(Photo by Steve Conner)
The Oilers fell in a one-goal game to the Idaho Steelheads on Friday night at Century Link Arena. The Steelheads, sporting their Jayden DeLuca Foundations jerseys, defeated Tulsa 2-1. Kevin Carr would stop 28 shots and rookie forward Dan DeSalvo tallied his fifth point in three games with his fifteenth assist of the season.
In the right place at the right time, Andre Bouvet-Morrissette tapped in the rebound off of Carr’s skate and gave Idaho a one goal lead 9:12 into the first period. Tulsa’s response time would come roughly four minutes later. Emerson Clark, his twelfth of the season, worked the angle and shoved one in past Jack Campbell to put his team on the board, 1-1.
The Steelheads scored the solitary goal of period two. In recovery from a 360 spin due to collision with Taylor Peters, Carr was beat to the net and Rob Linsmayer would score. In the meantime, one would find Captain Nathan Lutz in the corner getting physical with Peters in defense of his netminder.
The final frame got heated when Emil Molin and Aaron Harstad each threw a few punches and accepted double major punishment. Both goaltenders, Carr and Campbell, performed stellar to polish off the final 20 minutes—neither allowed goals.
The Oilers would have to settle on the series at 1-2-0-0, at least for tonight. A chance for revenge comes tomorrow when Tulsa returns to Century Link Arena to battle out round four with the Steelheads at 7:10 CST.
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Below is an Excerpt from a Tulsa Oilers Game
Jeff: Back with you here in Wichita, with Tulsa Oilers hockey. As the Oilers get set to take on the Wichita Thunder here tonight at the Intrust Bank Arena. It’s my first time in this arena. Beautiful arena here in Wichita. Nice new building that they’ve built downtown. Different from obviously the old Kansas Coliseum, which was north of town. That was a lot older building and smaller. This is just a beautiful arena here in Wichita now. The starting lineups for tonight’s game. For Wichita, starting on defense is going to be Dan Milan along with … Well, where’s the other defense men. They’ve got. Excuse me. Dan Milan along with Dalton Reum starting on defense. The forwards across the front line are going to be Andy Huff, Kent Miller and Dannick Gottier. Then starting goaltender tonight for Wichita will be David Shantz. David Shantz in goal tonight. He has a record of 5 and 11, 0 and 1, a 3.09 goals against average and a save percentage 89.4 save percentage.
For the Tulsa Oilers, starting on defense for the Oilers. Matt Konan and Joe Sova on the defensive end. Then at the front line will be Axel Bloomquid, Christophe Lalancette and Adam Pleskach. Will be the starting forwards in goal tonight for the Tulsa Oilers once again is Kevin Carr. Kevin Carr in goal. His record, 10-7, 1 and 0, a 1.95 goals against average, 91.9 save percentage. Some great stats for Kevin Carr. It’s no wonder why he has been the stallwart in goal for the Tulsa Oilers over the last few weeks, especially with UC Okinora up in Manitoba playing with a moose right now. Carr getting the start.
Here we go with tonight’s face off at center ice. Both teams just about ready to go and this one here. As the Oilers get set to take on the Wichita Thunder. The Thunder have the puck in their own zone following the face off at center ice. They set it up, the ice, into the corner boards. It’s going to be a quick icing call against Wichita as we get things started here in this one tonight. Face off took all the way back into the Wichita end. Wichita wearing their home white uniforms with blue and black trim, blue numbers. Tulsa in their navy blue with the maroon trim. Face off to the left of the goal tender, Shantz in the Wichita zone. It goes behind and around to the nearest side picked up by Andrew Huff. Huff sends it up to the right wing to the near side. Ahead for teammate Gottier. Now sending to Tulsa zone on the corner in the near boards.
Right down below our broadcast vantage point. We’re actually on a corner of the arena here. Now they’ve set it across to the right wing. Oilers comes back with it. Axel Bloomquist takes it into the Wichita zone. The puck goes behind the goal and around to the near side. Bloomquist skates after it there. It gets slapped away to the blue line. Back come the Thunder with the puck. Over the blue line. A slap into the Tulsa zone. They’ll leave it there. Now the Oilers go back to recover. Getting it for Tulsa will be Matt Konan. He’ll be our first intermission guest tonight. Conversation with Matt Konana. Very interesting young man out of California.
Tulsa with the puck. On it is brewer. Phil Brewer sends it up on the left wing all the way into the Wichita zone. No icing. They go behind the goal to get the puck. Cleared off the board to the near side. Kept in there momentarily. Now the Thunder will turn it around in their own zone. Set it up in the left wing. Over on the left side for Nelson. Nelson slaps it into the Tulsa zone behind the goal and center around to the near side. Coming in to help out on the near side for Wichita was Lowe. Ian Lowe. Off the boards. Now the Oilers clear it out. Here comes Tulsa with it. It’s DeSalvo. He sends it into the Wichita zone, goes to the bench for a line change. Entire line change for the Oilers. All 5 players going off the ice.
Now the Thunder come back into the Tulsa zone with the puck as Sides. Joey Sides into the corner. He gets bumped there. Tulsa recovers the puck. Nathan Lutz sends it over on the left wing. Out comes the Oilers’ Nugent. Brian Nugent sends it over to the Wichita zone. Slapped off the boards. Not out. Kept off the boards to the right side and back into the corner. Couple of players push at it. Trying to get the puck free along the boards. It comes out to the point, but the Thunder recover the puck there and bring it up the ice. Along the left wing into the Tulsa zone is Neal. Now down low and around the near boards, they keep the puck in low. Do the Thunder. Coming over for Tulsa’s Brady Ramsey. Ramsey breaks up the play momentarily. Now the Oilers do get it away, and an ice clearing out of the zone by Nugent will send it ahead for the Oilers back into the Wichita zone.
