FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2019
PLAYOFF PRIMER: OILERS BEGIN MOUNTAIN DIVISION FINALS TONIGHT
Tulsa outlasts Kansas City in 7 games to advance and hosts Idaho Friday and Sunday at BOK Center.
KELLY CUP PLAYOFFS – MOUNTAIN DIVISION FINALS
TULSA OILERS vs IDAHO STEELHEADS (best-of-seven)
Game 1 – Fri., April 26: Idaho at Tulsa (7:05pm, BOK Center)
Game 2 – Sun., April 28: Idaho at Tulsa (4:05pm, BOK Center)
Game 3 – Tues., April 30: Tulsa AT Idaho (8:10pm CT, CenturyLink Arena)
Game 4 – Wed., May 1: Tulsa AT Idaho (8:10pm CT, CenturyLink Arena)
Game 5* – Fri., May 3: Tulsa AT Idaho (8:10pm CT, CenturyLink Arena)
Game 6* – Sun., May 5: Idaho at Tulsa (4:05pm, BOK Center)
Game 7* – Mon., May 6: Idaho at Tulsa (7:05pm, BOK Center)
* – if necessary
TULSA IN SEVEN
The Tulsa Oilers returned to the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the first time since their inaugural ECHL season in 2014-15, after posting a 42-24-6 regular season record and claiming the Mountain Division title. The accomplishment was Tulsa’s first division championship since 1975-76, when the Oilers competed in the original Central Hockey League. After falling behind with a 6-4 home loss in Game 1, the Oilers overcame a two-goal third period deficit to win Game 2, 3-2 in overtime. When the series shifted to Independence, Kansas City earned a 3-2 win in Game 3 before Tulsa again tied the series with a 4-3 victory in Game 4. The Mavericks pushed the Oilers to the brink of elimination with a 4-3 win in Game 5, but Tulsa returned home and forced deciding game with a 4-2 Game 6 win Tuesday and completed the comeback with a convincing 6-2 triumph in Game 7 to advance. It was the Oilers’ first ECHL playoff series win, and the organization’s first playoff series win since the 2011 Central Hockey League playoffs.
ROUND 1 RECAP – TEAM LEADERS
POINTS: 13 – Alex Dostie
GOALS: 9 – Alex Dostie
ASSISTS: 8 – Stephen Perfetto
PLUS/MINUS: +4 – Alex Dostie, Stephen Perfetto
PIMS: 21 – Ryan Tesink
PP GOALS: 2 – Alex Dostie
SH GOALS: —
GW GOALS: 2 – Alex Dostie
SHOTS: 34 – Stephen Perfetto
WINS: 4 – Devin Williams
GAA: 3.11 – Devin Williams
SAVE %: .893 – Devin Williams
FISH OUTSWAM GRIZZLIES’ GRASP
After dropping the opening game of their best-of-seven series 7-1 on home ice, the Idaho Steelheads rattled off a ECHL record four straight overtime wins to eliminate the Utah Grizzlies in five games. Former Oilers forward Kale Kessy was the hero in overtime of Game 2 to even the series at CenturyLink Arena. When the series shifted to West Valley City, Idaho won three road games in overtime to finish off the series. Idaho is making its second straight appearance in the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs, and the Steelheads are competing in the postseason for the 22ndconsecutive year.
SEASON SERIES
Tulsa and Idaho split a 10-game season series evenly, with each team posting a 5-4-1 record. The Oilers won their season opener 2-1 on October 13 at the BOK Center, but the Steelheads answered the next day with a 5-4 shootout win in Tulsa. Tulsa won two out of three games in early November at CenturyLink Arena, including a 5-4 overtime victory on November 10. The two teams split a weekend series in Tulsa in early January, and the Steelheads took two out of three contests back in Boise toward the end of February. This is the first ever playoff series between the two franchises.
GAME-BY-GAME – MOUNTAIN DIVISION SEMIFINALS
TULSA OILERS vs KANSAS CITY MAVERICKS (best-of-seven)
Game 1 – Thurs., April 11: Kansas City 6, Tulsa 4 (BOK Center)
Game 2 – Sun., April 14: Tulsa 3, Kansas City 2, OT (BOK Center)
Game 3 – Wed., April 17: Kansas City 3, Tulsa 2 (Silverstein Eye Centers Arena)
Game 4 – Fri., April 19: Tulsa 4, Kansas City 3 (Silverstein Eye Centers Arena)
Game 5 – Sat., April 20: Kansas City 4, Tulsa 3 (Silverstein Eye Centers Arena)
Game 6 – Tues., April 23: Tulsa 4, Kansas City 2 (BOK Center)
Game 7 – Wed., April 24: Tulsa 6, Kansas City 2 (BOK Center)
REGULAR SEASON ROLLERCOASTER
Tulsa got off to a blazing 13-2-4 start to the season, leading the entire league with 30 points by Dec. 1. An 11-game losing skid in December (0-9-2) dropped the Oilers down to 6th in their own division by Dec. 28 with a record of 13-11-6. Since snapping that skid, Tulsa finished the season 29-13-0 to win the Mountain Division by two points over Idaho. The Oilers were one of four teams in the ECHL (Cincinnati, Florida, Orlando) to win 20 games at home and 20 on the road.
FINAL REGULAR SEASON RECORD: 42-24-6 (90 points, 1stin Mountain Division)
TOP OILERS – REGULAR SEASON STATS
POINTS: 75 – Adam Pleskach
GOALS: 38 – Adam Pleskach
ASSISTS: 44 – Jared Thomas
PLUS/MINUS: +23 – Steven Kaunisto
PIMS: 194 – Mike McKee
PP GOALS: 14 – Adam Pleskach
SH GOALS: 2 – Ryan Tesink, Jared Thomas
GW GOALS: 7 – Adam Pleskach, Charlie Sampair
SHOTS: 320 – Adam Pleskach
WINS: 20 – Devin Williams
GAA: 2.12 – Devin Williams
SAVE %: .916 – Devin Williams
THE LAST TIME THE OILERS…
MADE THE PLAYOFFS*: 2014-15 (ECHL)
WON A DIVISION TITLE*: 1975-76 (CHL)
WON A PLAYOFF SERIES*: 2010-11 (CHL)
WON A CHAMPIONSHIP: 1992-93 (CHL)
*Before this season
TULSA OILERS PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIPS: 6
1992-93 Central Hockey League (defeated Oklahoma City, 4-1)
1983-84 Central Hockey League (defeated Indianapolis, 4-0)
1975-76 Central Hockey League (defeated Dallas, 4-1)
1967-68 Central Professional Hockey League (defeated Fort Worth, 4-0)
1930-31 American Hockey Association (defeated Kansas City, 3-1)
1928-29 American Hockey Association (defeated St. Paul, 2-0-2)
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PLAYOFF TICKET INFORMATION
Tulsa Oilers season ticket holders can pick up their playoff tickets at the Oilers’ front office or the BOK Center box office Thursday night before the game. Discounted playoff packages are available by calling the Oilers’ front office at 918-632-7825 or visiting www.tulsaoilers.comfor more information. Single-game playoff tickets are available on www.ticketmaster.comor at the BOK Center box office.
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