AMERICANS OUTLAST OILERS IN GOALTENDERS’ DUEL
Jake Paterson and Olle Eriksson Ek stopped a combined 79 shots in a 2-1 overtime victory for the Americans.
TULSA, OK — It was the goaltenders that stole the show at the BOK Center on Sunday, with the Allen Americans winning the week’s rubber match 2-1 in overtime.
Head Coach Rob Murray’s former ward Olivier Archambault scored his 17th of the season to open the scoring with just 1:58 remaining in a back-and-forth opening frame. Olle Eriksson Ek stopped Stepan Falkovsky’s initial shot and stopped Spencer Asuchak before Archambault crammed the puck into the back of the cage. Both teams ended the active period with 16 shots each.
Tulsa answered the bell 4:55 into the second period to tie the game 1-1. Jared Thomas and J.J. Piccinich passed back-and-forth as they entered the American’s zone, creating a channel for former Allen American Miles Liberati to sneak in and complete the tic-tac-toe play for his 10th of the season. Liberati’s tally was the only in a period that saw Tulsa outshoot Allen 17-5.
Both goaltenders stood on their heads in the final frame, stopping a combined 26 shots, Jake Paterson turned aside 15 and Eriksson Ek saved 11.
Overtime played out the way the season’s statistics would suggest. Coming into the night, Allen led the league with nine overtime wins, while the Oilers had won just one game in the three-on-three battle. Josh Lammon blew down the right-wing wall before cutting in front of Eriksson Ek and sliding the puck through the five hole, giving the Americans their 10th overtime win just 1:09 into the extra frame.
Tulsa heads to Rapid City, SD to face the Rush in three huge games at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, taking place on Feb. 28, 29 and March 1. The Oilers sit just one point behind the Rush, who reside in the fourth-and-final playoff spot in the Mountain Division.
