The Trail Smoke Eaters record road-winning streak has ended at nine games.
The Okotoks Oilers scored four goals in the first and third periods to post an 8-3 victory to end their three game slide.
Former Smokie Josh Wiebe opened the scoring on a deflection about six minutes into the opening frame, but Trail replied about a minute and a half later when Carter Matthews ripped a wrister from the point into the top of the net on a Smokies power play. The Calgary kid playing in front of family and friends added an assist later in the contest.
An early turning point came at the midway point of the opening period.
Louis Jonerheim was hooked after speedily splitting the Oilers defence and was awarded a penalty shot.
The 6’4″ Swede tried a forehand to backhand move in tight, but was stopped by Oilers goalie Eric Young.
About a minute after play resumed, a neutral zone turnover resulted in Wiebe’s second goal on a shot from the right-wing circle into the far top corner of the net.
The Oilers made it 3-1 on a 5-on-3 power play and opened a three goal lead late in the period on a pass that deflected in off Trail defenseman, Colton Whitfield.
Smokies starting goalie Brady Smith was then replaced by Chayse Johnson.
Trail played a strong second period but couldn’t solve Young until just past the 18-minute mark.
Christian Kim jammed in a loose puck after a Matthews power play point shot. The goal was initially waved off, but then confirmed after referees reviewed the video. It was the California kid’s 100th point as a Smokie as he assisted on Matthews’ first period tally.
The Smokies were inches away from reducing the deficit to 4-3 in the opening seconds of the third period.
Zach Coutu stole the puck at the Trail blue line, fed Erik Pastro on the ensuing two-on-on break, and Pastro ripped a high rising wrister off the cross bar. The Smokies would strike iron again later in the period.
The Oilers seized the momentum back on a shorthanded goal about three and a half minutes later, converting an odd-man rush.
But rambunctious rookie Caden Stoltz restored some hope just past the nine minute mark on a wrap-around, reducing the lead to 5-3, but just over a minute later the Oilers struck again.
Former Cranbrook Buck Jordan Murray crashed the crease and tapped in a loose puck.
Brett Wilson would add an empty-netter with just over two minutes to go and completed the hat trick with a blast from the right point in the final minute.
Trail outshot the Oilers 24-21, went 2-for-5 on the power play and killed off 5-of-6 Oilers advantages in the tightly called game.
The Smokies (12-3) clash with the Crusaders (9-5-1) for a Saturday night showdown in Sherwood Park.
The Crusaders clobbered Cranbrook 7-1 Friday night, handing the beleaguered Bucks their tenth straight setback.
Sherwood Park’s Stevie Grumley scored twice and leads all BCHL defencemen with nine goals and 17 points. Crusaders forward Joseph Sinclair had a goal and an assist against the Bucks and is tied for second in the overall BCHL points race with 22.
The Crusaders, who head into the game with a 6-1 home record, are tied for the league lead with 65 goals for, but have given up 54 goals against.
Catch all the action on Mixlr and FloHockey as the puck drops at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
The next Smoke Eaters home games are November 21 & 22. Good seats are still available at Tickets.TrailSmokeEaters.com.
