Happy days are here again for an Okotoks Bisons goalie.

Christian Chivilo has put what he called a poor second season in the Heritage Junior B Hockey League last year behind him.

He’s got plenty to smile about these days.

Chivilo is doing well in his business studies at Mount Royal College, he is playing with a close-knit team, the Bisons still haven’t lost in regulation time and he recorded his first shutout of the year when he backstopped Okotoks to a 1-0 victory over the Coaldale Copperheads  Saturday in Coaldale.

The victory gave the Bisons a 15-0-1-1 record, which puts Okotoks in first-place in the South Division with 32 points — a whopping 14 points more than the second-place Copperheads.

Bisons defenceman Lance Risseeuw got Okotoks’ lone goal in their 1-0 victory in Coaldale with a powerplay effort assisted by Max Thevenot and Jeff Derwent midway through the second period.

That was all the Bisons needed as Chivilo was perfect in stopping all 27 shots he faced — 15 of those shots came in the third period.

“They (Coaldale) are behind us and we did want to send them a message,” Chivilo said. “We wanted to show them that we are going to be tough all year.”

Although Chivilo was perfect in Coaldale, the modest Bison goalie said he might not have been the best goalie in the game.

“The other goalie (Danny Wilk) kept them in the game, especially the first two periods,” Chivilo said. “I thought I played pretty good — my first shutout of the year. That feels pretty good.”

The shutout was bound to come.

Chivilo, who splits games with goalie Bryce Scherschel, has a 9-0-1 record and a goals against average of 2.57.

“Our defensive corps is really strong this year. All our d-men are stong this year, we don’t have one weak link on the point,” he said.

Chivilo is also playing better this year.

He took the league by storm his rookie season in 2007-08, but last year he had a sophomore jinx in his second season in the Heritage League.

“Last year was definitely the worst season of my life by far,” Chivilo said.“I just couldn’t get into it mentally.

“I always seem to have slow starts, but it seemed to go on a lot longer last year.”

One of the reasons he might be having a happier time in net is because things are going so well in the Bisons’ dressing room.

“The whole team gets along,” Chivilo said. “We have gotten along right from the start and I think that goes a lot  to us being 15 and 0.

“It helps us click on the ice as well.”

He’s always enjoyed the game, but he admits this year has had that extra touch of fun.

“I am definitely enjoying this season,” Chivilo said. “Hockey is definitely a place to go to escape from everything.”

Chivilo is taking business at Mount Royal University and he also works part time at  the Goalie Shop — with his goalie partner Scherschel.

The Bisons’ home game  against the Rimbey Rock Friday night at the Murray Arena was cancelled due to the poor road conditions on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway.

The game will be played at a later date.

The Bisons have a rough road ahead of them in their attempt to keep their regulation-time winning streak alive.

Okotoks travels to Airdrie on Friday night to play the Thunder.

The Thunder are in first-place in the Central Division with a 14-3-2-0 record.

The Bisons host the Cochrane Generals Sunday afternoon at 1:15 p.m. at the Murray Arena.  The Generals have knocked the Bisons out of the playoffs in the South final each of the past two years.

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