Oilers dominate Mississippi 7-3.

TULSA, OK—After posting a valiant effort in a 4-3 OT loss at the hands of the Colorado Eaglers last night the Tulsa Oilers looked to salvage a 3 point weekend at home facing the Mississippi Riverkings.  The Oilers are chasing the Kings who are in sole possession of 4th place in the CHL North, some 8 points ahead of 5th place Tulsa.    The Oilers lead the season series with the Riverkings winning four of six games played between them so far.  Mississippi comes to Tulsa after a tight 2-1 regulation win over the Wichita Thunder last night in the Intrust Bank Arena.

  The game was just seconds old when a fight broke out between the Oilers Thomas Harrison and Mississippi’s Adam Smyth.  The two players circled each other and mightly threw punches.  The fight ended with both players standing and the game ensued.  The Oilers would strike first at 12:22 when Jake Riddle tipped in a shot past Mississippi goalie Mark Sibbald  from Travis Banga on the power play.  Give an assist also to Jake’s brother Troy Riddle on the play.  The Oilers would then go up 2-0 on a breakaway goal by Troy Riddle assisted by Aaron Davis.  The shutout would be broken at 17:48 when Nathan Schwartzbauer shoved the puck past a sprawled Trevor Cann assisted by Ryan Held and Darrell Stoddard.  The period would end with Tulsa ahead 2-1.

  The second period Had barely started before the Oilers Aaron Davis scored, assisted by Sean Erickson and Jakr Riddle.  At  10:40 of the second Derek Merlini would send a laser beam of a shot from the top of the left circle past Mark Sibbald to allow the Oilers to take a commanding 4-1 lead over Mississippi.  The Riverkings would answer with a goal at 11:23 on a goal from Stephen Margeson assisted by Stoddard and Held to cut the Tulsa lead to 4-2.  Then, at 15:35 Marty Standish was hooked on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot.  He converted to give the Oilers a 3 goal lead.  The goal was officially credited as an unassisted penalty shot.

  Recently signed forward Jeff Gumaer would, at 508 take the Oilers to a 4 goal lead on a neat goal off a cross-ice pass from TJ Caig.  In scoring that goal the Oilers would enjoy their fifth 6 goal game this season, with three of those games coming against Mississippi.  The Riverkings would score at 12:45 on a goal by Kevin Truelson assisted by Ryan Held and Darrell Stoddard.   A double minor penalty was called on Tulsa’s Tyler Butler for high sticking, a penalty that referee Tom Steinel call after it had appeared that Butler’s stick had inadvertently glanced off Darrell Stoddard’s stick and up into his face.  The Oilers killed that penalty and as Butler emerged from the penalty box Troy Riddle took a pass from Aaron Davis, travel some 60 feet and punch it past Sibbald at 16:51 to give the Oilers their very first 7 goal game of the season and another commanding lead of four goals over Mississippi, who previous to entering the amazing BOK Center had been on a 5 game win streak.

  Tonight was the Oilers most complete and impressive offensive effort since Rob Hisey’s departure in December.  The Oilers would decisively win 7-3 and take a 5-2 lead in the season series.  The Oilers travel to North Richland Hills tomorrow afternoon to take on the Texas Brahmas in an afternoon matinee game in the NyTex  Arena while the Riverkings return home to face the Allen Americans on Tuesday night.  Tuesday will also see the Oilers play the blizzard cancelled Christmas night game with Wichita at 7:05pm in the amazing BOK Center.

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Photos by: Kevin Pyle

Tickets for that game and all the Oilers remaining home games can be purchased at the BOK Center box office, tulsaoilers.com and all Reasors locations.

SCORING SUMMARY
Period 1
Tulsa – Jake Riddle (powerplay) (Travis Banga, Troy Riddle) 12:22
Tulsa – Troy Riddle (Aaron Davis, Derek Eastman) 16:33
Mississippi – Nathan Schwartzbauer (Ryan Held, Darrell Stoddard) 17:48
Period 2
Tulsa – Aaron Davis (Sean Erickson, Jake Riddle) 2:16
Tulsa – Derek Merlini (TJ Caig, Jeff Gumaer) 10:40
Mississippi – Stephen Margeson (Darrell Stoddard, Ryan Held) 11:23
Tulsa – Marty Standish (penalty shot) 15:35
Period 3
Tulsa – Jeff Gumaer (TJ Caig, Aaron Davis) 5:08
Mississippi – Kevin Truelson (powerplay) (Darrell Stoddard, Derek Landmesser) 12:45
Tulsa – Troy Riddle (Aaron Davis) 16:51

PENALTIES
Period 1
Tulsa – Thomas Harrison – (Fighting Major), 5 min, 0:01
Mississippi – Adam Smyth – (Fighting Major), 5 min, 0:01
Mississippi – David Simoes – (Slashing), 2 min, 11:22
Period 2
Tulsa – Sean Erickson – (Interference), 2 min, 8:12
Tulsa – Derek Eastman – (Interference), 2 min, 15:03
Mississippi – Adam Smyth – (Elbowing), 2 min, 15:35
Period 3
Tulsa – Sean Erickson – (Tripping), 2 min, 11:39
Tulsa – Tyler Butler – (High Sticking Double Minor), 4 min, 12:45

POWERPLAYS
Mississippi 1 for 5 : Tulsa 1 for 2

ATTENDANCE: 5,972
REFEREE: Tom Steinel
LINES 1: Jordan Crowell
LINES 2: John Grandt

1ST STAR: Davis, Aaron (TUL)
2ND STAR: Riddle, Troy (TUL)
3RD STAR: Riddle, Jake (TUL)