OLDS, AB (February 3, 2023) — For the first time since November of 2017, the Okotoks Oilers came away from the Olds Sports Complex without any points, dropping a 3-2 regulation decision on Friday night.
The Grizzlys scored just 9 seconds into the game and never looked back, riding a 3-0 first period lead to a win despite a 36-23 Okotoks shot advantage.
Connor Michaud’s opening goal game on a wrist shot from the right circle off the opening faceoff, before Blake Matheson doubled the lead at 4:49 on a setup from Cade Moxham off the rush. At 13:44, Moxham banked a puck in off goalie Alex Scheiwiller (Calgary, AB) from the end wall for a 3-0 Olds advantage.
The Oilers switched to Parker Sawka (Cochrane, AB) to start the second period, and the Oiler veteran stopped all 11 shots he faced in the final two periods to keep his team in the game. Perhaps the best came in the second, when a 2-man breakaway by Olds led to a pass across the crease that was one-timed toward the goal by Olds’ Ethan Coventry, but Sawka’s sprawling right pad save kept the puck out and kept the Oilers in the game.
Okotoks got on the board with a Kade Turner point shot goal with 30 seconds left in the second, and Zeth Kindrachuk (Calgary, AB) pulled the team within one with a point blank backhand goal at 5:03 of the third, but Olds held on, with rookie goalie Noah Nelson stopping 34 shots en route to the win.
The Oilers return home to host the Camrose Kodiaks on Saturday night, looking for a tenth straight win at Centennial Arena. Tickets are available online at tickets.okotoksoilers.ca.