The Christmas break has been followed by a jam-packed docket for the Okotoks Oilers.
As the calendar flips to 2025, the Oilers play their first of eight games in the month in a New Year’s Day afternoon date with the Blackfalds Bulldogs on the heels of three road games in four days.
And for a ninth-placed Oilers team looking to gain ground in the Interior Conference, it’s a golden opportunity to do so with games in hand on the six teams directly above them in the standings.
Following a split road trip on Dec. 28-29 highlighted by a gritty 4-3 win over the Penticton Vees on Sunday, Okotoks is in Blackfalds for its second meeting of the season with the Bulldogs on New Year’s Eve.
Later this week, Okotoks and Blackfalds clash at 4:20 p.m. on Jan. 1 and on Jan. 4 the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, the No. 4 seed in the Interior, make their first trip to the Viking Rentals Centre at 7 p.m. The New Year's Day game also features an opportunity for fans to skate with the Oilers, free for all ticket holders following the Jan. 1 contest.
The Oilers (12-15) are within four points of the seventh seed Spruce Grove Saints with games against their Alberta rivals later this month.
The month also sees two weekend road trips to the Okanagan and forthcoming home dates with the Saints and Bulldogs.
January in the BCHL also features the league’s All-Star weekend festivities held Jan. 17-19 in Salmon Arm. Okotoks captain Jackson Rowland was voted an All-Star last month.
For more information, go to okotoksoilers.com.
