Tulsa, OK (February 20, 2016)–The Tulsa Oilers battled in 64 minutes and 54 seconds of hockey on Saturday night against the Allen Americans. A Dan DeSalvo goal with six seconds left in overtime gave the Oilers a 5-4 win over the Americans.
The Oilers were outshot 6-15 in the first period of action but the Americans were outscored 1-0. Axel Blomqvist took a shot at Joel Rumple but was denied. The 6’7 Sweden native then captured his own rebound and worked the puck behind the net before he banked in his fifth goal as an Oiler off the pad of the Allen goaltender.
Tulsa took their first power play in two games six minutes into the second period on the Vincent Arseneau offense. A sling from Allen’s Gary Steffes found Justin Courtnall who would drive in a beautiful shorthanded goal on Kevin Carr. The tally was the second shorthanded goal scored on the Oilers this season.
After producing on an Oilers power play, the Americans would then capitalize on their own. With Justin Mansfield in the penalty box for hooking, Chad Costello found a spot over the stickside of Carr and gave his team the lead, 2-1.
The second half of the second frame would host three unanswered Oilers goals.
Strong teamwork from Phil Brewer, Blomqvist and Christophe Lalancette would knot things up. Lalancette was the beneficiary of a Blomqvist shot that was set up by Brewer.
A minute and half later Jordan Kremyr slid a pass to Ben Walker, freshly back in the Tulsa lineup, who went over the right side of Rumple and extended the Oilers lead 3-2 at the 13:33 mark.
The home team lead was doubled by defenseman Mansfield when he snuck around from behind Rumpel and shoved in the Oilers fourth goal. An assist from Blomqvist would ink his third point of the night and Brewer, his second.
Twenty seconds into the third period the Americans went back within one when David Makowski had success on a slap shot.
Top point producer in the ECHL, Costello, tied the contest at four.
Regulation would not decide the outcome, and it would appear that five minutes of overtime wouldn’t be enough either. Rookie forward and Oilers’ leader DeSalvo had other plans. With 11 points in the month of February, DeSalvo found his way on the score board with six seconds left on the overtime clock.
The Oilers win put them within three points of the Allen Americans in the ECHL standings.
Tomorrow night the dual continues against the Americans during a 4:05 matinee in the BOK Center.
Are you looking for some Tulsa fun? Do you want to spend your night in a state of the art facility? The Oilers and the Bank of Oklahoma (BOK) Center welcome you to their Tulsa Venue!
The Tulsa Oilers provide a unique entertainment experience right here in Green Country. In fact, the Tulsa Oilers are the only professional hockey team in the state of Oklahoma! From the quick pace to the fights, this team is sure to leave you ready for more. Make sure to join us tomorrow for our second game against the Allen Americans this weekend. You aren’t going to want to miss this spectacular night! Stick around after the game to skate on the ice with the Oilers during the final post-game skate of the regular season.
The Oilers have been a Tulsa tradition for decades. Have you heard someone refer to the Oilers as Ice Oilers? That’s because there was once a minor-league baseball team also called the Tulsa Oilers and to lessen confusion, the hockey team became the Ice Oilers, a trend that live on today. Hockey isn’t new to Tulsa. In fact, Tulsa’s first hockey team played their first game on January 1, 1929 and with the exception of a short relocation to Minnesota, the team stayed until World War II displaced the team, as it did with many other activities worldwide.
The ECHL season started in October and will run until April. Each team hosts 36 games, and the Oilers just happen to have 11 of those in February. We will get to see all the teams in the Central Division: Wichita, Missouri and Allen. The Oilers will also face Utah, South Carolina, Quad City, Evansville and Idaho. The February 23rd game will be your last chance to see the Oilers on home ice until March 18th so make sure you come get your hockey fix before they hit the road!
The Tulsa Oilers became a member team of the East Coast Hockey League for the first time starting with the 2014-2015 season. The ECHL was once a five team league, centered around the east coast, however the ECHL now boasts a 28 team league that is one of the two leagues affiliated with the National Hockey League. The ECHL is one tier below the American Hockey League. The Tulsa Oilers and the Manitoba Moose are affiliated with the Winnipeg Jets. This means that you have the chance to see players in Tulsa that have had the opportunity to play for one of our Canadian based affiliate teams. In addition to the fresh face, Jiri Fronk, the Oilers recently welcomed Jussi Olkinuora back to Tulsa. Olkinuora is one of our goaltenders who was called up to Manitoba early in the season. If you’re looking for things to do in Tulsa, make sure to stop by the BOK Center so you can catch these two in action while they are here, as well as all our players that could be called up in a moment’s notice.
You aren’t going to want to miss the game against Allen on Sunday, February 21. After the game you can head on down to the event level for a post game skate with the Tulsa Oilers. Feel free to have a few players take some snazzy photographs with you, or have them sign a keepsake. Skates are available to rent, however, they are in high demand so make sure you head down to the event level using the elevators outside of Section 109. The skates are available for $3 per pair on a first come, first served basis.
Looking for fun things to do in Tulsa with your friends, family, or coworkers? Look no further. The Tulsa Oilers provide quality entertainment at a price that won’t break the bank. The Oilers offer great prices to bring out a Groups, Birthday Parties and Premium Experiences you can’t find anywhere else in Oklahoma. WE have several customizable packages that can fit your needs at a price that will have you coming back for more. Call our office at (918) 632-7825 to learn how you can create an unforgettable night right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
