OKOTOKS, AB (March 28, 2021) ““ Brady Parker (Calgary, AB) stopped 24 of the 25 shots sent his way, as his Okotoks Oilers (7-1) got goals from Bowden Singleton (Calgary, AB) and Dylan James (Calgary, AB) en route to a 2-1 win over the visiting Brooks Bandits on Sunday afternoon.
It was the first loss of the season for the Bandits, and extended the Oilers”™ win streak to four consecutive games. Brooks had previously been the only team to defeat Okotoks on the season.
GAME IN 140: Another classic between the Oilers and @BrooksBandits ends in a 2-1 win for the home side on goals by Bowden Singleton and Dylan James, as well as a 24-save night from Brady Parker! #AJHL pic.twitter.com/tK0uCDr85w
“” Okotoks Oilers (@OkotoksOilers) March 29, 2021
Singleton”™s opening goal game 8:36 into the game when Brandon Machado (Airdrie, AB) flicked a backhand centering pass from behind the net to the 16-year old North Dakota commit at the top of the crease, who quickly one-timed it past Brooks goalie Ethan Barwick for a 1-0 Oiler advantage.
In the final minute of the period, Okotoks doubled the lead when Carson Dyck (Lethbridge, AB) gloved the puck in the defensive zone to Jaevon Buschlen (Okotoks, AB), who lofted a stretch pass for James that he chased down for a breakaway, firing a low shot past Barwick for his second of the season.
Early in the second, Parker was tested on a Taylor Makar breakaway opportunity but stopped the Bandit captain on a point blank opportunity. The Oilers got their own chance on a penalty kill when Zane Kindrachuk (Calgary, AB) stripped a Bandit of the puck at the offensive blue line and sped in all alone, but Barwick again made a late save to keep the deficit at two.
Brooks then finally got on the board at the 17:38 mark when forward Sean Chisholm carried into the offensive zone, cut around a defender, and fired a wrist shot in from the right circle to bring Brooks within 1 goal.
Early in the third, Okotoks had its best chance to reclaim the two-goal advantage when Dyck backhanded a pass from behind the net to a waiting James in front of the net; but his one-timer was stopped and held by Barwick from the seat of his pants.
Despite furious late pressure by Brooks, the Oilers held them to a game-low seven shots in the final frame, cementing the 2-1 final score. Brooks outshot the Oilers 25-24 and had 4 of the 5 power plays that were called in the game.
The Oilers return home Friday night when they host the Calgary Canucks at 7:00 PM, before back to back road games in Brooks on Sunday and Tuesday to cap off the first cohort of the AJHL”™s Return to Play.
Photo: Chad Goddard Photography