OKOTOKS, AB (October 31, 2023) — Affiliate forward Brayden Gourley (Calgary, AB) scored his first junior hockey goal to tie it, while Jackson Rowland notched the game-winner, as the Okotoks Oilers (11-6-1) came back from an early 3-1 deficit to beat the Olds Grizzlys 4-3 on the road Tuesday night.
With the win, the previously seventh-placed Oilers move ahead of Drumheller, Calgary, and Bonnyville into fourth place in the AJHL standings.
Olds claimed a two-goal lead before the game was ten minutes in, on goals from Mitchell Patrick and Nathan White. Okotoks responded with a Jack Silverberg (Sherwood Park, AB) power play goal on a slapshot from the circle at 13:00, but just 30 seconds later, Kyle Venneman scored after chasing down a loose puck in the Okotoks zone to make it 3-1 Grizzlys. Okotoks changed goalies, sending Alex Scheiwiller (Calgary, AB) in to replace starter Christian Green, and the sophomore Oilers proceeded to stop all 19 shots he faced the rest of the game.
Before the first was out, the Oilers drew closer on a power play rebound goal by Brett Huxley (Calgary, AB). In the second, Gourley tied it with his tip of a Brody Maguire (Calgary, AB) point shot, before Rowland gave the team the lead on a net front goal set up from the blue line by Sam Huck (Calgary, AB).
The third was scoreless, as the Oilers outshot Olds 33-30 in the game, going 2 for 6 on the power play and a perfect 1 for 1 on the penalty kill.
Okotoks will return home for two key games against top tier northern teams this weekend, with the Spruce Grove Saints in town on Saturday at 7 and Bonnyville coming by on Sunday at 4:15.