Former teammates square off in AJHL championship
By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter
Tyler Lowey Photo
Blake Wells and the top-ranked Okotoks Oilers knocked off the Brooks Bandits in six games during the best-of-seven Viterra South Division final.
When it comes to the AJHL, the Bandits have been a dynasty, appearing in five of the past six league championships, winning four of them.
History didn’t account for anything in the post season however, as the No. 1 ranked Oilers used the momentum of a triple-overtime win in Game 4 to tie the series before taking the final two meetings.
“We knew that Brooks was the team to beat but we also knew that we had a pretty good team in our dressing room,” said Wells. “When it came down to it, we were able to win more battles. It felt really good to pull this out. It was a good team win.”
In his first year with the Oilers, Wells banged in 10 goals and 24 points in 49 games. After earning a bye in the first round, Wells has seen his offence dry up due to the stiffer competition in the playoffs. He heads into the finals with one goal in nine games.
Against the Bandits, Wells was heavily used in defensive faceoff opportunities, along with being leaned on in penalty killing scenarios.
“I’m a big body and I have always been aware in the defensive zone. Throughout the season I have been a two-way defensive centre. I’ve just been used lots in shutting down the other team’s top offensive units,” said Wells, who played 34 games over two seasons with the Bisons from 2015-2017.
After putting their feet up in the opening round, the Oilers blasted the Camrose Kodiaks 4-0 before moving on to face the Bandits.
It’s been quite the season for Wells, who remembers what it was like coming to the Pason Centennial Arena not too long ago to watch the Oilers play.
“I remember I started paying attention to the Oilers and the league when I was in bantam. It was always a league I wanted to play in and I remember watching (Carson) Beers play. Now I’m playing with him. It’s pretty crazy.”
The Okotoks barn was packed in Game 5 to watch the local club take a 3-2 series lead. Wells has been surprised by the turnout in the playoffs and is excited to see what the town has in store for the league finals, as the Oilers go for their first league title in franchise history.
“To be a part of the best Oilers team in my first year was pretty special but I don’t think we’re done yet,” said Wells. “We have a pretty good shot at this thing and I think we have the team to get it done.”
Standing in the Blackie product’s way are the Spruce Grove Saints, who finished as the No. 1 seed in the North.
The Saints clocked the Grande Prairie Storm 4-0 in the second round and rolled the Whitecourt Wolverines 4-0 in the North final.
Wells’ captain last year with the Bisons, Brett Trentham, is fourth on the Saints with three goals and eight points in eight playoff games, matching his exact numbers from the regular season, where he appeared in 46 games.
A former Wheatland Athletic Association bantam Warrior, Nolan Kent, guides the Saints between the pipes.
Playing in half the amount of regular season outings as he did the year before, Kent went 15-4-0 with a dazzling 1.52 goals against average and a .934 save percentage.
He’s been perfect in the playoffs too, going 8-0 with four shutouts and a 1.10 save percentage.
Wells and the Oilers are going to be in tough if they have dreams of hosting their first league title, but Wells thinks their lineup is constructed perfectly for a series like this.
“We are a really deep team,” said Wells. “We feel like we have four lines that can be effective in any zone on the ice and at any point in the game. That also helps because we wear the other team’s top two lines down quicker.”
The Oilers took the season series with the Saints 2-0, outscoring them 10-5. Game 1 goes April 13 with Game 2 going the following day, both at 7 p.m. in Okotoks.
The AJHL winner will advance to the Doyle Cup with the winner of the B.C. Hockey League, for the rights to advance to the RBC Cup later in May in Chilliwack, B.C.