OKOTOKS, AB (December 17, 2022) — Despite a 37-26 shot advantage, the Okotoks Oilers fell 3-2 to the host Calgary Canucks on Saturday night, giving up three power play goals to the home side.
Okotoks came back twice from 1-goal deficits but couldn’t beat goaltender Max Prazma in the third period to force the extra frame.
QUICK HITS: The Oilers drop a 3-2 nailbiter in Calgary on Saturday afternoon. #AJHL pic.twitter.com/whXnhnz0od
— Okotoks Oilers (@OkotoksOilers) December 18, 2022
Ty Hipkin opened the scoring for Calgary at the 3:50 mark on a backdoor one-timer from the right side to make it 1-0, but Shayne Tibbles (Calgary, AB) scored his second of the season on a setup from Connor Gourley (Calgary, AB) to make it 1-1 at the 10:02 mark.
Just over 2 minutes later, Caden Steinke scored off the rush with a wrist shot from the left circle, but a little over 2 minutes after that, Tibbles took a hit as he gained the Calgary zone and nonetheless forced the puck to Ryan Neumann (Calgary, AB), who drove to the net front and jammed a point blank shot past Prazma to make it 2-2.
A scoreless second period gave way to a third in which Calgary got a familiar goal, a backdoor one-timer from the right side by Sam Lozinski after the puck popped free from a net front scramble, which would stand up as the winner.
Calgary went 3 for 5 on the power play while Okotoks went 0 for 3. Prazma was 35 for 37 in the Calgary crease while Parker Sawka (Cochrane, AB) stopped 23 of 26 for Okotoks.
The teams will meet in a rematch in Okotoks on Tuesday night at 7:00 for Ugly Christmas Sweater Jersey Night at the Centennial Arena. Tickets are available online at tickets.okotoksoilers.ca