TULSA, OK–While a major winter storm was causing motorists to slip and slide on the streets of downtown Tulsa, the Oilers were attempting to keep from skidding out of the playoff picture when they hosted the Colorado Eagles in the friendly confines of the amazing BOK center Friday night.
Hoping to re-instill the flagging confidence of their fans after an embarrassing defeat at the hand of the Missouri Mavericks on Tuesday night, the Oilers came in loaded for bear against the perennially good Colorado team, but missing some key elements to injury and league discipline. Dan Riedel was to serve a 1 game suspension for actions in the Tuesday night debacle, Tyler Fleck was granted a leave of absence by the league, and Rick Kozak was placed on team suspension for an undisclosed reason.
As a result, Matt Radoslovich and Jeff Gumaer were re-signed to active duty. Gumaer made his presence known early on in the game as he posted a goal at the 9:13 mark of the first period assisted by Aaron Davis and Sean Erickson, after the Eagles had scored first at 3:32 on a goal by Kevin Ulanski assisted by Felipe Larranga and Riley Nelson. The first period would end tied at 1 goal apiece.
Colorado’s Ed McGrane would put the Eagles up 2-1 with less than a minute elapsed in the 2nd period, and then the Oilers Aaron Davis would knot the score at 2-2 on a power play goal at 13:42 of the period. Add another goal at 16:51 by TJ Caig at 16:51 to give the Oilers their only lead of the game as the 2nd period cam to it’s close. Eight minutes would go by in the third period before Ulanski would stirke again with his second goal of the night shorthanded with Riley nelson getting an assist.
At the conclusion of the 3rd period Tulsa’s Derek Eastman would be assessed a slashing penalty at 19:56 of the period with the game headed into overtime. Additionally, referee Justin Greene handed out a ten-minute misconduct to the Oilers Jake Riddle, and the Tulsa bench would be depleted headed into the five-minute extra period. On a five on three power play it took but 35 seconds for the Colorado team to dispatch the Oilers, with Aaron Schneekoth putting the puck behind the Oilers Trevor Cann with Ed McGrane and Kevin Ulanski helping.
Speaking positively, the Oilers did manage to take a given playoff team to the tiebreaker period and as a result got a point despite the loss, and Missouri did lose to Rapid City in regulation tonight at home. The Mississippi Riverkings however, defeated the Wichita Thunder 2-1 in Wichita, and they are 8 points ahead of the Oilers in 4th place in the CHL North Conference.
Tulsa will take on the Riverkings tomorrow night at 7:35pm in the amazing BOK Center on what is being billed as “Pink In The Rink” night, with proceeds from an auction of special jerseys to benefit the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Awareness foundation after the game in the Oneok Club. Tickets for tomorrow night’s contest and all Oilers home games can be purchased at the BOK Center, tulsaoilers.com, and all Reasors locations.
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Photos: Kevin Pyle
SHOTS ON GOAL
Colorado 32
Tulsa 31
POWERPLAYS: Colorado 2 for 9 : Tulsa 1 for 6
SCORING SUMMARY
Period 1
Colorado – Kevin Ulanski (powerplay) (Felipe Larranaga, Riley Nelson) 3:32
Tulsa – Jeff Gumaer (Aaron Davis, Sean Erickson) 9:13
Period 2
Colorado – Ed McGrane (Brett Lutes) 0:31
Tulsa – Aaron Davis (powerplay) (Derek Eastman, TJ Caig) 13:42
Tulsa – TJ Caig (Jake Riddle) 16:51
Period 3
Colorado – Kevin Ulanski (shorthanded) (Riley Nelson) 7:59
Overtime
Colorado – Aaron Schneekloth (powerplay) (Ed McGrane, Kevin Ulanski) 0:35
PENALTIES
Period 1
Tulsa – Jeff Gumaer – (Tripping), 2 min, 1:52
Tulsa – Travis Banga – (Hooking), 2 min, 9:13
Colorado – Jason Beatty – (Cross Checking), 2 min, 12:15
Tulsa – Derek Merlini – (Interference), 2 min, 12:45
Period 2
Colorado – Jay Birnie – (Board Checking), 2 min, 2:16
Tulsa – Adam Bartholomay – (Hooking), 2 min, 10:34
Colorado – Riley Nelson – (Tripping), 2 min, 11:43
Colorado – Adam Hogg – (Slashing), 2 min, 11:55
Tulsa – TJ Caig – (Hooking), 2 min, 14:42
Period 3
Tulsa – Tyler Butler – (Holding), 2 min, 1:51
Colorado – Fraser Filipic – (Cross Checking), 2 min, 4:39
Colorado – Fraser Filipic – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 min, 6:47
Tulsa – Travis Banga – (Tripping), 2 min, 10:40
Tulsa – Sean Erickson – (Hooking), 2 min, 19:20
Tulsa – Derek Eastman – (Slashing), 2 min, 19:56
Tulsa – Jake Riddle – (Abuse of Officials Game Misconduct) (Rule 40), 10 min, 20:00
Overtime
(no penalties)
GAME LENGTH: 2:35
ATTENDANCE: 4,370
REFEREE: Justin Greene
1ST STAR: Ulanski, Kevin (COL)
2ND STAR: Schneekloth, Aaron (COL)
3RD STAR: Davis, Aaron (TUL)