TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Tulsa Oilers vs Wichita Thunder – 7:05 p.m. BOK Center
Listen on Ustream (Rob Loeber)
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
5-1-1-1
TEAM CAPSULES
Tulsa Oilers
Overall: 15-11-2-2 (34 points)
Home: 8-6-2-1
Road: 7-5-0-1
Rank: 3rd in Central Division
Wichita Thunder
Overall: 9-20-1-4 (23 points)
Home: 5-8-1-3
Road: 4-12-0-1
Rank: 4th in Central Division
OILERS LEADERS
Goals: Adam Pleskach – 12
Assists: Dennis Brown – 15
Points: Adam Pleskach – 24
+/-: Dennis Brown +14
PIM: Mathieu Gagnon – 92
THUNDER LEADERS
Goals: Andrew Huff, Kenton Miller – 7
Assists: Joey Sides – 11
Points: Andrew Huff – 15
+/-: Michael Neal, +2
PIM: Erick Lizon – 38
TULSA VS. THUNDER ALL-TIME
Overall: 138-107-27
Home: 74-47-14
Road: 64-60-14
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
After a 2-1 win over the Thunder in a shootout last night, the Tulsa Oilers return home to the BOK Center in search for their sixth victory over their Central Division frenemies. Nathan Lutz would be the lone scorer for the Oilers in regulation last night. Brady Ramsay shared some blood. Each of the last four games between these two franchises has been determined in either overtime or a shootout. Will the tradition of more than 60 minutes continue tonight?
MINUTE MEN
The Oilers were able to work their way up the ECHL’s leading penalty minute record to third with 528 minutes on the season—109 from just one game. A week ago from today, January 2, Tulsa participated in a battle against the Rapid City Rush that resulted in a total of 216 penalty minutes (109 Oilers, 107 Rush). Of these Oiler minutes, seven were majors and six were game misconducts.
TIME OUT
As a result of Saturday’s scrap against the Rush, three Oilers skaters were suspended.
VIA ECHL
Forward Mathieu Gagnon:
Tulsa’s Mathieu Gagnon has been suspended for eight games – five games for leaving the players’ bench under Rules 70.3 /70.10 to begin an altercation at the conclusion of the game and an additional three games under Rule 28 – Supplemental Discipline for continuing an altercation at the conclusion of the game. He will miss Tulsa’s games vs. Missouri (Jan. 5), at Wichita (Jan. 8), vs. Wichita (Jan. 9), at Utah (Jan. 13), at Idaho (Jan. 15 and Jan. 16) and at Missouri (Jan. 22 and Jan. 23).
Goaltender Kevin Carr:
Tulsa’s Kevin Carr has been suspended for three games – two games for being the second player to leave the players’ bench to join an altercation under Rules 70.3/70.10 and one game for continuing an altercation at the conclusion of the game under Rule 28 – Supplemental Discipline. He will miss Tulsa’s games vs. Missouri (Jan. 5), at Wichita (Jan. 8) and vs. Wichita (Jan. 9).
Forward Emerson Clark:
Tulsa’s Emerson Clark has been suspended for one game for instigating a fight in the final five minutes of regulation. Clark was originally assessed a game misconduct for aggressor, but after review of the incident, he is deemed to be an instigator of an altercation. An instigator or aggressor in the last five minutes of a game is an automatic one game suspension under Rules 46.12/ 46.22. He will miss Tulsa’s game vs. Missouri on Jan. 5.
Emerson Clark returned to the lineup last night; Tonight will be Kevin Carr’s last game out for suspension; Mathieu Gagnon will remain out of the game for six more.
MOOSE ON THE MOVE
Last week, Tulsa Oilers defenseman, Aaron Harstad, was recalled to the Manitoba Moose—Oilers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. Harstad, signed to an American Hockey League contact with the Moose, produced six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in eight games with the Oilers. The Oilers’ first transaction of 2016, Harstad returns to the Moose having played in seven games the northern squad and racking up 12 penalty minutes.
EXTRA DROPS
Mathieu Gagnon’s individual game penalty minute high is 30…Tulsa is fourth with 26.80 shots-against per game… Kevin Carr ranks seventh in the ECHL with a 1.95 goals against average and second for penalty minutes at 1259…Tonight the Oilers will host Retro Jersey Night, first 1,000 fans at the door will receive Oilers pennants…
Looking for Activities in Tulsa?
Below is an Excerpt of a Tulsa Oilers Game
Jeff: Tulsa wins the drop. They reset their own end. Harstead gives it away to DeSalvo. Here comes DeSalvo through the center circle. DeSalvo’s still with it on the right side. It’s shot over the goal, off the boards in the near side. Now to the blue line. It’s kept in at the point by Harstead. Down low it goes. In the corner. Now it’s centering pass. Knocked away. Momentarily the Oilers get it again. DeSalvo has the stick knocked out of his hands again. Now it goes into the corner boards. We’re going to get a penalty this time against Wichita. It is going to be a slashing penalty this time as DeSalvo had his stick slashed out of his hands by the Wichita Thunder’s Eric Springer. Springer’s going to go to the penalty box 2 minutes for slashing. Tulsa will have its second power play opportunity of this first period. 2 minutes for slashing to Springer. The penalty coming at 14:04 of the period.
14:04 of the first period. 2 minutes for slashing on Springer … Haven’t heard the entire theme song from The Jeffersons TV show in years, but they’re playing it here in the arena. Apparently got somebody got to move on up their seats from one location to another, so they were playing the Moving on Up theme song from The Jeffersons TV show.
Face off. We’re coming to the right of the goaltender Shantz in the Wichita zone. Tulsa now with the power play. The Oilers with their second power play chance of this first period. See if they can do something with it here with a man advantage. Face off. Looks like it’s going to be Emerson Clark way down at the other end of the ice. Now it’s cleared up the rink all the way back here into the Tulsa zone. I say back here. My vantage point is in the corner at the end of the Oiler end of the ice right now. I was trying to think of too many things at the same time there. I’m right about above the goal line in the corner here, is my vantage point. Back come the Thunder with it. Over the blue line, into the Tulsa end. Centering pass, shot, save, rebound. Comes away. Wichita with a chance on the shorthanded end.
