(Photo by Kevin Pyle-www.photopyle.com)
Tulsa, OK (March 19, 2016) — OILERS TAKE ‘FIGHT NIGHT’ IN SHOOTOUT WIN 3-2
Those attending Fight Night at the BOK Center on Saturday got to enjoy an Oilers and Americans game as well. The Tulsa Oilers defeated the Allen Americans 3-2 in a shootout where a total of 40 fighting-major minutes were distributed. The victory advanced the home team to 30-25-3-2 for 65 points.
If you didn’t make it to your seat for the first two minutes of the Oilers game you missed Mathieu Gagnon and Reid Halabi throw heavy punches, a lot. But it wouldn’t be your last chance to see the two go at it.
The first period remained not only scoreless but also gloveless for many. Halfway through the frame Vincent Arseneau instigated a duel with defenseman Justin Mansfield. The two each earned five minutes for fighting.
Round two for Gagnon and Halabi came in period two—55 seconds into period two.
With Allen’s goaltender, James Murray, tripped up and out of his net, Phil Brewer snuck one past and tipped in the first goal of the night. The power play goal was assisted by Andrew Johnston and Connor Kucera.
Less than a minute later, a wrister from Chad Costello killed the Tulsa lead and knotted things 1-1 at the 12:10 mark of the second period.
The Americans sought vengeance again in the third just seconds after a disallowed goal. Tristan King took a quick pass and slapped it past Olkinuora to take a 2-1 advantage on the power play.
A third power play goal on the ice went to Tulsa. Adam Pleskach tipped the puck in from a fierce Nathan Lutz slap shot that evened things up again.
Although the tied score after regulation would lead the two squads to overtime, it would not tell the tale.
Seven rounds in the shootout were necessary to determine a winner. It was Ben Walker took the cake for the Oilers second straight win.
The Oilers and Americans will battle again tomorrow night in Allen, Texas before Tulsa heads to Utah to visit the Grizzlies.
#GOILERS
Oilers excerpt below:
The newest person to don a Tulsa Oilers sweater, spending his first time in the special Alzheimer’s jersey, is defenseman Eric Drapluk. The Oilers signed Drapluk upon completion of his final season with the Lake Superior State Lakers. Prior to heading to the Canadian/Michigan border, Drapluk played juniors for the Coulee Region Chill of the North American Hockey League.
Drapluk spent two season with the Coulee Region Chill based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His first season was in 2010-2011. In his fifty-five game season, Drapluk contributed a total of twenty seven points, the of those being goals. The next season, he played in a grand total of sixty regular season games, leading the Chill defensemen in not only points, but also in a plus-minus rating with -2. He brought his total points to twenty-nine, this time with five goals and twenty-four assists. Drapluk was named to the 2012 NAHL All-Midwest Division Team.
Following his stint with the Coulee Region, Drapluk began his collegiate career at Lake Superior State where he majored in Finance and Economics. His freshman year, he led the team’s freshman, as well as tied for fourteenth among all rookies in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. His accomplishments over the season earned him the title of LSSU Hockey’s outstanding freshman. In his second season with Lake Superior State, he finished the season with a +7 rating, having played in every single game. Last season, Drapluk was the team’s Most Valuable Defenseman. He anchored the team’s top defensive pair in all thirty-eight games.
If you are looking to catch an entertaining evening right here in Tulsa, come down to the BOK Center to see the newest Oiler, Eric Drapluk. He’s had an impressive start here in Tulsa, hinting at a very bright future.You aren’t going to want to miss one of the few remaining games we have left here at Tulsa’s BOK Center. While we only have three home games left of the regular season, the boys are in a push to bring the Kelly Cup home to Tulsa for the first time in franchise history. The next few games are sure not to disappoint. We have contests against both the Wichita Thunder and the Colorado Grizzlies right here in the 918. Tonight, the boys are playing the Allen Americans at home, before following them back to their barn for a Sunday afternoon contest. The boys will head to Utah Grizzlies on Monday for games over the next week. When the Oilers return to the BOK Center with back to back games against the Colorado Eagles take over the visiting locker rooms on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 29th and 30th. The game on Wednesday will be our last $1 hot dog night of the season. Our final regular season game will be on April 9th when the Wichita Thunder makes the trek down the Turnpike to face the Oilers on Fan Appreciation night.
You aren’t going to want to miss a single game the remainder of this season. We still have the Harley Davidson jerseys to auction off on April 9th as well as fan appreciation block party and player awards that same night. If you don’t have the tickets for the remainder of the season secured yet, call our office and ask about our playoff push pack. The pack includes two tickets to all five of our remaining regular season games, an autographed hockey glove and playoff ticket priority. Come and get your hockey fix now because once the sun starts shining and you can’t help but spend all your extra time at the lake you’re going to wish you had spent more time with the boys. If your family and friends are looking to spend a bit of time together without risking a sunburn, the Tulsa Oilers make a perfect solution to you things to do in Tulsa list.
The Oilers win tonight put them closer to a kelly cup playoff spot. Unofrunatly the Quad City Mallards took a win tonight. The Whichta Thunder defeated the Missouri Mavericks 4-2–huge for the division rivals.
