Blaze Win Streak Ends with Loss at Tulsa

Published on December 2, 2011 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bloomington Blaze News Release


TULSA - The Bloomington Blaze, presented by Mid-Illini Credit Union, could not hold an early lead and fell 7-3 to the Tulsa Oilers on Friday night at BOK Center.

The Blaze again played shorthanded, with Greg Moore and Marc Rechlicz sidelined with injuries, goalie Marco Emond's retirement and Karl Fournier and Matt Whitehead not making the trip.

Vladimir Nikiforov continued his offensive tear, scoring the game's first goal for the Blaze with a top-shelf blast set up by Brodie Sheahan on the power play with 11:07 left in the first period. The Oilers tied the game with 3:28 left in the first with a drive from the slot by Gio Flamminio. The Oilers grabbed a 2-1 lead with a minute left in the opening chapter on a power play goal from Mike Ullrich, his team-leading 13th tally.

Tulsa extended their lead to 4-1 with two goals in 28 seconds early in the second period. Michel Beausoleil scored with a wrap-around at 4:42 into the chapter, and Ryan Raven dove after a bounding puck to the right of the Blaze net and slapped it home with 5:10 gone in the period. Gary Steffes made it 5-1 with a shorthanded rebound goal with 8:46 remaining in the second. The Oilers made it 6-1 with another shot from the slot, as Jason Weeks sent on home inside the left post with 5:39 left. The Blaze got one goal back just over two minutes later on Nikiforov's second score of the contest, also set up by Sheahan, to cut the deficit to 6-2 heading into the second intermission.

Ryan Palmer scored his first goal of the season for the Blaze when he raced in from the right wing with 11:45 left in the third period to cut the Blaze deficit to 6-3. The Oilers tallied again with 6:01 remaining when Dylan Clarke raced in point-blank to extend their lead to 7-3.

The Blaze drop to 3-11-2 while the Oilers improve to 10-6-2. The Oilers outshot the Blaze 39-37.

The Blaze conclude the weekend trip with their first trip of the season to the Ford Center in Evansville in a rematch with the IceMen on Sunday at 5 p.m. The Blaze defeated Evansville 6-2 on Thursday in Bloomington. The game broadcast can be found on WJBC.com and CHL-TV at 4:45, and fans are inviited to watch the game at Gill Street Sports Bar and Restaurant, 3002 Gill Street in Bloomington. The Blaze return home next Friday against the Fort Wayne Komets and Saturday against the Tulsa Oilers, both at 7:05 p.m. Tickets and more information are available by calling the Blaze office at 309-434-2980.

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 2, 2011


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