An afternoon of firsts saw the Oilers close a turnaround week with a third win in four days.
Rookies Sam Hall and Thomas Matte netted their first goals in the Alberta Junior Hockey League as the Okotoks Oilers (10-6-1) struck an 8-1 triumph over the Drayton Valley Thunder on Sunday at Centennial Arena to close a three wins in four days weekend and buck the trend of a trio of losses.
“This was huge, we said going into it that we really needed to change momentum,” said Hall, a 2004-born defenceman from New Jersey. “It was a really good job by our leadership group, helping us reset and get back to a mindset where we know we’re a good team and can win games.
“And leaving out those games from the past, learning from them, but knowing we’re capable of doing a lot more than that.”
With 21 goals over three wins, the Green and Gold accomplished just that.
On Sunday, the Thunder, skating in its third game in as many days, opened the scoring just 20 seconds in through Kurt Gurkan, but it was all Oilers from there.
Sam Huck scored on a deflection on the powerplay, Matte drew Okotoks even with a well-placed low wrist shot and Hall scored on a clapper from the point to round out the period.
In the second, Connor Gourley and Jagger Tapper tallied on the powerplay with Hall adding his second AJHL goal in the same contest.
“That’s what we work on a lot in practice, our coaching staff puts a big emphasis on being able to get those pucks through from the point,” said Hall. “And our forwards do a great job going to the net, opening up lanes for us, screening the goalie and getting those rebounds.
“It gives us a lot of confidence as defencemen from the point to take those shots.”
In the third period, Tapper notched his second of the contest and rookie Brett Wilson found the back of the net on a backhand deke in tight to round out the scoring with Okotoks finishing 4-for-9 on the powerplay.
“Our powerplay has been pretty good so far throughout the year and you’ve got to be able to capitalize when you get those opportunities,” said Tapper. “We’ve been doing a pretty good job with that and it’s showing on the scoreboard.”
Oilers netminder Alexander Scheiwiller made 18 saves to improve to 4-1.
On Friday, the Oilers scored four unanswered to dispatch the Lloydminster Bobcats 6-3 on home ice.
Huck had two goals and three points, Jackson Rowland, Jack Silverberg and Wilson tallied the other markers with Christian Green making 13 saves on 16 shots.
Okotoks snapped its three-game losing streak with authority on Thursday in Drumheller.
Blueliner Ethan O’Halloran and forward Brett Huxley scored twice in the 7-2 victory as the Oilers got the better of the Dragons for the first time in three tries this month.
Hayden Fechner, Gourley and Silverberg scored the other markers with Rowland contributing three assists in the blowout.
Green had 21 saves in the win.
“Looking back on the past couple weekends, we went up and played a couple North teams and couldn’t really put anything on the board,” Tapper said. “So getting it in their end and applying pressure, getting pucks on net was a big goal of ours and I think we executed that pretty well the last couple of games.
“It was tough practices, but we focused a lot on our D-zone because we had been not scoring and giving up some. We had to focus on that and transition was a big thing for us too, getting up and down the ice quick and attacking off the rush.”
This week, Okotoks is in Olds on Halloween to clash with the Grizzlys before returning home for weekend back-to-back contests versus the Spruce Grove Saints and Bonnyville Pontiacs.
For more information, go to okotoksoilers.ca.
