(Photo by John Howe)
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS
Friday, March 4 – @Evansville IceMen (6-2 L)
Saturday, March 5 – @Evansville IceMen (6-2 L)
Sunday, March 6 – @Missouri Mavericks (2-1 L)
THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Friday, March 11 – @Missouri Mavericks
TEAM CAPSULE
Overall: 28-24-3-2 (61 points)
Home: 19-8-3-1
Road: 9-16-0-1
Rank: 3rd in Central Division
TEAM LEADERS
Goals: Phil Brewer – 19
Assists: Dan DeSalvo – 35
Points: Dan DeSalvo – 51
+/-: Dan DeSalvo +16
PIM: Mathieu Gagnon – 125
WEEK IN REVIEW
The Oilers earned zero points on their triple header, road weekend. With the opportunity of six, and chance to move up in the Western Conference Standings, the Oilers fell twice to the IceMen and once to Missouri.
Friday night Evansville snuck six goals past Tulsa. Tied 1-1 after 20 minutes, the IceMen went into the second and scored four goals on the Oilers, two just ten seconds apart. Goaltender Kevin Carr was swapped out for Jussi Olkinuora. Andrew Johnston tallied his first as an Oiler.
A mirrored score of the night before, 6-2, held through Saturday as the Oilers were defeated by the IceMen once again. This time Jussi Oklinuora would start but retire to the bench after Evansville lit the lamp 5 times in just the first frame. Kevin Carr stopped all shots but an empty netter by Nathan Moon for the IceMen gave them their second straight win.
The first period of a Sunday matinee against the Mavericks was Tulsa’s strongest all weekend, but missed opportunities for the Oilers resulted in a win for Missouri. Connor Kucera was credited for the lone Tulsa goal on the 2-1 loss.
LOOKING AHEAD
Tulsa will only have one game to focus on this week as they head to Independence, Missouri on Friday to battle the Mavericks. The two have gone head-to-head 10 times this season, the Oilers going 4-4-2 against the Mavs. Six meetings have been in Tulsa and four in Missouri. The Oilers will host the league-leaders at the BOK Center one more time on March 18, their next home game.
ROOKIE LEADER
Dan DeSalvo is currently the number one rookie in the ECHL with 51 points—third in assists. He is 13th overall inking 16 goals and 35 assists. When in the BOK Center, Dan DeSalvo can’t help but put up numbers. Since December 13, there has yet to be a home game that he has not produced in. With 22 points in 17 games at home, the Illinois native leads Tulsa in points as well.
KELLY CONTENDERS
The Oilers are 8th in the Western Conference (16th overall)—a spot that puts them playoff eligible if the season ended today. The Missouri Mavericks are the first and only team to have clinched a spot. Tulsa is within four points of the Colorado Eagles and three points above Quad City in the conference.
SPRING BREAK
Tulsa’s last game in the BOK Center was on February 23 against the Idaho Steelheads. Since, the Oilers have traveled to Cincinnati, Fort Wayne, Evansville and Missouri. The Oilers break from the BOK ends on March 18 and 19 when they host the Missouri Mavericks and Allen Americans before spending another week on the road in Utah.
MOVING MOOSE
After losing five skaters to the American Hockey League last week, one has returned! The Tulsa Oilers announced Monday that the Manitoba Moose, Tulsa’s American Hockey League affiliate, have re-assigned defenceman Brennan Serville to the Oilers. The Pickering, Ontario native has split the 2015-16 campaign between the Oilers and Moose. Serville, 22, has skated in 17 games with the Oilers where he produced an assist on October 16 against the Wichita Thunder. The 6-foot-3 defenceman was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the third round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft (#78 overall).
ALZHEIMERS NIGHT & PUCK OF THE IRISH
When the Oilers return to the BOK Center on March 18 it will be for Alzheimer’s Night. Partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association, Tulsa will be wearing specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game. Unique to the occasion and a first for the Oilers, goaltender Kevin Carr will sport a custom made mask that will also be auctioned off with proceedings going to the cause.
The next night, March 19, the Oilers celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with holiday t-shirts. For a fixed price, fans can purchase a festive-themed Oilerman shirt packaged with a ticket to the game.
EXTRA DROPS
Goaltender Kevin Carr is on the ECHL leadership board for goals against average at 2.24 (11th), minutes with 2440 (2nd) and 1001 saves (4th)… Phil Brewer is 16th among all rookies in points with 34 (19 goals and 15 assists) and 5th in goals… Dennis Brown is 7th among defencemen with 32 points (5 goals and 27 assists) and 3rd in assists)…The Oilers are 5th at home on the power play at 19.3 percent and 5th at 27.46 percent on shots against…
