13,517 SEE OILERS TOP GRIZZLIES IN A SHOOTOUT

13,517 SEE OILERS TOP GRIZZLIES IN A SHOOTOUT

Tulsa defeats Utah 2-1 in a thriller on Alzheimer’s Awareness Night for first shootout win in 840 days.

TULSA, OK – A huge crowd of 13,517 saw the Tulsa Oilers (39-22-6) return home and defeat the Utah Grizzlies (35-24-9), 2-1 in a shootout on Alzheimer’s Awareness Night Saturday at the BOK Center. It was Tulsa’s first shootout win since December 10, 2016, a span of 840 days.

Tulsa outshot Utah 13-6 in the opening frame, and Roman Ammirato ripped a shot into the top of the net from the left circle with just 38 seconds remaining to give the Oilers the 1-0 lead. The goal came during a late 4-on-4 situation, as Tulsa carried the lead into the locker room at the first break.

Grizzlies forward Joey Ratelle snuck a shot through the legs of Devin Williams and into the net 1:03 into the middle frame to tie the game at 1-1 early, but Tulsa controlled the play in the frame after that, outshooting Utah 18-11. Grizzlies goaltender Joe Cannata stopped all 18 attempts to keep the score even after two.

After a scoreless third period and overtime, Adam Phillips and Dylan Bredo scored in the first two rounds of the skills competition, while Williams stopped the first and third Grizzlies shooters to seal the Oilers’ 2-1 shootout win. Williams stopped 30 of 31 for the win, while Cannata saved 46 of 47 in the shootout defeat.

The Oilers and Grizzlies face-off once more in the regular season Sunday at 4:05pm at the BOK Center, before possibly meeting up in the playoffs in April. Tulsa then finishes the regular season with four games next week, as the Oilers travel to Kansas City Tuesday night before returning home for games Friday and Saturday against Kalamazoo and Sunday against Wichita.

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