FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2017
OILERS DEFEAT AMERICANS IN OVERTIME
Tulsa captain Adam Pleskach records a hat trick, as Vladimir Nikiforov buries the game-winning goal in Oilers win at Allen Event Center.
ALLEN, TX – The longest tenured player on the Tulsa Oilers, Adam Pleskach paved the way with a hat trick, and Vladimir Nikiforov added the final touch in overtime to lead the Oilers past the Allen Americans 4-3 Friday at the Allen Event Center.
Tulsa took an early lead when Garrett Ladd found Pleskach wide open on the doorstep for a tap-in goal 4:20 into the game. Allen tied things up when Marcus Basara tallied his first pro goal on a one-timer from the right circle. The Americans briefly took a 2-1 lead late in the frame on a 2-on-1 rush when Alex Schoenborn’s centering pass deflected off of an Oiler and into the back of the Tulsa net. Pleskach had an answer, though, with just 17 seconds to play when he scored a second tap-in goal of the game to tie the score at 2-2.
The Oilers’ captain completed his hat trick at 9:03 of the second period to put Tulsa back in front 3-2. Jake Hildebrand stopped all 13 Americans shots in the stanza, including a flurry of saves on a late Allen power play to keep the Oilers in front at the second break.
Eric Roy evened the score at 3-3 for Allen in the third period with a blast from the top of the right circle just after an Americans power play ended, forcing overtime. Nikiforov fired a shot through the legs of Allen goaltender Jeremy Brodeur 1:26 into the extra period to seal Tulsa’s fourth straight road victory.
The Oilers and Americans face off one more time Saturday at 7:05pm the Allen Event Center before a short Holiday Break. Catch all the action on the Sports Animal (99.9FM/1550AM), ECHL.TV or www.tulsaoilers.com(Listen Live), with pregame coverage starting at 6:45pm. Tulsa will return home Wednesday to face the Kansas City Mavericks on the York Plumbing Ice at the BOK Center at 7:05pm.
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