The Virden Oil Capitals opened their 2026-27 home schedule in exciting fashion Saturday night, battling back to earn a 5-4 shootout victory over the Waywayseecappo Wolverines at Tundra Oil & Gas Place.
The Wolverines opened the scoring just under eight minutes into the first period, but the Oil Capitals answered at 13:07 when Ulmer scored his first of the season, with Pitz and Siemens picking up the assists. The teams headed into the first intermission tied 1-1.
Waywayseecappo took control in the second period, scoring twice to build a 3-1 advantage. Virden refused to go away, however, and Mickelson cut the deficit to one with a shorthanded goal at 18:25. Bonin and Getzlaff assisted on Mickelson’s first of the season, sending the Oil Caps into the second intermission trailing 3-2.
At 9:40, Getzlaff scored his second of the season while Virden was shorthanded, with Mickelson drawing the assist, to tie the game 3-3. Just 1:31 later, Draper found the back of the net to give the Oil Capitals their first lead of the night at 4-3.
Waywayseecappo answered late, scoring on the power play with 1:23 remaining in regulation to tie the game at four and force overtime.
Neither team could find the winner during the extra frame, setting the stage for a shootout.
After Getzlaff was stopped on Virden’s first attempt, Mickelson came through with the lone goal of the shootout. Oil Capitals goaltender Micky Gross did the rest, stopping all three Waywayseecappo shooters to secure the 5-4 Oil Capitals victory and send the home-opening crowd home happy.
Gross finished the night with 29 saves on 33 shots, while the Oil Capitals put 31 shots on the Waywayseecappo net.
It was a night that featured plenty of resilience from the Oil Caps, who battled back from a two-goal deficit, scored two shorthanded goals, and found a way to finish the job in the shootout.
