Written by: Scott Savard
Headline photo: Scott Savard
Okotoks, AB (November 21, 2025) – The Okotoks Oilers handed the Bucks a receipt in Cranbrook as they tied the 2025-2026 BCHL season series at 1-1after coming away with a 6-3 win to start their weekend road trip in B.C.
The last time the two met was less than two weeks ago, as the Bucks played spoiler in handing the Oilers a 4-2 loss at Viking Rentals Centre. With the Green and Gold getting redemption in Cranbrook, the road team has come away with the win in the first two games of the season series between the two BCHL squads.
The Oilers got production from across the lineup as they had 12 players collect at least a point, including four with multi-point nights. Assistant captain Ryder de Nys (Canmore, AB) had his first multi-point night of the season with two assists. Joey Meredith (Toledo, OH) also had his first multi-point night this season with a goal and an assist. Josh Wiebe (Calgary, AB) collected two points with a goal and an assist, along with Michael Mikan (Edina, MN) getting on the scoreboard three times with two goals and an assist.
“I think I went into the game not overthinking after not having any points the last few games and just wanted to get back to my game and dial in on the little details of the game, and I think when I do that I play to my potential, and I think that led to a multi-point night for me,” Meredith said about his first multi-point game of the season.
“I thought things were working today because of my 200-foot game. It felt great to start the weekend off with a win, and hopefully we can complete the sweep tomorrow,” Mikan added about his three-point night.
The Oilers outshot the Bucks 42-32, with the majority of shots coming in the first two periods, as the team shut down defensively in the third to secure the road win. In the first period alone, the Oilers were able to get 19 pucks on the Bucks’ net.
“I think tonight we prepared a little differently than last game and knew we owed them one. We just stuck to our identity as a team and did the little things right, and it showed tonight with the 6-3 win,” Meredith said about the win.
Mikan reiterated Meredith’s assessment by saying, “We prepared better this time around and had a better result.”
Eric Young (Mill Bay, BC) picked up his seventh win of the season in his 12th start while wearing green and gold after he made 29 saves tonight in Cranbrook. Young now holds a 7-4-0-1 record during the 2025-2026 BCHL season, proving to be an X-factor for the team in the first 18 games of the season. Jason Tremblay made his second start against the Oilers this season for the Bucks.
The Oilers and Bucks would score a combined six goals in the first frame, with the Oilers picking up four of them. Holden Pajor (Eden Prairie, MN) opened the scoring exactly eight minutes into the game as he added his sixth tally of the season, de Nys, and Wiebe added the assists. The Oilers would finish off a beautiful play started by Michael Kowalski (Chicago, IL), who came down the wing into the zone, moving the puck to Joey Gugino (Buffalo, NY). Gugino would then find Nate Porter (Hingham, MA) in the slot, with Porter then making a sweet move going from forehand to backhand and tucking it behind Tremblay for the 2-0 lead.
The Bucks responded with just over two and a half minutes left in the first period with two goals in less than a minute to tie the game up at 2-2. Konstantin Hutzinger and Matthew Gilmore would get credit for the goals.
The Oilers wouldn’t falter as they answered back with two goals in the final minute of the first period. Meredith added his third of the season with 59 seconds left in the period to give the Oilers their lead back. Marko Lisica (Plainview, NY) collected the primary assist, with Mikan getting the secondary helper. Mikan then extended the Oilers’ lead back to two goals 29 seconds later for his first goal of the game, de Nys added the lone assist for his second point of the night.
The Green and Gold weren’t finished as Wiebe gave the Oilers their first three-goal lead of the game under three minutes into the second period. Meredith picked up the primary helper with Brady Engelkes (Middleton, WI) getting the secondary assist. Just over five minutes later, Mikan added his second goal on the night and his ninth of the season to give the Oilers a 6-2 lead. Gabe Simpson (Lafayette, CO) and Oilers captain Brett Wilson (Calgary, AB) each got points with the helpers.
Adam Csabi stopped the bleeding with the Bucks’ third goal of the night before the end of the second period.
The Oilers would then play to hold the lead, as they had only five shots in the third frame, compared to the 19 in the first and 18 in the second. Young would make 12 saves in the third period as the final buzzer went to end the game and give the Oilers a 6-3 win.
The Oilers now head to Trail to meet the Smoke Eaters for the second time this season. The first meeting saw the Green and Gold come away with a huge 8-3 win over Trail at Viking Rentals Centre.
“It’s definitely a great feeling to start with a win and huge for the group to get some confidence going into a big game tomorrow. They will definitely be coming hard after last matchup,” Meredith said about starting the road trip with a win and the game tomorrow against the Smoke Eaters.
Puck drop is set for 8:00 p.m. MST tomorrow in Trail.
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.
