BROOKS, AB (September 9, 2023) — Alex Scheiwiller (Calgary, AB) made 28 saves, including 12 in the first period, but the Okotoks Oilers suffered a 4–0 setback at the hands of the Brooks Bandits to conclude their 2023 preseason schedule on Saturday evening.
Brooks goaltender Wilson Maxfield stopped all 12 shots he faced in the exhibition contest, which marked the Oilers’ fourth consecutive loss to wrap up their preseason slate.
The Bandits netted three goals on 14 power-play opportunities throughout the game. After Logan Sawyer opened the scoring with 4:32 to play in the first period, Mirko Buttazzoni doubled Brooks’ lead in the middle frame with his second goal in as many games.
Then, Nathan Free doubled the Bandits’ lead to 4–0 with two goals — one at 5-on-5, the other on the power play — just 2:09 apart early in the third period to put it all firmly away in favour of the home side.
The Oilers dressed a very young lineup on Saturday after deploying a veteran-heavy group in Friday’s 5–3 home loss to Brooks. Of the 12 forwards the Oilers used in Brooks on Saturday, nine were born in 2005 or later; only Colton Alexander (Cochrane, AB), Shayne Tibbles (Calgary, AB), and Ryan Neumann (Calgary, AB) were born in 2004.
With the preseason now in the books, the Oilers will look to start out on the right foot when they open the 2023–24 regular season on the road against the Canmore Eagles on September 15. The Oilers will host the Eagles the following night for their 2023 home opener at Okotoks Centennial Arena; tickets
Recap: Mike Gould
Photo: Davin Beer