(Photo by Kevin Pyle – www.photopyle.com)
Eagles 4-3 Win Completes Sweep Over Oilers
Tulsa, OK (March 30, 2016)–Despite a third period comeback effort from the Oilers, Tulsa could not stop Darryl Bootland and the Colorado Eagles from capturing a 4-3 victory in the BOK Center. The Eagles swept the Oilers in the two-game series in Tulsa.
The first period of hockey included 21 shots, 20 penalty minutes, a tornado warning and no score. Oilers defenseman Tom Kroshus took one for his boys when he dropped the gloves against Colorado enforcer Gliffen Nyren.
In familiar fashion to last night’s contest, Nathan Lutz put the first Oilers goal on the board. New to Tulsa’s roster, Ben Murphy and Shawn Bates were credited with assists.
One minute and 25 seconds later the Eagles responded. Kevin Carr stopped a big Colorado shot but Kyle Ostrow’s rebound goal ended the Oilers lead. Minutes later at the 9:55 mark, the Eagles took a lead of their own. Tyler Fiddler made an unassisted move past Carr to adjust the score, 2-1.
Just before the second period came to an end (19:09), Curt Gogol tallied his sixth of the season on an open Carr. Without an Oilers defender in sight, the Eagles upped their lead 3-1 with assists from Sean Ringrose and Channing Boe.
In a final and desperate period for Tulsa, Phil Brewer set up a screen for Bates to land his third goal in four games. The Bates power play netter 9:24 into period put the Oilers within one at 3-2.
Bates played his role again two minutes later as the Merrimack College product slid a pass to a perfectly waiting Roberts Lipsbergs to tie the contest 3-3.
The Oilers did not need much time to gain at least one point if headed into overtime. The Eagles would not allow it. Bootland made the heroic goal for his squad and the game ended.
Although the Oilers did not gain points in their last two contests, Quad City’s loss tonight keeps Tulsa within three.
The Oilers will head to Quad City to face the team standing in their way of a playoff position on Friday night.
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TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Tulsa Oilers VS Colorado Eagles 7:05 p.m.
Watch on ECHL-TV
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
0-2-0-0
TEAM CAPSULES
Tulsa Oilers
Overall: 32-27-3-2 (69 points)
Home: 21-8-3-1
Road: 11-19-0-1
Rank: 3rd in Central Division
Colorado Eagles
Overall: 35-26-3-1 (74 points)
Home: 22-8-3-1
Road: 13-18-0-0
Rank: 3rd in West Division
OILERS LEADERS
Goals: Phil Brewer – 23
Assists: Dennis Brown – 28
Points: Adam Pleskach – 43
+/-: Dennis Brown +14
PIM: Mathieu Gagnon – 149
EAGLES LEADERS
Goals: Jesse Mychan – 27
Assists: Trent Daavettila – 48
Points: Trent Daavettila – 71
+/-: Trent Daavettila, +25
PIM: Darryl Bootland – 236
TONIGHTS MATCHUP
Tonight and tomorrow the Oilers will host the Colorado Eagles who are just five points ahead of them in the Western Conference standings. This is Colorado’s first visit to the BOK Center. The two teams got together earlier in November in Colorado when the Eagles swept the Oilers in what was back to back losses for Tulsa.
ROAD TO KELLY
The Tulsa Oilers are ninth in the Western Conference Standings—just one spot out of the final playoff position. Tulsa will look to increase their 69 points this week as they have an opportunity for an extra eight. If the Oilers won all four of their games this week and a selected few teams lost, Tulsa could easily jump multiple slots in the standings. Even a few wins for the Oilers could change things.
FRESH FACES
This past weekend the Tulsa Oilers announced four fresh faces to their roster. Although they’re new to Tulsa, not all will be complete strangers to the team. Both forward newcomers Shawn Bates and Ben Murphy have been on the same side as a few Oilers in college. Bates, out of Merrimack College, scored his first goal as an Oiler in his first game with them on Friday against the Grizzlies. Then his second on Saturday. He and Oilers defenseman Justin Mansfield spent time as teammates. Murphy comes to Tulsa after time at Bowling Green State University with Oilers Connor Kucera and Dan DeSalvo.
The third was announced on Saturday. Roberts Lipsbergs out of Riga, Latvia was picked up by the Oilers off of waiver claims. The forward spent 37 games with the Utah Grizzlies this season registering 16 points (9 goals and 7 assists). Last night Jacob Poe was picked up from the Allen Americans roster. Out of University of Connecticut, defenseman Poe skated in 34 contests with the Americans and inked 4 points alongside 15 penalty minutes.
POWER HOUSE
When in the BOK Center, the Oilers bring it. In their own home, the Oilers are second in the ECHL on the power play. Tulsa may be in last place on the road with the man advantage but at home they have 21.1% just behind the Fort Wayne Komets. They have 19 total power play goals on 90 attempts in 33 games.
MOOSE MOVES
The Moose still have Oilers’ leading goal scorer, Dan DeSalvo, on loan. DeSalvo, on a contact with Tulsa, made his AHL debut with the Moose where he produced an assist. In his second game, DeSlavo tallied his first AHL goal against the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday, March 11. In eight games, the forward has five points. Yesterday, the Manitoba Moose recalled goaltender Jussi Olkinuora after six impressive and consecutive starts with the Oilers.
EXTRA DROPS
The Oilers are sixth in the ECHL in shots against with a 27.91 percentage… Kevin Carr is tenth among goaltenders with a 2.26 goals against average and third in minutes with 2498… Phil Brewer is tied at third among rookies with 23 goals… Tulsa leads in team high penalty minutes with 109 on 01/02/16…
The Oilers, although continually losing, are still lucky to have the Mallards losing as well. Quad City lost two night in a row as did the Oilers once to the Thunder and nother to Missouri. Which team will break their losing streak? One has to and we will find out Friday night in Quad City.
Whoever takes the 8th seed in the kelly cup playoffs will have their hands full with the Missouri Mavericks. The Oilers have proven time and time again they can defeat the best team in the ECHL. Quad Cty proved tonight, they might not.
