OILERS EARN FIVE OUT OF SIX POINTS BEFORE ALL-STAR BREAK, THREE-IN-THREE WEEKEND
Tulsa goes 2-0-1-0 on the week in Boise, bringing the season series 5-1-1-0 in Tulsa’s favor.
OVERALL RECORD: 18-21-3-1 (40 points, 6th in Mountain Division)
LAST WEEK: 2-0-1-0
RESULTS
Wednesday, Jan, 15 – Tulsa 4, Idaho 1 (CenturyLink Arena — Boise, ID) | Box Score
>> Boise, ID — The Oilers rode a three-goal third period and a 34-save performance from Olle Eriksson Ek to defeat the Steelheads 4-1 at CenturyLink Arena on Wednesday. Neither squad found the back of the net in the opening frame, with Jake Kupsky stopping 10 shots in his ECHL debut. Eriksson Ek stopped all six chances sent his way in the opening 20 minutes. The deadlock was broken 6:06 into the second frame when Jacob Benson tipped Charlie Granath’s point blast into the back of the net. Jeff King answered at the 9:03 mark, walking in all alone off a turnover to tie the game. The Oilers surged in the final frame, starting at the 8:38 mark with Danny Moynihan’s 12th of the season. Moynihan popped the puck into the back of the net off a feed from Adam Pleskach. Former Steelhead Jack Nevins, who picked up the secondary assist, started Moynihan’s go-ahead goal with a dump-and-chase play. Benson tallied his second of the night at the 12:12 mark of the period, once again displaying his top-notch hand-eye coordination by batting Jake Clifford’s cross-zone laser past Kupsky, bringing the score to 3-1. Moynihan sealed the 4-1 win with a short-handed empty netter from his own zone at the 17:44 mark of the third period. Eriksson Ek stopped 34 of 35 shots, earning Tully Law Firm first-star honors for the second-straight night, allowing the Oilers to take a 4-1 series lead over the Steelheads.
Friday, Jan. 17– Utah 5, Tulsa 3 (CenturyLink Arena – Boise, ID ) Box Score
>> Boise, ID— Tulsa continued a three-game point streak, but eventually came up short against the Steelheads, losing 2-1 in overtime at CenturyLink Arena on Friday. For the third-straight Oilers’ contest, neither team found the back of the net. Olle Eriksson Ek turned aside 13 shots, while Jake Kupsky answered the call nine times in his own end. Both teams swapped blows in the first half of the middle frame, with Kyle Schempp ending the deadlock, tipping Matt Ustaski’s feed against the grain and past Eriksson Ek 5:28 into the period. Oilers’ defenseman Cam Knight tallied his eighth of the year and returned the game to a state of stalemate with a four-on-four tuck inside the post and behind Kupsky 19 seconds before the halfway-mark of the game. The third period mirrored the first, meaning neither team took a lead. Eriksson Ek exited the frame with 12 saves, and Kupsky was just as impressive, stopping all 10 blows sent his way. The Oilers and Steelheads went to the extra frame for the second time this season, but unlike the first battle, a shootout wasn’t necessary. Steelheads forward Brett Supinski snagged a cross-ice stretch pass on the left-wing wall before walking into the left circle and ripping the puck over Eriksson Ek just 1:26 into overtime, dropping Tulsa to a 1-3 record in overtime. The win was the first of Jake Kupsky’s young ECHL career, with the goaltender saving 28 of 29 in the Idaho victory. Eriksson Ek finished with 32 saves on 34 chances, earning third-star honors. The result brings the Oilers to 4-1-1-0 on the season against the Steelheads.
Saturday, Jan.18 — Tulsa 3, Idaho 1 (CenturyLink Arena — Boise, ID)| Box Score
>> Tulsa, ID — Despite being outshot 35-17, the Oilers defeated Idaho 3-1 at CenturyLink Arena on Saturday, bringing the season series to 5-1-1-0 in Tulsa’s favor, and giving the Oilers a four-game point streak heading into the Warrior/ECHL All-Star Break. There were no goals in the opening frame in the last three Oilers’ games, but Charlie Granath bucked the trend by scoring the first of his ECHL career just 34 seconds into the contest, finding the twine on the first shot of the game. Granath received the puck off an offensive-zone faceoff win by Danny Moynihan before sending the puck from the blue line past Thomas Sholl. It was a reversal in the second period, with the lone goal coming from the Steelheads in the last minute of the period. Will Merchant camped out in front of the net on the power play before hammering home a rebound off Olle Eriksson Ek. It took 24 shots and 39:36 to beat the Swede. Jacob Benson gave the Oilers their second lead of the game with 5:56 remaining, deflecting Moynihan’s feed inside the post off a two-on-one. Robby Jackson added an insurance goal in the final minute, deflecting a chance on power play at the 19:21 mark of the period and closing out the scoring on the night.
THE WEEK AHEAD (all times CST)
Friday, Jan. 24 – Kalamazoo AT Tulsa 7:05 p.m. – BOK Center
Saturday, Jan. 25 – Kalamazoo AT Tulsa 7:05 p.m. – BOK Center
Sunday Jan. 26 – Idaho AT Tulsa 4:05 p.m. – BOK Center
FAST FACTS
· Olle Erikson Ek has posted a .972 save percentage and 0.99 GAA in his last four starts, going 3-0-1-0 in that span.
· Danny Moynihan posted five points (2G, 3A) in the three games this week.
. Jacob Benson has four goals in six games since signing from the SPHL.
. Adam Pleskach leads the ECHL with 159 shots.
. Robby Jackson is ranked eighth amongst rookies with 13 points.
TEAM TRENDS
· Tulsa’s four-game point streak is a season high
.The Oilers have points in every game they’ve been outshot by Idaho (2-0-1-0)
. For the second time this season, Tulsa fell from first to second in shots/game after a three-game series against Idaho.
. Tulsa has a winning 8-4-1-1 record when tied through two periods, but have a 7-8-2-1 record when tied after one period.
. Tulsa has been outshot just nine times this season, second only to Florida (seven).
STATISTICAL LEADERS*
POINTS: 33- J.J. Piccinich
GOALS: 13 –Danny Moynihan, Robby Jackson
ASSISTS: 25– Miles Liberati
PLUS/MINUS: +9 – Charlie Sampair
PIMS: 100 – Mike McKee
PP GOALS: 3 – Miles Liberati, J.J. Piccinich, Adam Pleskach
SH GOALS: 1– Jared Thomas, Mike McKee, Danny Moynihan
GW GOALS: 2 – Miles Liberati, Ian McNulty, Cory Ward, Robby Jackson, Adam Pleskach
SHOTS: 159– Adam Pleskach
WINS: 10 – Devin Williams
GAA: 2.74 – Devin Williams
SAVE %: .905– Devin Williams
* – Among active players
SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY: Overall –24/160 (15%) – 20th in the ECHL
Last Week – 1/9 (11.1%)
PENALTY KILL: Overall – 133/161 (82.6%) – 10th in the ECHL
Last Week – 9/10 (90%)
