An Okotoks Oilers rookie defenceman's first AJHL goal came in the Nick of time.
Nick Wolfenberg scored on a wrap-around 2:20 into overtime as the Oilers knocked off the Camrose Kodiaks 3-2 on Jan. 22 at Pason Centennial Arena to complete a home-and-home sweep and gain valuable ground in the Alberta Junior Hockey League's South Division.
"I just jumped off the bench and did a few switches with the puck and just took the puck, tried to use my feet to get around the guy, pulled around the net, realized it was open and just shot it," said Wolfenberg, a 2004-born blueliner. "It was magical, unbelievable, I didn't really know what to think, to be honest with you.
"I just threw my hands up and started yelling."
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The path to overtime was forged while shorthanded as Okotoks battled through a five-minute penalty-kill in the final eight minutes of the third period to force the division tilt past regulation time.
"I think that won us the game," said Oilers forward Rieger Lorenz. "We got a little bit down after that penalty, but we stuck with it.
"(Head coach Tyler Deis) has been harping on us for not getting up on the (point) quicker, we got exposed a bit the past few games, but our forwards and our D-men just gelled together as a unit and killed it off."
Lorenz tied the game early in the third period with his 30th goal of the season on a delayed penalty as he came off the bench as the extra-attacker and fired in a wicked one-timer off a cross ice feed from defenceman Riley Bodnarchuk.
Camrose took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission on the strength of a strong middle stanza with Noah Alvarez giving the visitors the advantage. The Oilers came out strong in the opening frame with Nolan Flint scoring on the man-advantage countered by Camrose's Tio D'Addario on a partial breakaway.
Okotoks' Jack McNaughton made 23 saves for his 10th win of the campaign.
"We knew we had a good first period and struggled in the second," Lorenz added. "We just had to simplify in the third. We know we can play with the top teams in the league if we play our game.
"And we did just that."
The victory was Okotoks fifth straight on home ice and sixth in its past seven games overall to improve to 23-20-2, nine points back of Camrose and seven behind the Drumheller Dragons.
"It's really big because we get four points and (Camrose) gets one," Wolfenberg said. "So that will really help in the standings because we're trying to catch them and Drumheller as well."
In the first of the home-and-home set, Okotoks rode a three-goal third period to the victory in the Jan. 20 matinee at the Encana Arena.
Austin Reschny, Ty Yoder and Bodnarchuk led the way with one goal, one assist performances with Dean Spak and Lorenz chipping in with the other markers and McNaughton turned aside 20 shots.
Earlier in the week, Okotoks overcome a tough night on special teams to overpower the visiting Olds Grizzlys 7-4 on Jan. 18.
Bodnarchuk scored twice, Connor Gourley notched his first goal since being acquired from the Kodiaks with Lorenz, Boyle, Yoder and Sam Moshurchak also finding the back of the net.
Parker Sawka made 20 saves for his eighth win of the season.
On the final week of the month, Okotoks stays home for Jan. 25 and Jan. 28 dates versus the Canmore Eagles and Drayton Valley Thunder, respectively, followed by a Jan. 29 trip to Blackfalds.
Go to okotoksoilers.ca for more information.
