(Photo by Kevin Pyle – www.photopyle.com)
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS
Tuesday, Jan. 26 – vs Allen Americans (2-0 W)
Friday, Jan. 29 – @ Allen Americans (7-1 L)
Saturday, Jan. 30 – vs Allen Americans (5-2 W)
Sunday, Jan. 31 – @ Allen Americans (2-1 L)
THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Wednesday, Feb. 3 – vs Missouri Mavericks, 7:05 p.m
Thursday, Feb. 4 – vs Utah Grizzlies, 7:05 p.m
Saturday, Feb. 6 – vs Utah Grizzlies, 7:05 p.m
TEAM CAPSULE
Overall: 20-16-2-2 (44 points)
Home: 11-6-2-1
Road: 9-9-0-1
Rank: 3rd in Central Division
TEAM LEADERS
Goals: Emerson Clark – 17
Assists: Dan DeSalvo – 22
Points: Dan DeSalvo – 33
+/-: Dan DeSalvo +18
PIM: Emerson Clark – 115
WEEK IN REVIEW
The Oilers spent their week with division rivals, the Allen Americans. They collected four out of a possible eight points. With four games in the books, Tulsa split the ‘series’ with the team from Allen, Texas going 2-2-0. Each victory came from the team that was on home ice and didn’t travel the day of.
On Tuesday night the Oilers took a big start when they recorded a 2-0 shutout win over the Americans—Kevin Carr’s third of the season.
Tables turned on Friday night when the flood gates opened and the Allen Americans were victorious, 7-1. What started as a hard fought first period for the Oilers turned into goal after goal for the Americans in the second and third. After the Americans finished their run, Christophe Lalancette from Mathieu Brisebois and Adam Pleskach put up the only Oiler contribution of the night.
The Oilers were back home on Saturday night and hungry for redemption, which is exactly what they got. Tulsa struck first, on an Emerson Clark goal. Then the Oilers scored again. And again. What resulted in a 5-2 win for Tulsa on Saturday night, keep them within reach of Allen’s nine point advantage in the standings.
The Americans would yet again hold an 11 point lead on the Oilers after a 2-1 triumph on their home soil. Two first period goals by the team in red were the only tallies they needed to overcome Tulsa (who recorded their season low of shots on goal in one period at 1). The second period would be a good one for Tulsa as they not only outshot Allen 14-6 but Oilers defenseman Connor Kucera would score his first professional goal.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Oilers will play three times this week against the top two teams in their conference—all at the BOK Center.
First, the Oilers will host the Missouri Mavericks on Wednesday where they hope to defeat the league leading team for the third time at home. Tulsa is 3-2-1-1 against the Mavericks.
The Oilers will then welcome the Grizzlies from West Valley City, Utah for the second time this season. The two will go head to head on Thursday and Saturday night. Having played only twice in franchise history, these squads have split a pair—each getting a win in their respective barns. Utah is second in the Western Conference and has a 10 point advantage over the Oilers.
LINE OF FIRE
The month of January was a hot one for the the line of Dan DeSalvo, Phil Brewer and Emerson Clark. This trio finished the 13-game month with a combination of 38 points. . Brewer would contribute 12 of those points, four of them coming from one game on January 9 against the Wichita Thunder. Clark also brought 12 points to the group with a side of three Gordie Howe hat tricks. DeSalvo, the rookie out of Bowling Green State University, would lead the group with 14 points.
MOOSE ON THE MOVE
Last week was a busy one on the transaction list for the Tulsa Oilers and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. One would go up and two would come down.
On Wednesday, defenseman Aaron Harstad was recalled to Manitoba by the Moose. After being re-assigned to Tulsa on January 12, Harstad returns to the Moose having played in eight games with the northern squad and racking up 12 penalty minutes.
He was the Winnipeg Jets’ seventh round selection, 187th overall in the 2011 NHL Draft.
A few days later, on Saturday, the AHL team would send Tulsa Jimmy Lodge. Lodge, 20, has appeared in 26 games with the Moose recording two penalty minutes. Prior to joining the Moose, the Downingtown, Pennsylvania native split the 2014-15 campaign between the Mississauga Steelheads and Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League and dressed for one game with the American Hockey League’s St. John’s IceCaps–producing a total of 63 points on the season. The 6-foot-one center was drafted 84th overall in the 3rd round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
Axel Blomqvist would return to the Oilers lineup one day later. During his time with the Oilers, the forward has registered four points (1 goal, 3 assists). The Osby, Sweden native split his time prior to the Moose in the Western Hockey League between the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Victoria Royals and Moose Jaw Warriors where he tallied 56 goals and 92 assists. He was signed to a three year NHL entry level contract by the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 1, 2013.
FANTASY SWEATERS
Earlier in December Fans had the opportunity to vote on ECHL.com for one player on each ECHL member team’s ballot to help select the 2015-16 Fantasy Team. This chosen player would wear a specialty jersey at a home game. A goaltender for each team would also wear a unique jersey and participate in the MeiGray Golden Goalie Program. The winners voted upon for the Tulsa Oilers were forward Mathieu Gagnon and goaltender Kevin Carr. These two will debut their ECHL Fantasy Team jerseys on February 13 against the Quad City Mallards.
EXTRA DROPS
Kevin Carr is tied for fifth with a 2.07 goals against average and third in minutes (1769)…Among rookies in the ECHL, Dan DeSalvo is sixth in scoring with 33 points, fourth in assist with 22 and tied for first in plus/minus with +18… Phil Brewer is tied for first in rookie shootout goals with two… Oilers are fourth in shots against averaging 27.43…
-#GOilers-
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