FUEL RIDE GREAT GOALTENDING PAST OILERS
Tulsa falls 6-2 to Indy despite heavily outshooting the Fuel.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Tulsa outshot Indy 35-22, but fell 6-2 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Friday.
Neither team was able to jump on the board in an even opening frame. Both teams had a chance on the power play, and Tulsa managed to narrowly outshoot the Fuel six to five.
The second period was as tight as the first. Keoni Texeria ended the deadlock 4:37 into the second frame when he faked a drop pass at the line before cutting across the front of the net, stretching Devin Williams and depositing the puck on the forehand. J.J. Piccinich slung the puck across the offensive zone on the power play to find Jared Thomas, who sniped former Oiler Dan Bakala 10:35 into the second period to tie the game 1-1. Both of the period’s goals came on the man advantage, and Tulsa nearly doubled Indy in shots, outshooting the Fuel 19-10 in the frame.
The third period seemed to be from a different game. Joe Sullivan gave Indy their second lead of the night, mirroring Texiera’s earlier tally by cutting in front of Williams and sliding the puck past the goaltender. Bobby MacIntyre roofed the puck in tight just 17 seconds later to give the Fuel a 3-1 lead with exactly 15 minutes remaining. Nathan Noel made the game 4-1, scoring the first of three empty-net goals. Adam Pleskach pulled the game to 4-2 27 seconds later, jamming the puck home off a rebound on the power play. MacIntrye scored an empty netter 11 seconds later for his second of the night. Former Kansas City Maverick Ryan Van Stralen closed out the scoring with another empty-net goal, this one coming with just nine seconds left.
The Oilers travel to Fort Wayne, IN to take on the Komets on Saturday before hosting Utah at the BOK Center on Tuesday.