The Okotoks Oilers have faced just about everything in the first half of the 2016-17 AJHL season but with a 23-8-6 record at the Christmas break they've lived up to their early expectations.

After the coaching regime of James Poole ended in the summer the team went in a new direction in hiring Tyler Deis and early on the team showed it's poise and experience went 6-1 in September.

But a tumultuous October and extended road trips that lasted over a month and against strong North Division teams like Whitecourt, Fort McMurray, Spruce Grove and Bonnyville had the Oilers chasing the Brooks Bandits and the Calgary Canucks for the last two months.

Fast forward to the first 36 games in the books and the Oilers have made their way up to second place in the South Division and within striking distance of the first place Bandits.

Oilers Captain Jordie Lawson says they've got all the right tools and chemistry to have a shot at a long playoff run with the defending league champions in their way.

"We just need everyone to buy in and actually believe that we can win and if we do that I think we are a very good team that I believe can win the South it will be tough because Brooks is a good team but we've beat them and I think we can do it."

The Oilers have beaten the Bandits twice this season and have a chance to split the season series February 17 at home.

The friendly confines of Pason Centennial Arena have the Oilers with the second best record in the league at 12-2-1 and with 15 of their 24 games at home the door is open to make charge at the top of the division.

Lawson says the moment where he saw his club's full potential to take a good shot at winning the team's first ever league title.

"I thought when we beat Bonnyville last weekend that was a big character win for us," he says. "We were down in the last period and they're really good defensively and coming back and beating them in overtime they're a good team it showed a lot of heart for us."

To sum up the final season of Lawson's junior career he says it's been a process that will hopefully lead to greater things in March & April.

"Off the start we were a little bit inconsistent we talked about that as a group that we have to treat every team like we're playing Brooks if we want to be a top team and we kind of made it our goal that we want to catch Brooks in the standings and hopefully by the end we'll be there and then give ourselves the best chance to win."

The Oilers return to action at home to the Drumheller Dragons, the only team they haven't played this season in a home at home series on January 3.