(Photo by Kevin Pyle – www.photopyle.com)
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS
Wednesday, Feb. 10 – vs South Carolina Stingrays (W-OT 2-1)
Friday, Feb. 12 – vs Quad City Mallards, 7:05 p.m (W 3-2)
Saturday, Feb. 13 – vs Quad City Mallards, 7:05 p.m (L-OT 4-3)
Sunday, Feb. 14 – vs Wichita Thunder, 4:05 p.m (W-OT 2-1)
THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Tuesday, Feb. 16 – @ Missouri Mavericks, 7:05 p.m
Friday, Feb. 19 – vs Evansville Icemen, 7:05 p.m
Saturday, Feb. 20 – vs Allen Americans, 7:05 p.m
Sunday, Feb. 21 – vs Allen Americans, 4:05 p.m
TEAM CAPSULE
Overall: 25-17-3-2 (55 points)
Home: 16-7-3-1
Road: 9-10-0-1
Rank: 3rd in Central Division
TEAM LEADERS
Goals: Adam Pleskach – 18
Assists: Dan DeSalvo – 30
Points: Dan DeSalvo – 42
+/-: Dan DeSalvo +21
PIM: Mathieu Gagnon – 111
WEEK IN REVIEW
The Oilers spent their week in the BOK Center as they hosted the South Carolina Stingrays, Quad City Mallards and Wichita Thunder. Capturing seven of a possible eight points, Tulsa was victorious in three of their four contests as their only loss was in overtime to the Mallards on Saturday night. Three of four games went past 60 minutes and were determined in an overtime situation.
Wednesday, the Oilers welcomed the Stingrays to Tulsa for the first time in club history when the two played in their only matchup of the season. A game winner in overtime by Connor Kucera sealed the 2-1 win.
To kick off a triple header weekend, the Oilers took the first game against the Mallards on Friday when goals by Adam Pleskach, Jordan Kremyr and Phil Brewer gave Tulsa a loaded 3-0 lead. Quad City would respond with two unanswered goals but a strong Oilers defense would keep them from more.
Saturday the favor was given to Quad City. In their second of three overtime-packed contests this weekend, the Oilers’ two goal lead wouldn’t be enough to stop two Matt Carey and two Raphael Bussieres goals. Although a 4-3 overtime loss, Tulsa would still capture a point.
The Sunday finale between the Oilers and the Wichita Thunder was another overtime nail biter. An Adam Pleskach goal and Axel Blomqvist game-winner sealed two more points for Tulsa to put them at 55.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Oilers will skate in another four games this week with one on the road in Independence, Missouri and the rest at home inside the BOK Center. Tulsa will see the Missouri Mavericks, Evansville Icemen and Allen Americans.
Tomorrow, the Oilers head to Mavericks territory to face the team that only they seem to be able to beat. Having only lost twice on home ice, once being to the Oilers, the Mavs are leading the ECHL with 79 points.
Friday night ice is back in the BOK when Evansville comes to town for their only game in Tulsa of the four-game season series between the two. The meeting between the clubs will be the first of the season. Evansville sits 12th in the Western Conference with a 18-23-5-1 record.
Saturday and Sunday Central Division rivals meet up when the Allen Americans come to Tulsa. The Oilers and Americans have gone head to head 11 times this season—Tulsa owning six victories. The Oilers are 4-2-0 at home against Allen.
STREAKING
After a 14-point month in January, Dan DeSalvo is on a hot streak—a nine game point streak as well (01/30->…). The rookie out of Bowling Green State University has produced eight points in the first seven games of February. The 23 year-old has 42 points in 45 games with the Oilers this season. DeSalvo is third among rookies in points (42) and third in assists (30). The forward leads the rookies in the ECHL with a plus-minus of 20.
GIFTED A GOALIE
Friday, the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League re-assigned goaltender Jussi Olkinuora to the Oilers. Olkinuora played a total of 222 minutes in Manitoba for a 5.13 goals against average. The 25 year-old from Helsinki, Finland began the 2015-16 campaign in Tulsa where he was between the pipes for seven games and earned a record of 2-3-2 with a 2.80 goals against average.
Last night, Olkinoura was back in net for the Oilers and registered a win in overtime stopping 25 Wichita Thunder shots.
A CALL-UP FOR CLARK
The Tulsa Oilers announced Friday that forward Emerson Clark has been loaned to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League. Clark, 23, began the 2015-16 campaign with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits before being traded to the Tulsa Oilers after nine games, five points and 25 penalty minutes. Since his time in Tulsa, the Whitby, Ontario native has suited up for 32 contests and has registered 26 points (15 goals and 11 assists) and 96 penalty minutes. The forward led the Oilers in goals at 18.
Clark has played in two games with the Wolves since the call-up and has already earned himself a fight, 11 penalty minutes and a goal against the Manitoba Moose.
RED HOT AT HOME
The Oilers power play may be 25th in the ECHL on the road, but at home they rank 5th. Saturday, the Oilers went 3-3 on the power play.
EXTRA DROPS
Kevin Carr is 6th among ECHL goaltenders with a 2.11 goals against average and third in minutes (2131)… Phil Brewer is tied for first in rookie shootout goals with two… Dennis Brown is 7th among defensemen with 29 points and 4th in assists with 24… Oilers are fourth in shots against averaging 27.79…
-#GOilers-
An older excerpt of Oiler-ness:
You don’t even have to worry about feeding the kids. Swing by the house or daycare after work and load them up! The doors open at 6, so you have plenty of time to get in and grab a hot dog for everyone before the puck drops at 7:05. We get to welcome Jimmy Lodge to Tulsa, send the Missouri Mavericks home with a broken heart, maybe even a few broken sticks, and watch the game while enjoy a dollar dog! What other thing to do in Tulsa is a great a deal as that?
Thirsty? There’s more! Of course you have to come back for Thirsty Thursday! If you have a student ID, you have no reason not to be here. You can always retake a class, but getting to see the Oilers take on the Utah Grizzlies, that doesn’t happen every day. The Grizzles are a bit timid in Tulsa, where they will only make three regular season appearances this year. Did we mention there is a deal where you can not only get into the game, but also get a slice of pizza for only $12. Hello, what college student doesn’t love pizza! Pair that with a dollar beer and you’ve got a great night out with friends. Even if you aren’t in college, a beer for only a dollar, now that’s a thing to do in Tulsa. Nothing goes together quite like a cold one and a nice, even if the players aren’t always on their best behavior, hockey game. This is your last chance to pair these two together during the regular season, so you really don’t want to miss it. The Oilers will then travel to West Valley City, Utah for their second time in East Coast Hockey League franchise history. This season the Oilers have headed out west once to play the Grizz in the Maverick Center and then up north to Boise, Idaho (National Hockey League Dallas Stars ECHL affiliate) to play the Idaho Steelheads in Century Link arena. Don’t miss these match ups!
