It continues to be a post-holiday return to remember on home ice for the Okotoks Oilers.
The Oilers made it four wins at Centennial Arenas in 10 days and five wins in six overall with another two light lamping efforts, starting by chasing the Lloydminster Bobcats 6-1 on Jan. 5.
“We’re starting to find our game here,” said Oilers forward Owen MacNeil. “It’s the second half now, it’s coming down to crunch time and games like this are important. You look at the standings and you can’t take any team lightly because the points matter all around.
“It’s been great lately and that’s what we’re trying to build for playoffs.”
After hitting the post on the first shift, MacNeil kept up the shooting mentality and scored the first two goals on Friday, igniting a productive night with linemates Hayden Fechner and Jack Silverberg. Fechner scored the third goal of the game by the trio early in the middle stanza.
“I like to think of myself as a pass first guy, but today I saw a couple of lanes and fortunately got a couple good plays from my linemates,” MacNeil said. “It was taking whatever was given me in front of me and it worked out.”
Oilers freshman forward Allen Sherpa notched his first junior goal later in the second period, following the play after a nice rush by fellow-rookie Ryder De Nys and calmly converting a rebound opportunity.
“It’s huge confidence wise and just knowing I’ve got that weight off my shoulders now and can just play my game,” said Sherpa, one of two 2007-born skaters on the team.
“It’s definitely been a big transition from (U18) and being that top guy and now I’m learning the right way to play and the coaches are great and are really helping me develop as a player.”
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Sam Huck added a third period insurance marker on a terrific saucer pass from Silverberg, who would add the last goal on a backhander in tight, to equal his career high of 52 points.
The Western Michigan commit then bested his career high in his next opportunity to do so when the Oilers blanked the Drayton Valley Thunder 6-0 at home on Jan. 7.
Huck opened the scoring with his 12th powerplay goal and 24th overall with linemate Brett Wilson adding two goals, Sherpa, Fechner and captain Dean Spak adding the other tallies.
Mikael Kingo made 16 saves for his sixth win and second shutout in eight games with Okotoks.
“I think we’ve just got a lot of lines that gel well and guys can combine well with eachother and ultimately produce, so it’s been good that way,” MacNeil said. “Our young guys have been able to find the back of the net too, which is nice, it’s hard stepping into junior in your first year and being able to produce.”
Earlier in the week, Okotoks knocked off the Calgary Canucks 9-2 on the road on Jan. 3.
Forward Hunter Sawka and blueliner Rylan Brown tallied five assists in the contest, matching the team’s record for assists in a single game.
“We’re a pretty close group and everybody has just been working hard in practice and that’s just flowing into the games,” Sherpa said. “We’ve definitely had a rough start (with injuries), but now that everyone is back it’s so awesome, the practices you see all the guys back, it’s great.”
In four of its past six games, the Oilers have registered a combined 32 goals.
“We like those games, but at the same we don’t,” said MacNeil of the series of barnburners lately. “Those games are nice when we can produce like that, but at the same time it can build bad habits into the next games.”
The Oilers are on the road this weekend with stops in Bonnyville and Fort McMurray.
Okotoks’ next home date is Jan. 19 against the Grande Prairie Storm.
For more information, visit okotoksoilers.ca.
