For the second night in a row neither squad would win in regulation, but the Oilers would finish with the win 3-2 in a shootout. Tulsa and Wichita both came away with three points in the standings over the last two nights.
Wichita carried over momentum from their Friday night victory when Dean Chelios scored from the middle of the circles after great team passing by the Thunder’s Ian Lowe and Logan Nelson. The goal came 16:48 into the first period.
Adam Pleskach of the Oilers was determined to not the let the game get away and sniped a wrist shot from the high slot less than a minute after Wichita’s first strike. Aaron Harstad and Christophe Lalancette were credited with the helpers on Pleskach’s sixth tally on the year.
After a scoreless second period, Dan Desalvo found the back of the net on a backhand shot after a beautiful dangle in front of the net. Desalvo’s goal gave the Oilers the lead just 3:47 into the third period and was his sixth on the season.
However, the Thunder’s Kenton Miller scored top-shelf off the faceoff with only 1:44 remaining in the game. The goal was Miller’s sixth of the season, and was the second time a team had scored in the final two minutes to force overtime in this back-to-back series.
The ECHL’s new three-on-three format gave the fans plenty of action, but failed to give either team a deciding goal as both goaltenders made several solid saves to force the game into a shootout.
Phil Brewer gave Tulsa the lead in the shootout on the first shot, and goaltender Kevin Carr stood tall for all three frames to crown Tulsa the winners.
The three stars of the game were Dan Desalvo, Kenton Miller and Kevin Carr, respectively.
Tulsa is now 11-10-2-1 with 25 points this season. The Oilers are currently third in the Central Division and rank 10th in the Western Conference.
The Oilers won’t play at home again until January 5, 2016, but travel to Allen this Monday to play their Central Division foe, the Allen Americans.
Looking for things to do in Tulsa?
Below is an Excerpt for a Tulsa Oilers Game
Jeff: All righty. We’re back with you here at the Intrust Bank Arena here in Wichita, Kansas … they got a Dunkin’ Donuts minute of madness. They got Dunkin’ Donuts in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I wish we had Tim Horton’s. We’ve got local franchises. We have the Krispy Kreme. There’s one Krispy Kreme. I’m not a big fan of that. I’m a Tim Horton’s and a Dunkin’ Donuts fan. Face off at center ice underway here in the third period of play. Tied at 1. The puck goes into the Tulsa zone. Now along the boards of the near side. In the corner, Miller with it for Wichita sends it out to the point. He plays it back out to the corner. Puck is in the Tulsa end. Both teams at full strength here in this third period of play tied at 1. As we’re just underway with the third period of action. Miller again for Gottier in the corner boards.
Gottier on the right boards sends it cross ice to the far side. Pleskach gets it for Tulsa. Flips it into the air. Glove down by Sova and cleared in the neutral zone. Here comes Axel Bloomquist with it. Bloomquist takes it into the corner. He gets bumped there on the way in. The puck comes free around the boards behind the goal to the near side. Now out to the neutral zone, Wichita still with it. They send it into the Tulsa end to the corner. Brown gets it for the Oilers. Brown gave it up in front of the goal there. Dangerous play. Harstead has to recover it for Tulsa. Now they lose it again. Wichita with it in the Tulsa end. Wichita doing a good job before checking here in the Tulsa zone. They go behind the goal with it. Try to center a pass off the stick of Nelson, but it doesn’t go in front of the goal. Brewer now fighting for it along the boards behind the net. Nelson comes over and picks up the loose puck. Looks like one of the Oilers lost his stick. Who is that? Harstead’s lost his stick.
A shot on goal. Saved by Carr. Harstead plays it with his hand. Stopped by the Thunder. Now Carr gets pulled down. No call by the referee. He watched the whole thing. Carr is complaining. He gets back up. Wichita still with the puck, sent toward the net. It goes behind the goal. Now to the side of the goal. Carr sticks it away. Wichita doing a good job of putting pressure on the Oilers here in this third period as they come out of the box just running in this third period. Here’s a shot up the slot by Baptista. It went off the leg of one of the Oiler players. Harstead is recovered his stick. He clears it out of the neutral zone. Brought back in by the Thunder momentarily. Knocked away again. Back and forth it goes over and in and out over the blue line. Now into the Tulsa end. Harstead bumped into the board. Fans react to that as Lizon gives Harstead a check. Nothing major, however. Fans just like it.
Here’s a shot up high off the stick at Neal. A glove save by Carr. He’ll hold on and we’ll get a face off in the Tulsa zone on a stoppage of play with 17:31 left to go in this third period. All tied at one here in this one tonight, folks. We’ll see what happens this third period. Could get interesting. I got a couple of weaknesses. Number 1, popcorn. Number 2, donuts. I try not to eat too many donuts, though. That’s not good for me at my age. You just gain weight. At a certain point, you can’t ea donuts like you used to. Face off in the Tulsa zone. Goes behind the goal around to the near side. Not out. Kept in there. Now the Oilers recover. Wong sends it around to Lutz. He clears it out of the zone in the neutral ice.
