FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2019
PLAYOFF PRIMER: TULSA FACES TOLEDO IN WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Oilers among final four teams competing for Kelly Cup, as the team prepares for best-of-seven series against Walleye.
KELLY CUP PLAYOFFS – WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
TULSA OILERS vs TOLEDO WALLEYE (best-of-seven)
Game 1 – Fri., May 10: Tulsa AT Toledo (6:35pm CT, Huntington Center)
Game 2 – Sun., May 12: Tulsa AT Toledo (4:15pm CT, Huntington Center)
Game 3 – Wed., May 15: Toledo at Tulsa (7:05pm, BOK Center)
Game 4 – Fri., May 17: Toledo at Tulsa (7:05pm, BOK Center)
Game 5* – Sat., May 18: Toledo at Tulsa (7:05pm, BOK Center)
Game 6* – Mon., May 20: Tulsa AT Toledo (6:35pm CT, Huntington Center)
Game 7* – Wed., May 22: Toledo at Tulsa (7:05pm, BOK Center)
*If Necessary
HOOKED THE STEELHEADS IN SIX
The Tulsa Oilers jumped out to a fast start in the Mountain Division Finals, winning Games 1 and 2 against the Idaho Steelheads by identical 3-1 scores at the BOK Center. Adam Pleskachscored a pair of goals in both games including the game-winner in Game 2. When the series shifted to Boise, the Oilers stole Game 3 behind a 36-save shutout from Devin Williamsto take a commanding 3 games to none series lead. Idaho climbed back into the series with back-to-back home wins, 4-2 in Game 4 and 3-1 in Game 5, forcing a quick turnaround for Game 6 back in Tulsa. Ryan Tesinkput the Oilers on the board early, but the Steelheads evened things up before the first break. Then Pleskach came through again with the go-ahead goal midway through the second period and also scored an empty-netter for his sixth goal of the series.
MAY DAY
This Oilers team is making history in a town that’s had hockey for the better part of 90 years, dating back to 1928-29. Tulsa has never played into the month of May before its current playoff run. During each of the Oilers’ six playoff championships, the last of which came in 1992-93 in the Central Hockey League, the team finished play by the end of April. 2019 is the first time Tulsa has ever made it to the “third round” of postseason play. Additionally, the most wins the Oilers have ever accrued between a single regular season and subsequent playoff run is 53, which Tulsa accomplished in 1975-76. That was the last time the Oilers won a regular season division title, also winning the Central Hockey League’s playoff championship that year. The 2018-19 Oilers enter the Western Conference Finals with 50 combined regular season and playoff wins.
THROUGH TWO ROUNDS – TEAM LEADERS
POINTS: 19 – Alex Dostie
GOALS: 11 – Alex Dostie
ASSISTS: 13 – Stephen Perfetto
PLUS/MINUS: +10 – Stephen Perfetto
PIMS: 31 – Mike McKee
PP GOALS: 4 – Alex Dostie
SH GOALS: —
GW GOALS: 3 – Alex Dostie
SHOTS: 55 – Adam Pleskach
WINS: 8 – Devin Williams
GAA: 2.45 – Devin Williams
SAVE %: .920 – Devin Williams
WALLEYE DEFY THE ODDS AND OUTSWIM THE CYCLONES
The second-seeded Toledo Walleye upset the Brabham Cup Champion Cincinnati Cyclones in five games in the Central Division Finals. In a series with an odd schedule due to arena availability, the Walleye stole Game 1 in Cincinnati, before the Cyclones evened the series in Game 2 at the Huntington Center in Toledo. The Walleye went back ahead for good with a 5-1 home victory in Game 3, before taking a 3 games to 1 series lead with a narrow win in Game 4 at the Huntington Center. After allowing the first goal late in the first period of Game 5 back in Cincinnati at U.S. Bank Arena, Toledo responded with two unanswered goals to close out the series and avoid a possible Game 6 or Game 7 at the Cyclones’ home rink.
SEASON SERIES
The Oilers and Walleye met twice in the regular season, both times in Ohio. Tulsa traveled to Toledo in early December during a season-worst 11-game losing skid and saw a 4-1 lead disappear in an eventual 6-4 loss. The second time the two teams met, the Oilers earned a hard-fought 5-2 win at the Huntington Center thanks to a big second period. The Walleye have never traveled to Tulsa, meaning Game 3 on Wednesday, May 15 will be the teams’ first ever meeting at the BOK Center.
GAME-BY-GAME – MOUNTAIN DIVISION FINALS
TULSA OILERS vs IDAHO STEELHEADS (Tulsa wins series 4-2)
Game 1 – Fri., April 26: Tulsa 3, Idaho 1 (BOK Center)
Game 2 – Sun., April 28: Tulsa 3, Idaho 1 (BOK Center)
Game 3 – Tues., April 30: Tulsa 1, Idaho 0 (CenturyLink Arena)
Game 4 – Wed., May 1: Idaho 4, Tulsa 2 (CenturyLink Arena)
Game 5 – Fri., May 3: Idaho 3, Tulsa 1 (CenturyLink Arena)
Game 6 – Sun., May 5: Tulsa 3, Idaho 1 (BOK Center)
GAME-BY-GAME – MOUNTAIN DIVISION SEMIFINALS
TULSA OILERS vs KANSAS CITY MAVERICKS (Tulsa wins series 4-3)
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 from 9am-5pm during the week, or at the BOK Center box office the night of 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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