The seesaw BCHL Alberta Division semifinal has swung back in Okotoks’ direction.
Owen MacNeil scored a hat trick with a goal in each period as the Okotoks Oilers downed the Brooks Bandits 4-1 Wednesday night on home ice in Game 4 to even up the best-of-seven BCHL Alberta Division semifinal at two games apiece.
Inside eight minutes, MacNeil ignited his special performance with the opening tally after a strong Oilers forecheck led to a turnover and teed up the 2003-born centre for a wrist shot in the slot.
After Hunter Wallace drew the visitors even in the middle stanza, MacNeil countered on the powerplay for his second of the game and third of the postseason.
Early in the final frame, MacNeil completed the hat trick with a touch of fortune as his cross crease pass deflected in off Bandits blueliner Quinn McCall.
https://twitter.com/OkotoksOilers/status/1783357794525012401
Jagger Tapper rounded out the scoring with the empty-net tally.
Christian Green, who has started each playoff game for Okotoks, improved to 5-2 in the playoffs with a 25-save performance.
Prior to the series, the fourth-seed Oilers had lost 14 consecutive games to the Bandits, the top-seed in the division with just six regulation losses in 65 regular season games.
In the other Alberta semifinal, the No. 2 seed Sherwood Park Crusaders completed the four-game sweep over the Blackfalds Bulldogs on Wednesday night with a 7-4 road triumph.
The Oilers have a fan bus in place for supporters to take in Game 5 in Brooks on Friday, April 26. The bus departs at 4:45 p.m. and it’s a $50 cost to get a seat.
Game 6 is Sunday, April 28 in Okotoks at 7 p.m.
Game day tickets and fan bus ticket information can be found at tickets.okotoksoilers.com.
Series schedule
Game 1: April 19, Oilers at Bandits. Brooks wins 4-0
Game 2: April 20, Oilers at Bandits. Okotoks wins 5-2
Game 3: April 23, Bandits at Oilers. Brooks wins 5-0
Game 4: April 24, Bandits at Oilers. Okotoks wins 4-1
Game 5: April 26, Oilers at Bandits.
Game 6: April 28, Bandits at Oilers.
Game 7: April 30, Oilers at Bandits.
*All games are 7 p.m. starts
For more, go to okotoksoilers.com.
