A difficult start had a rewarding finish as the Bow Mark Oilers raised the curtain on 2023-24.
The Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers’ season opener in the Alberta Elite Hockey League U18 AAA ranks went the way of the Edmonton Jr. Oilers Orange, but as the calendar turned to October on Sunday a rebound performance was in store via a 7-2 victory over the Red Deer Chiefs.
“The first one we competed OK, but we knew we had a lot more in the tank,” said Bow Mark Oilers head coach Chris Beston. “And against Red Deer, we showed that we can compete in this league, for sure.
“We’re excited about where we’re going and what’s ahead of us and we know we’ve got to play our best every game to compete in this league.”
On Sunday, Phoenix Flett rose to the occasion with a first-period hat-trick to ignite the 7-2 win.
“He’s a player that competes every shift,” Beston said. “He leaves everything out there, every shift, he’s a kid that battles, he’s a bulldog out there and we’re excited to have him on our team this year.”
Jaden Rusznak had two goals and an assist, Nash Wassing and Grady Pichette found the back of the net with blueliner Jaxson Doyle adding three helpers.
Carter Esler made 35 saves for his first U18 AAA victory.
In the season opener on Saturday, Edmonton skated to a 4-1 victory in the Battle of the Oilers.
Rusznak had the lone tally for Okotoks with both Esler and Michael Makowsky seeing action between the posts.
“We’re an older group this year, a lot of these guys have played with each other somewhere along the line,” the coach added. “We’re a little bit ahead of the game that way.
“We’re a bigger, stronger team this year and it will be exciting to see what the future will hold.”
Okotokian Brandon de Haas, one of three returning forwards, was named the team’s captain with Brayden Thurlow, Jaxson Doyle and Jack Mitchell serving as alternates.
“(de Haas) is someone who just does everything the right way,” Beston said. “He’s a kid that when we teach, he listens and he does everything by example.
“He commits, he competes and we’re excited to have him as captain this year.”
This week, Okotoks is in Edmonton for a tournament with games against Sherwood Park and Leduc on Oct. 7 and 8. The next home date is Oct. 15 versus the Airdrie CFR Bisons.
In the Alberta Female Hockey League U18 AAA ranks, the Rocky Mountain Raiders dropped the puck on their season with two games at home.
In the opener on Sept. 29, the Calgary Fire edged past the Raiders by a 5-0 score. Erika Finney stood tall in goal with 31 saves.
Red Deer then downed Rocky Mountain 8-1 on Sept. 30 with Gabriella Meger turning aside 40 of 48 shots and Cassie Biblow scoring the first goal of the season for the Raiders.
This week, Rocky Mountain is home to St. Albert on Oct. 7 and has a rematch with Red Deer on Oct. 8.
For more information on the Raiders and Bow Mark Oilers, visit ooaaoilerhockey.ca.
