An assist on the out-of-town scoreboard has scored the Okotoks Oilers a playoff date.
The Brooks Bandits spoiled a promising start to the Okotoks Oilers home finale in a 7-3 triumph Saturday night at the Viking Rentals Centre, but the Green and Gold secured the eighth seed in the BCHL Interior Conference with the Spruce Grove Saints dropping their season finale to the Blackfalds Bulldogs.
Okotoks, who will meet the regular season champion Penticton Vees in the opening round of the postseason, started out like a team with its season on the line on Saturday.
In a dominant opening frame, Jacob Goudreau opened the scoring with a rebound tally off a shot from distance from linemate Jamie Hikida at the four-minute mark.
The Oilers quickly doubled their lead when blueliner Luke Calabria notched his first goal of the season off a wicked wrist shot on the rush as Okotoks had a 2-0 lead at the 6:04 mark before the Bandits had registered a shot.
The Bandits worked their way back into the game through the latter half of the period, but the Oilers would add to their advantage before the intermission.
Winger Joey Meredith stepped into a twisted wrister for the rookie forward’s eight goal of the season just 18 seconds into a powerplay opportunity with 3:51 left in the frame.
The script flipped in the second period with the Bandits storming back for four goals in a 14-minute span.
Davide Patella started the comeback with a shorthanded tally, Keith McInnis and Liam Fitzpatrick scored 43 seconds apart to even the score. Jack Good then gave the visitors their first lead on the rush.
Brooks added to its resurgence in the third period with Nick Peluso, Nathan Brown and Luke Bibby finding the back of the net.
Okotoks finished with a 14-11-2 record at home, the sixth best mark in the conference.
The Oilers (21-29-3) wrap up the regular season on the road on Sunday, March 30 in Sherwood Park.
The BCHL playoffs kick off next weekend.
Okotoks and Penticton will be the first and only time the teams will meet in the postseason as the Vees are set join the Western Hockey League next season.
Penticton took three of the four regular season meetings between the clubs. The schedule has not yet been released.
The other first round series in the conference will see the Bandits take on the West Kelowna Warriors, Trail Smoke Eaters battle the Cranbrook Bucks and Salmon Arm Silverbacks versus the Sherwood Park Crusaders.
Award season
Prior to puck drop, the Oilers took time to recognize their three graduating players — captain Jackson Rowland, alternate captain Cyle Clayton and netminder Olivier Ciarlo — and hand out their player awards for the 2024-25 season.
Fittingly, the veteran trio had its fingerprints all over the awards.
Ciarlo, a first-year Oiler from Laval, Que., was named MVP, Rowland took home Top Forward and Hardest Working Player honours, Clayton was recognized as Top Defenceman, Michael Kowalski earned Rookie of the Year and Brett Wilson took the Greg Wedderburn Memorial Award for the player most dedicated to community.
For more information, go to okotoksoilers.com.
