OILERS EMPTY TANK IN LOSS TO THE FUEL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 15, 2018

OILERS EMPTY TANK IN LOSS TO THE FUEL

Tulsa rallies, but falls 5-4 in the final night of a six-game road trip against the Central Division.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Two late goals were not enough to overcome a 5-2 deficit as the Tulsa Oilers (13-8-6) lost 5-4 to the Indy Fuel (13-12-0) in the final night of a six-game road trip against the Central Division Saturday at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

Josh Shalla gave the Fuel its first goal right off of a face-off win from the top of the left circle, when he snapped a quick shot into the top of the net. Tulsa captain Adam Pleskach tied the game 31 seconds later when he redirected a shot from Dylan Bredo past Indy goaltender Matt Tomkins. Logan Nelson put the Fuel back in front 2-1 on a power play when he picked the corner of the net over Oilers goalie Devin Williams’ glove side.

The Fuel added some insurance with a second period goal from the corner that deflected off of Williams and into the net to make it 3-1, and added a short-handed goal in the final minute of the frame when Matt Rupert capitalized on a Tulsa turnover in the slot. The Oilers made it 4-2 when Kyle Rhodes blasted a power play goal off the post and in with less than a second remaining in the period.

Indy regained its three-goal lead when Kevin Dufour fired a shot under the crossbar 9:07 into the third period, but Pleskach added his second of the game with 7:04 left to bring Tulsa back to within two goals. During a late-game scramble, Ryan Tesink found the back of the net with 4.9 seconds remaining, but the Oilers ran out of time in the narrow loss.

Tulsa outshot Indy 47-22, but Tomkins stopped 17 in the second period, 16 in the final stanza and 43 for the game in the win. Williams made 17 saves in the loss, as Tulsa dropped its eighth straight (0-6-2) to start December. The Oilers finished the nine day road trip 0-4-2.

Tulsa returns home from Indianapolis and prepares for a home-and-home series with the Kansas City Mavericks next weekend. The Oilers and Mavericks first face-off Friday at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena in Independence at 7:05pm. Catch all the action on The Sports Animal radio network, www.tulsaoilers.com or ECHL.TV, with coverage starting at 6:45pm.

Tulsa then hosts Kansas City next Saturday, Dec. 22 at 7:05pm on the York Plumbing Ice at the BOK Center. It will be the Oilers’ annual blanket drive, sponsored by Unifirst. Tulsa will also celebrate the 90^th birthday of the first Oilers team from 1928-29 and wear retro uniforms which will be auctioned off following the game.

—

Season and Group Tickets are on sale now by calling the Oilers front office at 918-632-7825. Visit www.tulsaoilers.com for more information.

—

#TulsaTime