Back-to-back season high crowds were treated to a defensive triumph and an assault on the record books in the Okotoks Oilers’ return to the ice.
Okotoks edged out the Camrose Kodiaks 2-1 on New Year’s Day with 1,296 in attendance, breaking the previous high for the 2023-24 campaign established three nights earlier in a dominant 11-4 victory over the Olds Grizzlys.
“It’s always nice to have a big crowd here,” said Oilers blueliner Brody Maguire. “It’s something we definitely build off and that energy that they bring.
“That first game against Olds, we found our step again and had a lot of guys back that were out of the lineup and then (Monday) it was finding our game again and keeping their score low and getting a gutsy win is always good.”
On Monday, Maguire notched his first goal of the season on a well-placed near corner wrist shot and later helped preserve the lead with a terrific diving effort to prevent a sure-fire breakaway opportunity. Huck added the second goal early in the middle frame.
Mikael Kingo turned aside 19 of 20 shots for his fourth win.
“It was focusing on our D-zone definitely,” said Oilers forward Jackson Rowland. “We know we can score goals, but the defensive side, we need to work on a little bit and keeping the score down.
“We’ve been trying to focus on that lately.”
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Rowland set a franchise record for points in a game at seven with a two goals and five assist performance to help pace the team past the Grizzlys by an 11-4 count in front of a 1,106 supporters at Centennial Arenas on Dec. 29.
“It’s a pretty crazy, special night for me,” Rowland said. “And it’s an honour.”
Rowland combined with linemates Sam Huck and rookie winger Brett Wilson to produce eight goals and 17 points on the night. Both Huck and Wilson registered hat-tricks, the former adding three assists.
“When that first one went in, we knew we had some jump to our stride and just kept going and putting them in,” Rowland said. “I heard someone announce up top that I had tied it, then I won the draw back and we scored so that was pretty special.”
Connor Gourley added two goals and an assist, Hayden Fechner notched a goal and an assist and defenceman Kade Turner marked his return to the lineup for the first time in over a month with three apples.
Christian Green made 20 saves to preserve Okotoks’ third straight victory.
Rowland, sitting third on the team with 35 points (16 goals, 19 assists), knocked off a franchise benchmark which was on the books for over 15 years. James Bannister set the previous mark with a six-point effort in a win over the Brooks Bandits in 2008.
The Oilers and Bandits did battle once again last Saturday night with Okotoks falling 9-3 on the road.
The Oilers (25-13-1-1) are back on the ice on Jan. 3 for a road tilt at the Calgary Canucks and return home to battle the Lloydminster Bobcats on Jan. 5 and the Drayton Valley Thunder on Jan. 7 to kickstart a busy month coming off a short holiday break.
“It’s always easy to comeback when you have a good group of guys in the room like this and with those first two practices, we got out legs underneath us,” Maguire added. “Going forward, having everyone back is so big for us in building momentum and finding ways to get wins.
“It was a good break and now it’s great to be back at it.”
For more information, visit okotoksoilers.ca.
