It’s the two most exciting words in sports: Game 7.
The Okotoks Oilers and Brooks Bandits will put a bow on a remarkable best-of-seven BCHL Alberta Division semifinal second round series tonight with a Game 7 at the Centennial Regional Arenas in Brooks.
“We went in there and stole a game and we’re just going to do that again,” said Oilers forward Jagger Tapper. “It’s obviously going to be tough, an uphill battle, being at their barn, but we’ve got it.”
The back-and-forth series has seen the teams trade wins through six games with each team winning twice at home and once on the road.
Okotoks ended Brooks’ year-plus long streak of victories on home ice by skating to a 5-2 win in Game 2 of the series on April 20.
The Oilers forced a seventh game with an epic 3-2 overtime victory in Game 6 Sunday on home ice with Dean Spak netting the winner in the extra session, the captain’s second of the night and fifth of the postseason.
“Just do what we do,” added Spak. “It was a good effort (Sunday) and we’ve just got to carry that into Game 7 and see what we get.”
Okotoks was down to 16 skaters in Game 6 with Jackson Rowland and Logan Magowan unable to play and Connor Gourley and Rylan Brown out due to suspensions.
Brown, Okotoks’ top offensive defenceman, is eligible to return for Game 7.
Puck drop is 7 p.m. in Brooks. The Oilers have a fan bus, which departs at 4:45 p.m. For bus ticket information, click here.
Awaiting the winner of the series is the second-seed Sherwood Park Crusaders, who have been idle since April 24 when they completed a four-game series sweep over the Blackfalds Bulldogs in the other Alberta semifinal.
For more information, visit okotoksoilers.com.
