OKOTOKS, AB (February 9, 2025) — Fresh off representing the team at BCHL All-Star Weekend in Salmon Arm last month, Okotoks Oilers captain Jackson Rowland is back to doing what he does best: scoring goals and winning hockey games.
Rowland, 20, tallied three times and added an assist on Saturday night as the Oilers shellacked the Spruce Grove Saints by an 8-1 final score at Viking Rentals Centre. The Calgary, AB product was named the game’s first star in recognition of his contributions.
The Oilers scored seven of their eight goals on Saturday after forward Brock Souch (Edmonton, AB) suffered an injury as the result of a check from behind by Spruce Grove defenceman Luke McCrady in the first period. McCrady was assessed both a game misconduct and a match penalty; Souch remained down for several minutes while being attended to by personnel from both teams before being assisted off the ice by paramedics.
Rowland, who was on the ice when Souch was hit, played with even more of his characteristic speed and energy in his linemate’s absence, After Michael Kowalski (Chicago, IL) scored to cap off the Oilers’ five-minute power play, Rowland netted back-to-back goals at the end of the first period and the start of the second. He completed his first BCHL hat trick with a shorthanded marker later on in the middle frame.
Jamie HIkida (Richmond, BC) added two goals, included a shorty of his own, en route to being named the second star. Brett Wilson (Calgary, AB) and Brayden Duy (St. Louis, MO) also scored in the lopsided affair, while Olivier Ciarlo (Laval, QC) made 28 saves — including some jaw-dropping pad robberies.
On the Spruce Grove side, Colin Doherty scored their only goal of the game in the opening minute of the third period, while starting goaltender Bodee Weiss was pulled after allowing four goals on 10 shots. Joseph Quintillo finished the game and stopped 16 of the 20 shots he faced.
After scoring his 14th, 15th, and 16th goals of the season on Saturday, Rowland now has 32 points in 33 games with the Oilers in his final junior season. His Oilers are now three points up on Spruce Grove for eighth place in the Interior Conference and will return to action on Saturday to play host to the Brooks Bandits.
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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 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.
