The team that plays together wins together.
The tight bonds off the ice are paying dividens on the ice for the Green and Gold as the Okotoks Oilers (16-2-2) locked up a pair of 5-2 victories over South Division rivals over the weekend to increase their points streak to 14 games without a regulation loss in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
"As a group we've been gelling together," said Oilers rookie forward Brett Moravec. "We've done some extra-curricular activities as a team and this is probably the best team I've been on for gelling together. We played bubble soccer at the (field house) and stuff like that really gets the guys happy together.
"Just a bunch of really good guys coming together and it translates onto the ice."
Okotoks rode a four-goal first period to the 5-2 victory Nov. 2 over the visiting Olds Grizzlys.
"It starts with coming to the rink prepared," said Moravec, a Wisconsin commit. "We all go to breakfast together and start thinking about the game then, planning the game and once that puck drops you just go right away."
Moravec, Joel Krahenbil, Brayden Morrison and captain Ayden Roche-Setoguchi all tallied in the opening frame. Jack Works added his team leading 10th of the season in the second period. Ashton Abel had 17 saves to pick up his 13th win of the season.
The trio featuring the 6-foot-2, 200 pound Krahenbil in the middle flanked by rookie forwards Moravec and Jaevon Buschlen were terrific all night versus the Grizzlys, particularly on the fore-check.
"Both of them are really good guys and work extremely hard so it's easy to fit in there," Moravec said. "They're both excellent players behind the net with the puck and you saw today we got pucks towards the net and it ended up translating into goals for our team.
"Being a 16-year-old coming into junior it's definitely intimidating because you're the youngest kid, but the boys just really accepted, really included me into the group and it was really easy to fit into the role that they have here. I'm way more confident than when I started the season, just controlling the puck, skating the puck, passing the puck. More confidence helps a lot, especially in the game of hockey."
Okotoks opened the weekend by dispatching the Calgary Canucks by the same 5-2 count on Nov. 1 at the Ken Bracko Arena.
Zane Kindrachuk paced the offence with two goals, Morrison, Works and Dylan James also tickled the twine while Marc Pasemko chipped in with three assists. Brady Parker made 22 saves for his third win of the campaign.
"I think it's our team chemistry and we can rely on different guys every night. It's not the same group every night," said Oilers centre Carson Dyck on the team's current points streak. "Our depth just carries through every night."
Special teams prowess hasn't hurt either.
Okotoks' powerplay is the top ranked unit in the AJHL, clicking at 27.2 per cent, while the penalty kill is the third best in the provincial loop.
"We can rely on different guys if we need to switch something up, if something is not working," said Dyck, a Penn State commit. "For us, special teams is huge. Our PK is something we're really hard on. It's an identity for us, almost. It's positioning and trusting each other, trusting the goalies to make the save.
"I think goals against is worth way more than goals for, defence wins championships. We really take pride on our defence and the offence just comes along with it."
The Oilers' consistency, a run which has seen them not lose in regulation since the AJHL Showcase in late-September, has them just four points back of the undefeated Brooks Bandits for top-spot in the South Division and 10 points up on the third-place Drumheller Dragons.
"They work hard, in practices, these guys are focused players right now," said Oilers head coach Tyler Deis. "They're taking care of themselves, they're practising hard, we're playing with great structure, they're sticking to the gameplan and they're just feeling confident."
Up next for the Oilers is a two-game road trip with stops in Olds and Camrose on Nov. 8-9. Okotoks' next home date is Nov. 15 versus the Canmore Eagles.
For more information go to okotoksoilers.ca
