BROOKS, AB (September 5, 2023) — Tyson Murray (Calgary, AB) and Thomas Matte (Calgary, AB) notched two points each, while rookie goalie Christian Green (Boothwyn, PA) made a bevy of key early saves, as the Okotoks Oilers fell 3-2 in overtime to the defending national champions in a Tuesday night preseason matchup.
After two key cross-crease saves by Green in the first, the Oilers kept it close despite a Nic DeGraves rebound goal 13:05 into the game after a Brooks power play had expired.
Okotoks pushed back in the second, outshooting Brooks 8-7 and converting twice; the first a Murray finish of a perfectly placed Matte pass on a two-on-one, one-timing it past goalie Brendan Holahan to tie the game, before a feed by Matte from the left corner on the power play bounced off Murray and Braeden Veldhuizen (Calgary, AB) who deflected it into the net for a 2-1 Oiler lead.
DeGraves tied the game with a last minute net front goal in the second, and a scoreless third gave way to an overtime frame in which defenceman Hughie Hooker escaped a check and flipped a well placed shot home from the right side of the net to seal the win for Brooks.
The two teams will collide in a rematch Friday night at Okotoks Centennial Arena at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available at tickets.okotoksoilers.ca.