GAMEDAY PREVIEW: FEB. 2 vs UTAH GRIZZLIES

GAMEDAY PREVIEW:

TULSA, Okla. – The Tulsa Oilers host the Utah Grizzlies for the first-of-three meetings this weekend at the BOK Center.

DATE: Friday, Feb. 2

LOCATION: BOK Center (200 S. Denver Ave, Tulsa, Oklahoma)

TIME: 7:05 p.m. CT  

OPPONENT: Utah Grizzlies

WATCH: Flo Hockey ; Cox Yurview (Channel 3 for Oklahoma Cox Customer) 

PROMOTIONS: Red Out The Rink

·       First 1000 fans will receive a free Red Out The Rink Rally Towel

·       The Oilers are wearing special Red Out The Rink Jerseys

·       The players game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off after the game in the River Spirit Lounge, benefitting the American Heart Association

TULSA AT A GLANCE

OILERS RECORD: 20-17-3-0 (43 points, Third in Mountain Division)

OILERS OVER THE LAST 10 GAMES: 7-3-0-0

OILERS HOME RECORD: 13-8-2-0

OILERS STREAK: 2-0-0-0

LAST GAME: Jan. 28 vs IDH (5-2 W)

OILERS STATISTICAL LEADERS:

Points: Kyle Crnkovic – 32

Goals: Eddie Matsushima – 15

Assists: Kyle Crnkovic – 23

+/-: Mike McKee - + 15

PIM: Mike McKee - 46

WINS: Julian Junca -  11

Save Percentage: Calle Clang - .931

UTAH AT A GLANCE

GRIZZLIES RECORD: 18-23-0-0 (36 points, Fifth in Mountain Division)

GRIZZLIES OVER THE LAST 10 GAMES: 6-4-0-0

GRIZZLIES ROAD RECORD: 4-17-0-0

GRIZZLIES STREAK: 0-1-0-0

GRIZZLIES LAST GAME: Jan: 30 at Kansas City (8-3 L)

GRIZZLIES STATISTICAL LEADERS:

Points: Brett Stapley – 34

Goals: Brandon Cutler – 17

Assists: Brett Stapley – 25

+/-: Bryan Yoon - +11

PIM: Cutler - 59

Wins: Dante Gianuzzi - 8

Save Percentage: Trent Miner - .917

SEASON SERIES

OILERS RECORD AGAINST GRIZZLIES: 2-5-0-0

OILERS RECORD AT HOME AGAINST GRIZZLIES: 2-0-0-0

MOST RECENT MEETING: Dec. 31, 2023 (1-0 Utah Win)

MOST RECENT MEETING AT BOK CENTER: Dec. 3, 2023 (4-1 Tulsa win)

OILERS RECORD AGAINST UTAH OVER LAST FIVE SEASONS: 14-21-2-2

OILERS STATISTICAL LEADERS (SERIES):

GOALS: Alec Butcher (3); Dante Sheriff (2); Jaxsen Wiebe (2)

ASSISTS: Karl Boudrias (4); Kyle Crnkovic (4); Anthony Costantini (4)

POINTS: Karl Boudrias (5); Kyle Crnkovic (5); Alec Butcher (4); Anthony Costantini (4)  

WINS: Julian Junca (2)

GRIZZLIES STATISTICAL LEADERS (SERIES)

GOALS: Brandon Cutler (3); Cole Gallant (2); Nathan Burke (2);

ASSISTS: Brett Stapley (6), Kyle Mayhew (5), Cole Gallant (4)

POINTS: Brett Stapley (8), Cole Gallant (6), Kyle Mayhew (6)

WINS: Dante Gianuzzi (2)

STORYLINES

VERY NICE, HIGH FIVE!:  Five has been a friendly number for the Oilers as of late, coming off back-to-back 5-2 victories over the Idaho Steelheads. As is tradition, Tulsa fans can pick up a free milkshake from Steak N Shake with a ticket from either five-goal effort. The Oilers have also won five of their last six games.

YA GOTTA LOVE YARO: Yaroslav Yevdokimov secured back-to-back multi-point games on Jan. 27 and Jan. 28 against the Steelheads. Jan. 27 saw the 30-year-old forward net two goals and record an assist, tying his season-high three points while picking up his first multi-goal ECHL appearance. Yevdokimov followed up on Sunday with a goal and assist, totaling five points on the weekend — matching his production from his previous 12 games. If Yevdokimov plays this weekend, he will dress for his 400^th professional game on Saturday, Feb. 3

GALVANIZED GOALIES: Both the Oilers goaltenders earned wins on the weekend, with Gage Alexander going 1-0-0-0 and recording a career-high 42 saves on 44 shots. Julian Junca went 1-1-0-0, playing Friday and Saturday. Junca has now won five of his last six starts, with his first North American professional shutout coming in the span in a 3-0, 35-save effort against Wichita on Jan. 19.  

ROCK THE BOK: The Oilers have set the three largest crowds in the ECHL this season, advancing to five of the biggest nine crowds in ECHL. The Oilers are one of just two clubs since the ECHL began 36 seasons ago to draw 16,000 or more twice in one season.

JAMMING IN JANUARY: Tulsa left a jam-packed January with a 7-4-0-0 record in 11 games. The month saw the Oilers down Allen, Iowa, Idaho, Rapid City and Wichita.

GAUGING THE GRIZZ: Utah has had a Jekyll and Hyde season, tied with Kansas City for the most home wins in the ECHL so far (14) and sitting dead last in the league in road wins (4). Utah is a perfect 5-0-0-0 against the Oilers at the Maverik Center this season but are 0-2-0-0 against the Oilers in two meetings at the BOK Center, both coming in December.   

MANIC MOUNTAIN: The Mountain Division saw significant movement in the month of January, but only in the bottom half of the division. Both Kansas City and Idaho maintained their strangleholds on their positions in the division, while the Oilers avoided being dragged into the battle for the final playoff spot. Wichita’s slide resulted in a drop all the way to last place in both the division and the league.Tulsa’s longest-lasting rival is 2-6-2-0 over the last 10 games and have lost four consecutive outings. Rapid City fell from finishing 2023 in third to falling to sixth. Rapid City’s losing streak reached five games. Utah and Allen are the two teams who have made positive movement. The Grizzlies have won 10 of their last 16 games, moving past Wichita and Rapid City and within two points of Allen who clawed back into fourth position. Tulsa has a game in hand on every team except Kansas City and Wichita, who have both played 40 games as well.

DIVISION STANDINGS

1. Kansas City Mavs. – 62 points (.775%)

2. Idaho Steelheads — 56 points (.667%)

3. Tulsa Oilers          — 43 points (.538%)

4. Allen Americans— 39 points (.464%)

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5. Utah Grizzlies — 36 points (.439%)

6. Rapid City Rush—36 points (.439%)

7. Wichita Thunder— 30 points (.375%)

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

Feb. 1 – Brayden Sherbinin — Suspended by team to protect rights (went to Europe)

Feb. 2 – Anthony Costantini — assigned to Tulsa by San Diego Gulls

The Oilers are back in action tomorrow, Feb. 3, hosting the Utah Grizzlies again at the BOK Center at 7:05 p.m.