OILERS FORCE TIE CONTEST IN FINAL MINUTE, DEFEAT IDAHO IN OVERTIME
Justin Michaelian ties game with 42 seconds remaining in regulation, Duggie Lagrone downs Steelheads with last-minute overtime winner
BOISE, Idaho —The Tulsa Oilers, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and the AHL’s San Diego Gulls and powered by Community Care, downed the Idaho Steelheads 5-4 in dramatic, overtime fashion on Friday night.
Reece Harsch scored his second of the season and in as many games nine minutes into the contest, snapping a rebound through Talyn Boyko. Ruslan Gazizov leveled the game 3:37 later, unleashing a wicked, mid-stride wristshot from the right circle. Michael Farren gave the Oilers a 2-1 lead, working a power-play rebound into the back of the net. Alec Butcher gave the Oilers a two-goal lead, jamming home a rebound on his own shot for his team-leading 10th goal of the season. Farren and Butcher have both scored in back-to-back games.
Hank Crone cut the Oilers' lead in half, guiding a top-shelf power-play goal 1:20 into the back half of the game. Mark Olver knotted the game 3-3 with Idaho’s second power-play strike of the frame with 2:25 left in the second period.
Ty Pelton-Byce put the Steelheads ahead 6:07 in the third period, setting him up for the second-straight game-winning goal, but Justin Michaelian roofed a rebound with 42 seconds left in regulation, forcing overtime. Solag Bakich picked up his third primary assist of the game on the game-tying goal by setting up Michaelian in a scramble forced by a strong, net-front drive by Jack Clement.
Boyko halted eight Steelhead opportunities with show-stopping saves, continuing the sudden-death frame into its final minute. Duggie Lagrone took advantage of the time at the other end, slamming former Steelhead Reid Petryk’s rebound home with 38 seconds remaining to seal the 5-4 win for the Oilers.
Tulsa looks ahead to the rubber match tomorrow, Dec. 13 at Idaho Central Arena at 8:10 p.m. CT.
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