OILERS EDGED AGAIN IN ALLEN
Paquette scores a pair, but Americans sweep Tulsa behind two goals from newcomer Krushelnyski in 4-3 tilt.
Box Score
ALLEN, TX – The Tulsa Oilers came behind again Saturday night at the Allen Event Center, but were defeated 4-3 by the Allen Americans. It was the Oilers fourth straight one-goal defeat.
Zach Hall gave Allen a 1-0 lead with under six minutes remaining in the opening period when he snuck behind the Tulsa defense and fooled goaltender P.J. Musico. With 2:13 left in the frame, Josh Brittain tipped a shot from Joel Chouinard into the net to give the Americans a 2-0 lead after one.
Danick Paquette cut the deficit to one, when he fired a shot from the left circle past the blocker of Allen goalie Riley Gill to give the Oilers their first goal of the night. The Americans opened their advantage back to two goals, when Alex Krushelnyski flicked a backhander past Musico’s glove for his second goal in as many nights. Paquette answered with 3:54 left in the stanza when he stashed a loose puck into the net from the edge of the crease for his first two-goal game of the season. The Americans led 3-2 after 40 minutes.
Krushelnyski added his second of the game from the left circle to give Allen a 4-2 lead with the eventual game-winning goal. Tulsa made it interesting on a 5-on-3 power play, when Shawn Bates banked a centering pass off of an Allen skate and into the net with 7:21 to play, but the Oilers could not complete the comeback.
UP NEXT: The Oilers head home for the first time since February 26 to host the Wichita Thunder next Friday at 7:05pm at the BOK Center. It’s Alzheimer’s Awareness Night, and Tulsa will wear special purple jerseys which will be auctioned off after the game, with proceeds going to the Alzheimer’s Association.