(Photo by Kevin Pyle – www.photopyle.com)
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS
Thursday, Dec. 31 – @ Rapid City Rush (2-1 W)
Saturday, Jan. 02 – @ Rapid City Rush (4-3 L) Watch Highlights
THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Tuesday, Jan. 05 – vs Missouri Mavericks, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 08 – @ Wichita Thunder, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 09 – vs Wichita Thunder, 7:05 p.m.
TEAM CAPSULE
Overall: 14-11-2-1
Home: 8-6-2-0
Road: 6-5-0-1
Rank: 3rd in Central Division
TEAM LEADERS
Goals: Emerson Clark, Adam Pleskach – 10
Assists: Dennis Brown – 15
Points: Adam Pleskach – 22
+/-: Dennis Brown, +14
PIM: Mathieu Gagnon – 92
WEEK IN REVIEW
This past weekend the Oilers’ longest win streak (4 games) was achieved and ended. Tulsa split two out of a possible four points with the Rapid City Rush in Rapid City, SD. The seasons series between these two franchises would read 1-2-0-0 overall. The New Year weekend capped off with a literal bang and three Oilers skaters would be suspended various numbers of games as a result.
A New Years Eve victory for the Oilers on Thursday night pushed them to a four game winning streak, their longest of the season. Adam Pleskach and Brady Ramsay each tallied goals. Aaron Harstad achieved a mutli-point game with two assists hours before being recalled to the Manitoba Moose (Oilers American Hockey League Affiliate). Although Emerson Clark would miss a penalty shot opportunity, the Oilers defeated the Rush 2-1.
After a day between games in South Dakota, the Oilers returned to Rushmore Plaza Civic Center with a less favorable outcome. The win streak would end in a 4-3 loss and the Oliers would incur 109 penalty minutes belonging to nine different Tulsa skaters. Point producers of the evening were Adam Pleskach (2 goals), Phil Brewer (1 goal), Christophe Lalancette (2 assists), Axel Blomqvist (2 assists), Dennis Brown (1 assist) and Mathieu Brisebois (1 assist).
LOOKING AHEAD
Back at the BOK Center after two weeks on the road, the Oilers return home Tuesday night to meet up with Central Division foes, the Missouri Mavericks. The last time these two teams met the Oilers put a strike through the Mav’s streak and sent them home with a loss. Presently on a seven-game winning streak, this singular loss on December 13, 2015 has been Missouri’s only in their last 22 games.
Having already met on seven other occasions this season, the Oilers visit the Wichita Thunder on Friday (01/08) and welcome them Saturday (01/09). Tulsa is 4-1-1-1 against the Thunder.
MINUTE MEN
The Oilers were able to work their way up the ECHL’s leading penalty minute record to third with 501 minutes on the season—109 from just one game. On Saturday, January 2, Tulsa participated in a battle against the Rapid City Rush that resulted in a total of 216 penalty minutes (109 Oilers, 107 Rush). Of these Oiler minutes, seven were majors and six were game misconducts. See Final Box Score.
TIME OUT
As a result of Saturday’s scrap against the Rush, three Oilers skaters were suspended.
VIA ECHL
Forward Mathieu Gagnon:
Tulsa’s Mathieu Gagnon has been suspended for eight games – five games for leaving the players’ bench under Rules 70.3 /70.10 to begin an altercation at the conclusion of the game and an additional three games under Rule 28 – Supplemental Discipline for continuing an altercation at the conclusion of the game. He will miss Tulsa’s games vs. Missouri (Jan. 5), at Wichita (Jan. 8), vs. Wichita (Jan. 9), at Utah (Jan. 13), at Idaho (Jan. 15 and Jan. 16) and at Missouri (Jan. 22 and Jan. 23).
Goaltender Kevin Carr:
Tulsa’s Kevin Carr has been suspended for three games – two games for being the second player to leave the players’ bench to join an altercation under Rules 70.3/70.10 and one game for continuing an altercation at the conclusion of the game under Rule 28 – Supplemental Discipline. He will miss Tulsa’s games vs. Missouri (Jan. 5), at Wichita (Jan. 8) and vs. Wichita (Jan. 9).
Forward Emerson Clark:
Tulsa’s Emerson Clark has been suspended for one game for instigating a fight in the final five minutes of regulation. Clark was originally assessed a game misconduct for aggressor, but after review of the incident, he is deemed to be an instigator of an altercation. An instigator or aggressor in the last five minutes of a game is an automatic one game suspension under Rules 46.12/ 46.22. He will miss Tulsa’s game vs. Missouri on Jan. 5.
MOOSE ON THE MOVE
Friday, Tulsa Oilers defenseman, Aaron Harstad, was recalled to the Manitoba Moose—Oilers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. Harstad, signed to an American Hockey League contact with the Moose, produced six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in eight games with the Oilers. The Oilers’ first transaction of 2016, Harstad returns to the Moose having played in seven games the northern squad and racking up 12 penalty minutes.
EXTRA DROPS
Mathieu Gagnon’s individual game penalty minute high is 30… Tulsa is fourth with 26.89 shots-against per game… Phil Brewer is ranked first among rookies in shootout goals… Kevin Carr ranks fifth in the ECHL with a 1.95 goals against average and second for penalty minutes at 1259…This Saturday the Oilers will host Retro Jersey Night, first 1,000 fans at the door will receive Oilers pennants…
Looking for things to do in Tulsa?
Below is an Excerpt from a Tulsa Oilers Game
Jeff: All right. We’re back with you here in Wichita. Jeff Brookilary with Tulsa Oilers hockey. They dropped the puck at center ice, and we’re underway with a second period of hockey as the puck goes into the Tulsa zone back to the action. Now in the neutral zone it’s slapped away. The Oilers recover just underway here in this second period. Don’t forget Tulsa still with a man advantage. 52 seconds left in that power play. Here come the Oilers over the blue line. Slapped into the Wichita zone into the corner boards near side. Picked up by DeSalvo. Pass in front, backhand by Emerson Clark. Now the goaltender Shantz lands on it. He’ll freeze it. We’ve got a face off coming in the Wichita zone with 11 seconds left in Tulsa’s man advantage. 11 seconds left in this penalty to the Wichita Thunder.
I double-checked that penalty in the power play goal scoring. It’s been changed now. It’s not a power play goal. It’s officially been changed to an even strength goal, and I’ll explain it in a moment. On the faceoff. The puck comes out to the blue line. The Oilers still with it. Bloomquist sends it out to the point on the right side to Brisebois. 10 seconds. Now the Thunder back to full strength as they get Neal out of the penalty box. The Thunder have killed off that power play opportunity. The Oilers have gone back to zero for 3 in power play chances, because the previous goal or the 1 goal that’s been scored by Brown has now been labeled a even strength goal, not a power play goal. I’ll tell you about that in a moment
