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Oilers stay stellar on home ice

The fortress continues to grow for the Okotoks Oilers.
Okotoks Oiler Zach Huber goes to the net in the team’ s 4-1 victory over the Sherwood Park Crusaders, Jan. 7 at the Pason Centennial Arena.
Okotoks Oiler Zach Huber goes to the net in the team’ s 4-1 victory over the Sherwood Park Crusaders, Jan. 7 at the Pason Centennial Arena.

The fortress continues to grow for the Okotoks Oilers.

Okotoks made it five straight home victories and extended its point streak to 12 games at Pason Centennial Arena with three wins to open the new year bookended by a 4-1 triumph over the Sherwood Park Crusaders on Saturday.

“We’re relentless in the zone. We get down and come back and build off energy and get ourselves going,” said Oilers freshman winger Regan Doig. “Lately the crowds have been awesome, they’ve been loud and when we’re down they’ve been getting us back up.”

The Oilers, who haven’t lost in regulation on home ice since Oct. 15, shook off a sluggish opening frame to score four unanswered and cruised to a comfortable three-goal cushion.

Alex Rotundo’s tally was the only offence in a first period dominated by the physically imposing Crusaders.

Physicality then played a part in turning the tide early in the middle frame as rookie defenceman Ryan Roberts delivered a hard-hit along the boards and then dropped the mitts with the much larger Crusaders captain Ben Sowa.

“You’ve just got to have the same physicality as them,” Doig added. “Don’t let them boss you around. They did that in the first and we came back and took it to them and the game turned around for us.

“What really turned the game was Roberts’ fight. That’s his first one and it was against a 20-year-old.”

Okotoks got on the board shortly thereafter as Laguna Beach product Tyler Levine found himself alone in the slot and spun Crusaders netminder Jake Morrissey around with an array of dekes before lifting it into the yawning cage.

“Robbie stepped up, had a good fight and someone had to take charge and have a good shift,” Levine said. “I was fortunate enough to get a really good look in the slot and bury it.

“I’ve been practicing that quick little move, I hadn’t buried it on previous situations so it was just kind of instinct.”

Austin Wong gave Okotoks the lead two shifts later following a great entry by slick defenceman Reece Soukoroff. Levine added his second of the evening on a backdoor set-up from Carson Beers to close the period with a two-goal advantage. Jordan Xavier wired in his team leading 19th marker to round out the scoring early in the final stanza.

Okotoks improved to 14-2-1 at home on the season following the three-win week, lofty numbers the squad want to take on the road. The green-and-gold have a 12-7-4 mark in away contests.

“We should be putting the same kind of numbers away,” added Levine. “It’s just our preparation methods. At home, we really have it down to a science and that’s what keeps our record so high.

“We’ve got to block all the external pressures out and focus just like we’re at home.”

Okotoks opened the weekend in a 6-0 home ice romp over the Canmore Eagles on Jan. 6 led by a 37 save shutout from Riley Morris, the second of the season for the netminder.

Freshman defenceman Ayden Roche-Setoguchi opened the floodgates with his first Junior goal as six different skaters found the back of the net in the blowout. Carson Beers, Tanner Laderoute, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Jordie Lawson and Braeden Nesbitt also added singles.

In somewhat of a scheduling quirk, Okotoks took its belated first meeting against divisional rival Drumheller by a 4-2 count to open the new year on a winning note on Jan. 3.

DeGraaf, Beers and rookie forward Regan Doig scored powerplay goals in the win while Laderoute rounded out the scoring with an even-strength marker.

The Dragons got their revenge one night later in the back-end of the home-and-home set as netminder Dane Dow made 21 saves to blank the Oil in a 3-0 triumph.

The southern Alberta foes renew acquaintances with two more match-ups this week. Okotoks is back in Dinosaur country on Jan. 11 and return home for rare Sunday afternoon tilt with the Dragons on Jan. 15 with puck-drop at 4:15 p.m.

For more information go to okotoksoilers.ca

Ice Chips

With its win Okotoks improved to 10-13-1 all-time versus the Sherwood Park Crusaders… The Oilers scored three powerplays in consecutive home victories over Drumheller and Canmore, helping to improve the man-advantage to the 10th ranked unit in the league … Ayden Roche-Setoguchi’s first goal of the season versus Canmore gave every full-time member of the Oilers line-up at least one goal on the season.


Remy Greer

About the Author: Remy Greer

Remy Greer is the assistant editor and sports reporter for westernwheel.ca and the Western Wheel newspaper. For story tips contact [email protected]
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