OKOTOKS, AB (September 5, 2025) – The Okotoks Oilers found the win column for the first time in the 2025-2026 BCHL preseason as they handled the Trail Smoke Eaters 4-1 at Viking Rentals Centre tonight.
Ben Vatis (Vancouver, BC) made his first start of the preseason, stopping 27 shots against Trail for the win. Chayse Johnson and Charlie Peppinck split the time in net for the Smoke Eaters.
Brady Engelkes (Middleton, WI) opened the scoring early with his goal coming unassisted at 1:05 into the game. Marko Lisica (Plainview, NY) earned his first goal of the preseason with under 30 seconds left in the first period to give the Oilers the 2-0 lead heading into the second period. Michael Mikan (Edina, MN) picked up his first point of the night on Lisica’s marker.
The Oilers would add to the lead 6:22 into the second period after Ethan Anderson (Stratford, PE) found Jamie Hikida (Richmond, BC) as he was breaking out, Hikida then made no mistake by putting it past Johnson. Trail would finally answer with a goal from Tucker Robertson under four minutes after Hikida’s marker. Mikan helped the Oilers regain the three-goal lead before the end of the period after he buried a nice pass from Lisica into the back of Trail’s net.
The third period would see both Vatis and Peppinck stand tall as neither team could pot a goal in the final frame, ending the game 4-1 as Josh Wiebe (Calgary, AB) and the Oilers pick up the win against Wiebe’s previous team.
The Green and Gold will now face the Brooks Bandits in the final three games of the preseason, with two being played at Viking Rentals Centre. Oiler will host the Bandits Sunday (Sept. 7) with an early 5:35 p.m. MST start time.
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.
