FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 31, 2017
MAVERICKS TOP OILERS IN A SHOOTOUT ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
Tulsa forced overtime with a late goal after seeing their 2-0 lead disappear, but Oilers fall to Kansas City in a shootout.
INDEPENDENCE, MO – A goal from Tulsa Oilers forward Kale Kessy with less than seven seconds remaining in regulation forced overtimeSunday, but the Kansas City Mavericks edged the Oilers 2-1 in a shootout to win 4-3 on New Year’s Eve at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena.
The Oilers outshot the Mavericks 9-5 in the opening frame, but neither team managed to score in the first 20 minutes. Kansas City had the only power play opportunity, and Tulsa was successful in killing off that penalty.
Shortly after killing off a penalty, Garrett Ladd gave Tulsa the first lead when he was set up by Charlie Sampair for a second period goal. Tulsa made it 2-0 on a power play, when Ryan Tesink deflected a shot from Eric Drapluk past Mavericks goaltender Kent Patterson. Kansas City cut their deficit to one in the final minute of the stanza, when Jordan Kwas was able to fire a shot past Oilers goalie Jake Hildebrand to bring the score to 2-1 after two.
The Mavericks tied the game at 2-2 when Eric Freschi found a loose puck in the slot and scored just over eight minutes into the third period. Kansas City jumped into the lead, when Jared VanWormer redirected a centering pass on a Mavericks power play. Kessy tied the game at 3-3 with a dramatic goal in the final seconds of regulation when the Oilers had Hildebrand pulled for an extra attacker.
After a scoreless overtime period, Tommy Vannelli scored in the shootout for the Oilers, but the Mavericks earned the win thanks to goals from Kwas and Matt Robertson to gain the second point.
Tulsa returns home to start the 2018 half of its schedule Saturday, when the Oilers host the Colorado Eagles on the York Plumbing Ice at the BOK Center. Tickets are available by calling 918-632-7825 or visiting www.tulsaoilers.com.
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