Andrei Bakanov's Hat Trick Powers Oilers Comeback Win over Rush
ECHL Tulsa Oilers

Andrei Bakanov's Hat Trick Powers Oilers Comeback Win over Rush

Published on February 28, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release


TULSA, Okla. - The Tulsa Oilers, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Anaheim Ducks and the AHL's San Diego Gulls, and powered by Community Care, won their third straight game on Saturday night at the BOK Center, beating the Rapid City Rush 7-5.

Quinn Olson scored Rapid City's first goal of the weekend, hammering a rebound into the net to put the Rush up 1-0. Chaz Smedsrud extended the Rush lead to 2-0, jumping on another rebound at the 12:22 mark. Blake Bennett kept the Rush dominance rolling 2:09 later, beating Vyacheslav Buteyets clean on the blocker side during the first power play of the night. Andrei Bakanov cut the Rush lead to 3-1 with a power-play tip in the final 11 seconds of the period.

Josh Nelson brought the Oilers within one, stuffing a backhander through Nathan Torchia 2:11 into the second period. Simon Mack put the Rush up 4-2 with a long-distance shot from the blue line just 36 seconds later. Bakanov scored his second of the game, bouncing the puck off Torchia to make the score 4-3, 7:23 into the second period. Bakanov completed his hat trick with another power-play tip, tying the game 4-4 through two periods.

German Yavas scored his first as an Oiler with 2:54 remaining, breaking the deadlock and giving the Oilers their first lead of the night, 5-4. Ryan Lautenbach added an empty netter with two minutes remaining and Drew Elliott extended the Oilers lead to 7-5 with an empty-net goal of his own at the 18:25 mark. Seth Fyten scored a goal with 39 seconds remaining, closing the score 7-5 in Tulsa's favor.

The Oilers close out the weekend and kick off the month of March tomorrow, March 1 at 3:05 p.m. at the BOK Center for the Jewish Heritage Game.

Oilers Season and Group Tickets are on sale now! Call the Oilers front office at 918-632-PUCK (7825) or visit www.tulsaoilers.com for more information.

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ECHL Stories from February 28, 2026


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