OKOTOKS, AB (November 14, 2023) — Christian Green (Boothwyn, PA) stopped 24 of the 27 shots he faced on Tuesday evening as the Okotoks Oilers fell to the Calgary Canucks in overtime by a 3–2 final score.
The first-year AJHL goaltender was named the game’s second star in recognition of his efforts. He made numerous impressive glove saves throughout the game and held the fort late in the third period to preserve a 2–2 tie and help the Oilers clinch one point in the game.
The Oilers looked to be on the verge of winning the game in overtime when Sam Huck (Calgary, AB) skated into the attacking zone on a breakaway, but an interference penalty by Brett Huxley (Calgary, AB) negated the rush and sent the Canucks to the power play. Although Kade Turner (Calgary, AB) had another breakaway with the Oilers shorthanded in overtime, the Canucks came back down the ice shortly thereafter and won the game with a rebound goal by Gavin Schmidt.
Although Huxley was in the penalty box when the Canucks scored the game-winning goal, he was also responsible for getting the game to overtime in the first place. The veteran forward tied the game with his eighth goal of the season midway through the third period off a beautiful feed from Huck.
After a scoreless first period, the Oilers and Canucks traded goals in both the second and third periods to send the game to overtime with a deadlocked 2–2 score. Early on in that second period, it was Okotoks that struck first, with Jack Silverberg (Sherwood Park, AB) netting his 10th of the year off a goalmouth scramble. A little under 13 minutes later, Riley Bracko returned the favour for the Canucks, deflecting a long-range shot by Chris Kobelka past an unsuspecting Green to restore the tie.
Ty Hipkin made it 2–1 Canucks seven seconds past the midway mark of the third period when he took a shot from along the boards that somehow found its way past Green, who looked like he didn’t even see it coming. But it took a mere 1:34 for Huxley to respond in turn for the hosts.
The Oilers gave the Canucks three consecutive power play opportunities from early on in the second period until the end of regulation. Calgary was unable to convert on any of them. However, it took just over a minute for the visitors to take advantage of Huxley’s interference penalty in overtime, clinching their 14th victory of the season and moving two points ahead of the Oilers in the AJHL standings.
With two of their four games this week now in the books, the Oilers are slated to return to action on Friday for the first half of a back-to-back, home-and-home set against the Blackfalds Bulldogs. The first game of that mini-series is set to take place at Eagle Builders Centre in Blackfalds at 7:00 p.m. MT.
Recap: Mike Gould
Photo: Chad Goddard