The Okotoks Oilers’ playoff roadmap is official following a dramatic home finale loss.
The Blackfalds Bulldogs scored three goals in the final two minutes to edge the Oilers 6-5 on Friday night at the Centennial Arenas to clinch the third seed in the BCHL Alberta Division and lock Okotoks into a play-in series with Spruce Grove.
Alexander Dimitriadis and Luke Dahlen scored to level the game and Hunter Brown scored the game-winner with the goalie pulled with eight seconds left as Okotoks needed a regulation win to keep its hopes of third place intact.
The Bulldogs looked poised to spoil the party for the Oilers supporters, 1,046 of them on Fan Appreciation Night, in the opening frame with a pair of quick strike tallies in less than a two-minute span from Dakota MacIntosh and Dahlen.
Needing a response, Okotoks got just that with Jagger Tapper notching his 26th goal on a rebound opportunity.
Connor Gourley added another from in front of goal in the final minute of the frame as Okotoks wrestled back momentum.
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Brett Wilson gave Okotoks its first lead early in the middle stanza, taking an outrageous behind-the-back feed from Tapper and depositing into the back of the net.
Blackfalds evened up the seesaw battle in short through Otto Hanson.
Oilers blueliner Ryder De Nys restored the lead on a point shot through a screen to give Okotoks the advantage heading into the final frame.
Sam Huck added his 37th of the season early in the third period, his third point of the night to move one back of Kyle Reynolds’ all-time points record of 165, before the Bulldogs roared back.
Okotoks closes the regular season on April 7 in Spruce Grove in a playoff preview versus the Saints.
The first-round play-in series kicks off on April 10 in Okotoks. It’s a best-of-five series with the winner moving on to play the top-seed Brooks Bandits.
The other second round series pits Blackfalds against the Sherwood Park Crusaders.
Season Awards
Prior to puck drop in the home finale, the Oilers handed out its 2023-24 team awards.
Sam Huck was named MVP, Top Forward and Top Scorer, Brett Wilson earned Rookie of the Year and Unsung Hero, Brett Huxley earned the Greg Wedderburn Award as the player best exemplifying what it is to be an Oiler.
Kade Turner was recognized as Top Defenceman for the second year in a row with the fleet-footed Jackson Rowland earning the Hardest Working Oiler Award.
For more information, go to okotoksoilers.com.
