of the game. Fraser Leonard “A” got a hometown bounce over four minutes later as he dumped the puck in off the glass, and it fooled the Saints’ goaltender, giving the Oilers a 4-0 lead.
Radke earned his third point of the night with his first goal as an Okotoks Oiler at 4:18 into the final frame as he put the game out of reach for the Saints, with linemates Kastamo and the third star of the game, DuPont, earning the helpers. The Saints broke the shutout bid with 4:33 left in the game, with Adam Perron getting the final goal.
Before the Home Opener commenced, the Oilers were in Cranbrook for their third road game to start the season on Friday night. Justin Giguère (Saguenay, QC) was able to keep the score close with his 39 saves on 43 shots, but the Bucks took the game during their home opener 4-2. Keegan Carswell was between the pipes for the Bucks, stopping 31 shots.
Ty Ross opened the scoring in the game just under five minutes into the first period. The Oilers would strike back before the buzzer sounded, as Will Watson picked up his first-ever BCHL goal on the power play. Molde and captain Jamie Hikida (Richmond, BC) picked up points with the helpers.
The Oilers and Bucks would trade goals in the second period, with Cole Willard giving the lead back to the Bucks, followed by Matthew Hikida (Richmond, BC) tying things back up minutes later with his second goal of the season. Molde added his second assist of the night, with Jeff Niehaus (Calgary, AB) earning the secondary helper. Gryphon Watson-Bucci answered back for the Bucks to end the second 3-2 in favour of Cranbrook, and Ross added his second of the night in the third period for a final of 4-2.
The Oilers will head to Vancouver Island this weekend as they are set to face the Alberni Valley Bulldogs and the Victoria Grizzlies for their fourth and fifth road games of the 2026-2027 BCHL season.
There are still plenty of home games left this season; don’t miss out and visit https://tickets.okotoksoilers.com/ now.
Photos: Chad Goddard and Scott Savard
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. For more information, visit okotoksoilers.com or follow the Oilers on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
