OKOTOKS-Flightless birds flew back from Red Deer with more than a tournament championship.
The Okotoks Midget Tier 4 Oilers won the Tommy Gun’s Outdoor Winter Classic on Jan. 25 in Red Deer while skating as the Pittsburgh Penguins and rubbing shoulders with Alberta’s most legendary hockey family in the annual tournament.
“They chose the teams that the Sutter brothers played on,” said Okotoks captain Graydon Bishop. “We got to pick which one we wanted, we picked the Penguins because we thought it was a cool jersey and we got to meet a couple of the Sutter brothers (Brent and Darryl).
“We went and met Darryl and (Brent) and the captains and the goalies went to take photos with them.”
When it came time to drop the puck, the teams played full games on the outdoor rink with a couple wrinkles, including scraping the ice in lieu of a Zamboni during the intermission.
“It was great, I think it really worked on our skills, passing,” Bishop said. “It just felt like it was more fun because it was outside and the ice was bigger so we had to open it up and make more passes.”
As the winner of its division, Okotoks advanced to the final where it fought back to outlast the Hinton Blackhawks 5-3.
“We went down 2-0 in the first period and then tied it with seconds left in the second,” Bishop said. “Then in the third we got three goals.”
Bishop, one of three players on the team in their last year of minor hockey along with Ty Merkel and Colt Tongs, called the tournament one of the best he’s ever experienced.
“It was very organized and the competition was good and they made sure that everyone felt comfortable with their teams and to the activities,” Bishop said. “It was one of my favourite tournaments I’ve ever gone to.”
In league play, the Oilers are second in the Tier 4 division of the Central Alberta Hockey League with a 6-2-7 record.
For more information on the team go to cahlhockey.net
