OILERS DROP FIRST OF TWO GAMES AGAINST ICEMEN

OILERS DROP FIRST OF TWO GAMES AGAINST ICEMEN

Oilers out chance Jacksonville 36-27, but come up short 4-2

TULSA, Okla. —The Tulsa Oilers, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, fell 4-2 to the Jacksonville Icemen at the BOK Center on Friday night.

Jacob Hamacher opened the scoring 45 seconds into the action, roofing the Icemen’s first chance, jumping to a 1-0 lead. Jacob Friend extended the Icemen’s advantage to 2-0 with an unassisted goal at the 13:41 mark. Jimmy Soper deflected a slap shot from Max Golod, beating Parker Gahagen on the power play to pull Tulsa within one with 1:13 left in the opening period. Soper’s goal gives him the first Oilers’ tally in three consecutive games. 

Luke Lynch restored Jacksonville’s two-goal lead, scoring 44 seconds before the halfway point of the contest, setting the score 3-1. Justin Bean answered less than two minutes later, wiring a power-play cannonade into the back of the net to make it a 3-2 affair. Jacksonville captain Christoper Brown scored the final goal of the game with 2:13 left in the middle frame, cementing a 4-2 victory for Jacksonville.

Neither team scored in the final frame. Gahagen stopped 34 of 36 shots en route to second-star honors. Karl Boudrias collected two assists on the night.

The Oilers square off with Jacksonville in a rematch tomorrow, Dec. 17 for Teddy Bear Toss Night at the BOK Center. Puck drop is at 7:05 p.m., and fans are encouraged to bring stuffed animals to throw on the ice after the first Tulsa goal. All collected bears will be donated to The Salvation Army, who will distribute the plush toys to Tulsa-area children in need.