The Okotoks Oilers have a stranglehold on the BCHL Wildcard just two days into the postseason.
Okotoks skated to a 3-2 road victory over the Spruce Grove Saints in Thursday night's Game 2 with Jagger Tapper breaking a 2-2 deadlock early in the third period to give the visitors a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five BCHL Alberta Division play-in series.
Tapper tallied on the rush at the 2:18 mark of the final frame, his second third period goal in as many games, after the Oilers erased a pair of one-goal deficits through the opening 40 minutes.
https://twitter.com/OkotoksOilers/status/1778638640685400488
Spruce Grove's opening tally from Matthew Lesyk was countered by Okotoks centre Owen MacNeil's first of the playoffs with a similar script in period two as the Saints' Ryan Johnstone and Oilers forward Jack Silverberg exchanged goals.
Oilers rookie goalie Christian Green was stellar for the second night in a row for the Green-and-Gold, stopping 30 of 32 shots, 14 in the third period alone.
Okotoks took the series opener on Wednesday night by a 6-2 score with six goal scorers contributing to the decisive victory.
The Oilers will look to complete the series sweep at home with Game 3 set for Saturday, April 13 at 7 p.m. at Okotoks Centennial Arenas.
The winner of the wildcard series moves onto play the top-seed Brooks Bandits in the next round of the playoffs.
Playoff schedule
Game 1: April 10. Spruce Grove at Okotoks. Oilers win 6-2
Game 2: April 11. Okotoks at Spruce Grove. Oilers win 3-2
Game 3: April 13. Spruce Grove at Okotoks
Game 4: April 15. Okotoks at Spruce Grove
Game 5: April 16. Spruce Grove at Okotoks
*All games 7 p.m. starts
Playoff tickets can be purchased at tickets.okotoksoilers.com.
For more information, go to okotoksoilers.com.
