On Monday, Horn Chen , former Central Hockey League (CHL) and Tulsa Oilers owner, passed away at the age of 83.
Alongside funding league operations and owning the original six franchises (Tulsa Oilers, Oklahoma City Blazers, Thunder, Memphis RiverKings, Fort Worth Fire, and Dallas Freeze), Chen played a critical role in the growth of professional hockey in the southern states. The Chicago businessman later went on to purchase three more CHL teams and two ECHL franchises.
Hockey was not the only cuisine of Chen’s as he also owned many other minor pro sports teams from minor league baseball to arena football, including minority owner of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.
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13:10 remaining here in the first period. The Americans with a 1-0 lead here in the early goings of this one, already a goal by the Allen Americans. Our thanks to Rebecca back in the Oiler office, first shorthanded goal allowed by the Oilers this season. There you have it.
Oilers get the puck in their own zone, send it up on the right wing, knocked away. Back into the Tulsa end goes Sova. Cross-rink pass to the far side, pass broken up in the middle, they give it to King. Now, over on the left wing, the Americans with it in the Tulsa zone. In the corner boards, they poke at it, now broken up by the Oilers, and brought out by Pleskach.
Pleskach with it, he has it stolen away as he was bumped into the boards on the nearside. Tulsa recovering in their own end.
Sova sends it over on the left wing. Over the blue line comes Blomqvist with it. Blomqvist into the boards, into the corner with a man. Now, Pleskach with a shot toward the goal, went wide. Around to the far side, at the point, a shot, deflected off a defenseman’s stick, still in the Americans’ zone. Oilers are going to go for a line change as the Americans reset behind the goal.
They still hold the puck behind the net. Now the Americans will bring it out. Behind the goal is Roy, Eric Roy with it, gets it off the glass on the near side in the neutral zone. Slapped away by Tulsa’s Lalancette. Now we’ve got an offside as it went in and out over the blue line with one of the Americans ahead of the play.
We’ll have a face-off in the neutral ice, just outside the Tulsa zone. 11:41 remaining, 1st period of play, 1-0 Allen with the lead.
Oilers get the puck, Lutz with it in his own zone. Nathan Lutz sends it ahead into the Americans’ zone, slapped away there by Descoteaux. Now, all the way back into the Tulsa zone. After it is Brisebois. He sends it around behind the goal to the far side. The Americans keep it in, send it around to the near side. Descoteaux, at the point, keeps it in at the blue line.
Down low in the corner, now cross-rink pass to the right point there for Federico. With it for the Americans … They try to put it down low to Stevenson. Stevenson now gets it in the corner. Oilers trying to break up the play, here’s a shot in front, Kevin Carr with the save, the rebound goes behind the goal. Oilers recover, flip it in the air to the neutral zone.
Descoteaux gets it in his own end for Allen. Now he leaves it for a teammate, both teams making a line change. Blomqvist in there to watch the defenseman as they reset the play. Now, they give it to Steffes on the left wing, cross-rink pass to the far side, Parker. He goes into the corner, as he takes a shot on goal, Carr makes a save, and he’ll hang on for a face-off.
10:29 remaining in this 1st period. 1-0, Allen with the lead over the Oilers so far in this one.
Kevin Carr has started in each of the Oilers’ last 12 games. He’s been doing a fine job in goal for the Oilers this season with a record of 9-7-1-0, and a 2.01 goals against average.
Oilers win the draw in their own end. They bring it up the ice on the right side, into the corner, and now into the Americans’ zone. On the near side, DeSalvo sends it toward the goal, deflected away to the far boards, kept in there by Ramsay. Brad Ramsay … Brady Ramsay, excuse me.
Now, shot toward the goal, went off the side of the net by Gagnon out to the point. Sent toward the goal, tipped in front, save by Gill and he’ll hang on. Nice play by the Oilers’ Brandon Wong to get a stick on that, tipped it up, but Gill was able to stop it.
9:56 left to play, 1st period. Face-off to the right of the goaltender in the Americans’ zone. DeSalvo on the draw against Schultz. The Americans win it to the near side, cleared off the boards, and into the neutral zone.
After it for the Oilers is Harstad. Aaron Harstad has it slapped away into the neutral zone, slapped back in by the Americans. In the air, gloved down by Harstad. Now, he’ll get it. Off the boards on the near side to Clark, hands it off to DeSalvo, a shot, stick save by Gill goes to the far side. Kept in along the boards by Harstad. Out to the blue line, Clark can’t control it. It came out over the blue line. Now, he puts it back in, the Oilers will have to retouch; they were offside.
Now, brought out by the Americans, through the neutral zone … no, intercepted. Nice play, poke checked off the stick by Pleskach. Pleskach put it into a diving player. Gens put his body down in front of that one.
