BLACKFALDS, AB (March 16, 2024) — The Okotoks Oilers outshot the Blackfalds Bulldogs 48 to 20 but ultimately fell by a 4–3 score at Eagle Builders Centre in Blackfalds on Saturday night.
The Oilers trailed for all but 42 seconds in the weekend clash, falling behind 1–0 on a Brendan Ross goal in the early stages of the first period and subsequently conceding another goal just 26 seconds after tying the game in the third minute of the middle frame.
Blackfalds goaltender Wilson Maxfield stopped 45 of the 48 shots he faced on Saturday, including 15 of 16 in the decisive third period. Dakota MacIntosh scored the winning goal on a power play at the 4:08 mark of the final stanza.
Thomas Matte (Calgary, AB) scored the Oilers’ first goal of the evening at the 2:28 mark of the second period, deflecting a long-range shot by Brennen Hocher (Calgary, AB) past Maxfield for his fourth goal of the year. But Blackfalds responded soon thereafter with a pair of goals just 83 seconds apart, with Jayden Joly and Hunter Brown beating Christian Green (Boothwyn, PA) in quick succession to put the hosts up 3–1.
The Oilers continued to throw a ton of shots on net for the rest of the period but only managed to beat Maxfield again in the final minute, with Brett Wilson (Calgary, AB) scoring off a nice backhand deke to make it a one-goal game with 42 seconds remaining.
The two teams traded goals yet again in the third period. After MacIntosh restored Blackfalds’ two-goal lead, Kade Turner (Calgary, AB) brought the Oilers back within one off a bomb of a slap shot from the left side at the 11:37 mark.
The Oilers wouldn’t get any closer than that. Despite having plenty of time in the Bulldogs’ zone with Green pulled late in the third, the best the visitors could muster was a long-range shot off the post. Blackfalds held on for the 4–3 win, moving ahead of the Oilers in the BCHL Alberta Division standings in the process.
