(Photo by Kevin Pyle – www.photopyle.com)
An action-packed second period helped the Tulsa Oilers defeat the Quad City Mallards in front of a record crowd of 10,050, on Friday.
Despite each team only having one shot-on-goal during the first four minutes of the game, the game between the Tulsa Oilers and the Quad City Mallards was at full tilt from the start. Both teams realized how crucial the game was with only three points separating the 6th ranked Oilers from the 10th ranked Mallards.
Adam Pleskach would break the stalemate with 4:09 left in the first period when he scored his 17th goal of the season. Pleskach buried a wrist shot past goaltender Brody Hoffman after receiving a through pass from Dan DeSalvo. DeSalvo’s assist gives him a seven-game point streak and points in twelve straight home games.
The Oilers would jump out to a 2-0 lead when Jordyn Kremyr scored off the wing on a two-on-one. Kremyr’s goal came 9:41 into the second period and was his fourth of the season.
Tulsa would jump out to a 3-0 lead just 17 seconds later when Phil Brewer scored his 14th of the season. The rookie intercepted a pass in the defensive zone and went the full length of the ice before shooting the puck over Hoffman’s shoulder.
Quad City responded quickly with a goal 12:45 into the second period. Matt Carey roofed a wraparound-shot over Kevin Carr to give the forward his 12th on the year.
Capitalizing on the momentum, the Mallards would score again 14:21 in the second period. Kevin Henderson ripped a one-timer from the low-slot into the back of the net off of a feed from Carey. The goal was Henderson’s fifth this season.
Both goaltenders made great saves throughout the rest of the game and neither team was able to find the back of net again and the Oilers would prove victorious.
The Oilers’ win is their third straight and gives them a crucial two points in the ECHL standings. The Oilers will look to continue you their streak Saturday when they rematch the Mallards at the BOK center. Puck drop is at 7:05 p.m.
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Saturday night the BOK Center will see the Utah Grizzlies for the final time in the regular season. The puck drops at 7:05pm. What better way to end the day than by spending the evening at the BOK Center with the Tulsa Oilers? No need to stress looking for things to do in Tulsa. Our nights are jam packed with action and excitement sure to have you ready for more, and you’re in luck. The Oilers have four games between February 10th and the 14th. It’s not to late to get season tickets so you don’t miss an ounce of the Oilers love.
When you’re looking for things to do in Tulsa and you choose to come to an OIlers game your experience will go far beyond just a hockey game. Take this most recent roster move for example. There are two things to note. One, things are always changing and it’s exciting. Each time you come back to a game you are going to have your favorite players to cheer for but you’re also going to get new ones from time to time. This is exciting because then you get to increase your fandom of others. Also, you get to watch the players that you do invest in cheering for do well at the next level. Axel has been to Tulsa once this season from the American Hockey League. He is at what would be equivalent to Triple AAA. These guy have greater chances of making it to the National Hockey League and some day you will be able to watch them on TV from Tulsa someday. Pretty neat. The second thing, Sweden! Not only are you getting to watch talented players participate in an exciting and fast paced game, but also see players from all over the world! These guys come from all countries to be part of the National organization that the Tulsa Oilers are affiliated to within the Winnipeg Jets organization of the National Hockey League.
These affiliations are not only good for the players that are “owned” by the big league club, but also for the players that are getting to skate, play with and learn from these other guys. When you are looking for things to do in Tulsa and you come to an Oilers game it’s not just hockey you’re watching. These are peoples’ jobs as well. It’s a business. The business of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) is ran differently than the business of the American Hockey League and that of the National Hockey League but they are all three very close intertwined–especially when you are dealing with affiliates such as Tulsa, Manitoba and Winnipeg’s.
Kevin Carr is eighth with a 2.13 goals against average and third in minutes (1888), he has fluctuated throughout the season in the ECHL’s top 10 goaltenders. …Among rookies in the ECHL, Dan DeSalvo is fourth in scoring with 35 points, third in assist with 24 and tied for first in plus/minus with +18… Phil Brewer is tied for first in rookie shootout goals with two… Oilers are fourth in shots against, averaging 27.43…Tonight is the Oilers 8th Annual Pink in the Rink night presented by TD Williamson benefiting Turn Tulsa Pink…Afterwards there will be a jersey auction in the ONEOK Club.
The Oilers and Grizzlies are back in the BOK Center again after Thursday night’s showdown where Utah skated away with the two points. The season series between the two sits 1-2-0-0.
Tulsa had some time to rest but the Grizzlies played in Allen, Texas last night and were shutout 2-0 by the Americans.
Utah is currently ranked third in the Western Conference–first in the West Division–with 56 points. The Oilers remain third in the Central Division with 46 points.
After all of that, the series weekend ended. Each team would take a win. And each team would that the win 3-1. The Oilers defeated the Grizzlies on Saturday night at the BOK Center. Not only was is the absolutely thing to do to the night, but it was a meaningful game and event to many as it was sponsored by TD Williamson Benefiiting Turn Tulsa Pink. The organization does much work with several other charities in the Tulsa area.
Defenseman Joe Sova scored his first goal of the season with the Tulsa Oilers since his trade from Kalamazoo earlier this year. The coolest part? Sova’s first goal was on Pink in the Rink night–a night very special to him as he was diagnosed with cancer at the young age of 8 years old. He was able to overcome that huge trial and hockey played a role in it says Sova. It was a goal unique to others in the BOK Center last night when the Tulsa Oilers took down the Utah Grizzlies on home ice.
Strangely enough, newly aquired Riley Armstrong used to play with the Utah Grizzlies himself. He wore the “C” for a season in West Valley City, Utah under the direction of Kevin Colley. If his trade would have come a few days prior,e he would have been able to be apart of the defeat of them and now head coach Tim B. Luckily, he escaped the travel. Armstrong comes to the Oilers as a forward with AHL and a couple games of NHL experience.
