Rivalry night was just what the doctor ordered for the Okotoks Oilers.
Rivalry night was just what the doctor ordered for the Okotoks Oilers.
Okotoks snapped a mini three-game-losing streak in a 3-0 shutout over the Calgary Canucks to spoil the return of former head coach and general manager James Poole on Pack the Rink Night, Sunday at Pason Centennial Arena.
“It's a competitive edge coming in for all the guys having our old coaches last year,” said Oilers winger Braeden Nesbitt. “We're very competitive towards them so it's a big game and a good win.
“The boys are pretty happy right now.”
They earned the smiles on this night.
Coming off perhaps its worst performance of the season in a 2-0 loss to Whitecourt the night prior, Okotoks responded in kind with an aggressive, shoot first philosophy in their first meeting with the Canucks.
Carson Beers got the offence going as his seeing-eye point shot found a way past Canucks netminder Logan Drackett following a dominant shift by Okotoks' top line of Trey DeGraaf, Jordie Lawson and Nolan Thompson halfway through the first frame.
Hard-nosed defenceman Riley Mathies doubled the lead with his first of the season early in the second stanza. Less than a minute Nesbitt made it a three-goal contest as his rising wrist shot fooled the usually reliable Canucks goaltender.
“The big focus was for us was just shooting pucks,” Nesbitt said. “Just getting more pucks on the goalie and hopefully getting second or third opportunities.”
Riley Morris stopped all 28 Canuck shots to pick up his first shutout of the season.
He had some help from his friends.
Nesbitt put all of his 6-foot-4 frame in front of a Canuck slapshot on a gallant block early in the third period to help preserve the shutout with a war-wound on his knee to show for his efforts.
The little things added up to a big result for the hosts following a week to forget on the ice, highlighted by a 7-6 road loss to the Calgary Mustangs and lacklustre home loss to the Wolverines.
Owners of the top record in the South Division and a bourgeoning rival after last year's playoff series, the Canucks arrival brought out a much more motivated Oilers squad.
“Okotoks came in with a bit of an attitude, they played us tough and physical and we didn't respond,” Poole said. “For us it was disappointing because we thought it would be a measuring stick game after last year being swept.
“Do I want to beat Okotoks more than any other team? Yeah for sure, but the focus is on our group.”
Set to embark on three weeks of action exclusively as visitors, Sunday's victory was close to the must-win variety for the green-and-gold.
“It was a big deal. We were on a three-game losing streak and had to win it or we were going to go downhill,” Mathies said. “We have a very tough couple weeks coming up, we're on the road for the next seven games.
“It was very important to get one out of the way.”
A proverbial four-point game, the Oilers climbed two points closer to the division-leading Canucks who've turned a few heads with their quick start, but not their new bench boss.
“This year we knew we had built a better roster around the goaltending,” Poole said. “We feel that we can contend. Every team that we've played against we know we can beat.
“Every night we expect to win and I think that's a new feeling for the Canucks.”
Okotoks, third in the South with 17 points, kicks off its season high seven-game road trip this weekend with back-to-back dates in Lloydminster and Spruce Grove on Oct. 21, 22. The team isn't back home until Nov. 8 in a divisional battle with the Canmore Eagles.
For full schedule information go to okotoksoilers.ca
