The Okotoks Oilers have exceeded expectations so far this season as they head into the second half of the year as the top team in the AJHL.

Coach Tyler Deis says if you had told him in training camp they'd be number one at Christmas, he would have been skeptical.

"I think this might be a little bit more than what we were expecting as a group. We knew we were going to be competitive, and we'd do pretty well. But honestly I don't know if we would have thought we'd be on top right now."

The Oilers are back on the ice Friday, December 29 and Saturday, December 30 when they host the Drumheller Dragons and the Calgary Canucks.