OILERS EARN FIVE OUT OF SIX POINTS BEFORE ALL-STAR BREAK

OILERS EARN FIVE OUT OF SIX POINTS BEFORE ALL-STAR BREAK, THREE-IN-THREE WEEKEND

Tulsa goes 2-0-1-0 on the week in Boise, bringing the season series 5-1-1-0 in Tulsa’s favor.

OVERALL RECORD: 18-21-3-1 (40points, 6th in Mountain Division)

LAST WEEK: 2-0-1-0

RESULTS

Wednesday, Jan, 15 – Tulsa 4, Idaho 1 (CenturyLink Arena — Boise, ID) | Box Score

>> Boise, ID — The Oilers rode a three-goal third period and a 34-saveperformance from Olle Eriksson Ek to defeat the Steelheads 4-1 at CenturyLinkArena on Wednesday. Neither squad found the back of the net in the openingframe, with Jake Kupsky stopping 10 shots in his ECHL debut. Eriksson Ek stoppedall six chances sent his way in the opening 20 minutes. The deadlock wasbroken 6:06 into the second frame when Jacob Benson tipped Charlie Granath’spoint blast into the back of the net. Jeff King answered at the 9:03 mark,walking in all alone off a turnover to tie the game. The Oilers surged inthe final frame, starting at the 8:38 mark with Danny Moynihan’s 12th ofthe season. Moynihan popped the puck into the back of the netoff a feed from Adam Pleskach. Former Steelhead Jack Nevins,who picked up the secondary assist, started Moynihan’s go-aheadgoal with a dump-and-chase play. Benson tallied hissecond of the night at the 12:12 mark of the period, once again displaying histop-notch hand-eye coordination by batting Jake Clifford’s cross-zone laserpast Kupsky, bringing the score to 3-1. Moynihan sealed the 4-1 win witha short-handed empty netter from his own zone at the 17:44 mark of the thirdperiod. Eriksson Ek stopped 34 of 35 shots, earning Tully Law Firmfirst-star honors for the second-straight night, allowing the Oilers to take a4-1 series lead over the Steelheads.

Friday,Jan. 17– Utah 5, Tulsa 3 (CenturyLink Arena – Boise, ID ) Box Score

>>Boise, ID— Tulsa continued a three-game point streak, but eventually cameup short against the Steelheads, losing 2-1 in overtime at CenturyLink Arena onFriday. For the third-straight Oilers’ contest, neither team found the back ofthe net. Olle Eriksson Ek turned aside 13 shots, while JakeKupsky answered the call nine times in his own end. Both teams swapped blows inthe first half of the middle frame, with Kyle Schempp ending the deadlock,tipping Matt Ustaski’s feed against the grain and past Eriksson Ek 5:28into the period. Oilers’ defenseman Cam Knight tallied hiseighth of the year and returned the game to a state of stalemate witha four-on-four tuck inside the post and behind Kupsky 19 seconds before thehalfway-mark of the game. The third period mirrored the first, meaningneither team took a lead. Eriksson Ek exited the frame with 12 saves, andKupsky was just as impressive, stopping all 10 blows sent his way. The Oilersand Steelheads went to the extra frame for the second time this season, butunlike the first battle, a shootout wasn’t necessary. Steelheads forward BrettSupinski snagged a cross-ice stretch pass on the left-wing wall before walkinginto the left circle and ripping the puck over Eriksson Ek just 1:26 intoovertime, dropping Tulsa to a 1-3 record in overtime. The win was the first ofJake Kupsky’s young ECHL career, with the goaltender saving 28 of 29 in theIdaho victory. Eriksson Ek finished with 32 saves on 34chances, earning third-star honors. The result brings the Oilers to 4-1-1-0 onthe season against the Steelheads.

Saturday,Jan.18 — Tulsa 3, Idaho 1 (CenturyLinkArena — Boise, ID)| Box Score

>>Tulsa, ID — Despite being outshot35-17, the Oilers defeated Idaho 3-1 at CenturyLink Arena on Saturday, bringingthe season series to 5-1-1-0 in Tulsa’s favor, and giving the Oilers afour-game point streak heading into the Warrior/ECHL All-Star Break. Therewere no goals in the opening frame in the last three Oilers’ games,but Charlie Granath bucked the trend by scoring the first ofhis ECHL career just 34 seconds into the contest, finding the twine on thefirst shot of the game. Granath received the puck off anoffensive-zone faceoff win by Danny Moynihan before sendingthe puck from the blue line past Thomas Sholl. It was a reversal in the secondperiod, with the lone goal coming from the Steelheads in the last minute of theperiod. Will Merchant camped out in front of the net on the power play beforehammering home a rebound off Olle Eriksson Ek. It took 24 shots and39:36 to beat the Swede. Jacob Benson gave the Oilers theirsecond lead of the game with 5:56 remaining, deflecting Moynihan’sfeed inside the post off a two-on-one. Robby Jackson added aninsurance goal in the final minute, deflecting a chance on power play at the19:21 mark of the period and closing out the scoring on the night.

THEWEEK AHEAD (all times CST)

Friday,Jan. 24 – Kalamazoo AT Tulsa 7:05 p.m. –BOK Center

Saturday,Jan. 25 – Kalamazoo AT Tulsa 7:05 p.m. –BOK Center

Sunday Jan. 26 – Idaho AT Tulsa 4:05 p.m. – BOK Center

FASTFACTS

· OlleErikson Ek has posted a .972 save percentage and 0.99 GAA in his last fourstarts, going 3-0-1-0 in that span.

· DannyMoynihan posted five points (2G, 3A) in the three games this week.

.Jacob Benson has four goals in six games since signing from the SPHL.

. Adam Pleskach leads the ECHL with 159 shots.

. RobbyJackson is ranked eighth amongst rookies with 13 points.

TEAMTRENDS

· Tulsa’sfour-game point streak is a season high