FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 27, 2017
MAVERICKS COME BACK THREE TIMES TO FINISH OFF OILERS
Kansas City overcomes three deficits and scores go-ahead goal early in third period to earn eighth straight victory over Tulsa.
TULSA, OK – The Kansas City Mavericks overcame three different deficits to edge the Tulsa Oilers 4-3 Wednesday at the BOK Center.
Rookie forward Dylan Hubbs notched the game’s first goal 1:11 into the game when he snuck a shot past the blocker of Mason McDonald from the slot to give the Oilers an early 1-0 lead. Mavericks defenseman Troy Donnay tied the score with a one-timer from the point nearly three minutes later.
Tulsa jumped back in front when Eric Drapluk set up Vladimir Nikiforov for a tap-in goal on a 2-on-1 rush. But Kansas City again had an answer when Matt Robertson knocked the puck out of mid-air behind the Oilers’ defense and snapped a shot past Tulsa goaltender Jake Hildebrand before the first break.
For the third time in the game, the Oilers gained the lead, when Captain Adam Pleskach buried a centering pass from Garrett Ladd into the back of the net to make it 3-2. With the assist, Ladd extended his point streak to six games. The Mavericks had an answer again, when Dan Correale scooped up a rebound and floated a backhander past Hildebrand to even the score at 3-3 after two periods.
Robertson scored his second of the game early in the third period on a rebound that kicked out into the right circle. Tulsa hit the crossbar twice in the waning moments, as the Mavericks hung on for the 4-3 win. McDonald stopped 36 of the final 37 Oilers shots he faced, after allowing two goals on the first four Tulsa shots in the victory.
The Oilers and Mavericks will skate on the York Plumbing Ice at the BOK Center again Friday and Saturday at 7:05pm both nights, before finishing the four-game series Sunday at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena at 7:05pm New Year’s Eve. Catch all the action on The Sports Animal (99.9FM/1550AM) in Tulsa, www.tulsaoilers.com and ECHL.TV, with coverage starting at 6:45pm.
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