TULSA BATTLES BACK TO BEAT ALLEN IN OVERTIME

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 27, 2019

TULSA BATTLES BACK TO BEAT ALLEN IN OVERTIME

Charlie Sampair seals the Oilers comeback win with power play goal in overtime, as Tulsa edges Americans 5-4.

TULSA, OK– An overtime goal from Charlie Sampairsealed a 5-4 comeback victory for the Tulsa Oilers (25-14-6) against the Allen Americans (14-28-5) Sunday at the BOK Center. It was the first career win for acting head coach Zac Desjardins, who filled in for Oilers coach Rob Murray while the latter serves as an honorary captain of the American Hockey League All-Star Classic in Springfield, Mass.

The Americans jumped in front when a bouncing puck at center ice led to a 2-on-0 rush into the Oilers zone. Dante Salituro fed a pass to Riley Bourbannais, who lifted a shot underneath the crossbar to give Allen a 1-0 lead. Tulsa held a narrow 9-6 shots advantage after one, but C.J. Motte stopped all nine attempts.

A wild middle frame saw six combined goals, the most scored in any Oilers game this season in a single period. Dante Salituro put Allen ahead 2-0 on an early breakaway, before the Oilers clawed back to tie the game with back-to-back goals 16 seconds apart midway through the stanza. Jared Thomasdeflected a puck past Motte late in a power play, and birthday boy Roman Ammiratoscored on a breakaway off of the ensuing face-off.

Still in the middle 20 minutes, Allen regained the lead when Zach Pochiro fired a one-timer past Evan Fitzpatrickfrom low in the left circle. The Americans made it 4-2 when Braylon Shmyr scored a power play goal 51 seconds later. Scott Henegarscooped up a net-mouth rebound and lifted the puck past Motte to bring Tulsa back to within one late in the high-scoring frame.

The Oilers buzzed out to a 7-0 shots advantage early in the third period, capped off by a game-tying deflection from Ryan Tesink. The goal pulled Tulsa even at 4-4, as the teams headed to overtime. After the Americans were called for a too-many-men on the ice penalty in the extra frame, Sampair redirected a slap pass from Thomas on the power play to give Tulsa the comeback win. It was Sampair’s league-leading seventh game-winner this season.

The Oilers’ home stand continues Tuesday when Tulsa hosts the Utah Grizzlies at 7:05pm on the York Plumbing Ice at the BOK Center. The Oilers and Grizzlies face-off again Wednesday at 7:05pm before Tulsa hits the road for Toledo next Friday and Cincinnati next Saturday.

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