A season like no other transitions into an unprecedented playoff this week in Okotoks.
The Okotoks Oilers (38-28-3) and Spruce Grove Saints (26-34-6) clash in the best-of-five BCHL play-in round featuring the fourth and fifth seeds in the Alberta Division.
Okotoks, the higher seed, hosts the opener on Wednesday, April 10 at 7 p.m.
The Oilers had a small chance at rallying to grab the third seed entering the final weekend of the regular season, but saw those hopes dashed in a 6-5 regulation loss to the Blackfalds Bulldogs in the home finale on April 5.
Okotoks closed the regular season with a 4-3 loss in Spruce Grove on April 7. Captain Dean Spak had two goals in the closer.
Oilers forward Sam Huck finished one point shy of tying Kyle Reynolds’ all-time points record (165) with the team.
Huck, a Western Michigan commit, posted a team-best 37 goals and 81 points in 2023-24.
The Oilers and Saints have only met in the playoffs once and it was a memorable set, the 2018 Alberta Junior Hockey League championship series in which Spruce Grove won in five games.
The BCHL Alberta Division top three seeds — Brooks, Sherwood Park and Blackfalds — have a bye through the first round.
The winner of the Okotoks-Spruce Grove series moves on to play Brooks with Sherwood Park and Blackfalds locking horns in the other semifinal.
The semifinal and final series are best-of-sevens.
The Rocky Mountain Challenge, featuring the B.C. and Alberta division champions, follows in a best-of-three final hosted by the champion team out of the wild rose province.
Playoff schedule
Game 1: April 10. Spruce Grove at Okotoks
Game 2: April 11. Okotoks at Spruce Grove
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.
