ECHL Tulsa Oilers

Game Preview: Tulsa Oilers vs. Allen Americans - Tonight at 7:05 p.m.

March 31, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release


TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

Tulsa Oilers vs. Allen Americans - 7:05 p.m. at BOK Center

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

October 24 - Tulsa 9 at Allen 6

November 8 - Tulsa 4 at Allen 6

November 9 - Tulsa 3 at Allen 2

November 25 - Allen 3 at Tulsa 1

November 27 - Allen 5 at Tulsa 4 (shootout)

December 2 - Allen 7 at Tulsa 4

December 3 - Tulsa 1 at Allen 5

December 5 - Allen 4 at Tulsa 5 (shootout)

December 20 - Tulsa 4 at Allen 5

December 21 - Allen 6 at Tulsa 3

December 26 - Tulsa 3 at Allen 5

December 28 - Allen 3 at Tulsa 4

February 22 - Tulsa 3 at Allen 1

March 22 - Tulsa 2 at Allen 8

March 25 - Allen 3 at Tulsa 1

March 28 - Tulsa 2 at Allen 3 (OT)

TEAM CAPSULES

Tulsa Oilers

Overall: 34-27-2-3 (73 points)

Home: 17-14-1-1

Road: 17-13-1-2

Rank: 4th in Central Division

Allen Americans

Overall: 43-14-6-3 (95 points)

Home: 21-6-5-1

Road: 22-8-1-2

Rank: 1st in Central Division

SERIES LEADERS - OILERS VS. AMERICANS

Tulsa Oilers

Goals: Adam Pleskach - 10

Assists: Jon Booras - 12

Points: T.J. Caig - 18

PIM: Tommy Mele - 45

+/-: Eric Tallent +5

Allen Americans

Goals: Chad Costello - 13

Assists: Chad Costello - 15

Points: Chad Costello - 28

PIM: Garrett Clarke - 50

+/-: Chad Costello +15

SERIES FINALE

Tonight's match-up is the 17 th and final regular season meeting between the Oilers and the Americans. The two clubs are facing off for the fourth time in 10 days and most recently clashed on Saturday at the Allen Event Center in a 3-2 overtime victory for the Americans. The Oilers are 5-9-2 overall against the Americans and 2-4-1 at the BOK Center. Allen has won three in a row in the series and has outscored Tulsa 14-5 in those three contests. The team that has scored first has won 13 of the previous 16 meetings.

ROLLING PAST THE THUNDER

Sunday evening in Wichita, the Oilers cruised to a 5-1 victory over the Thunder. Jon Booras led the Oilers' attack with a goal and an assist and Kevin Carr made 27 saves as Tulsa improved to 10-2-0 against Wichita this season. The Oilers went 7-for-8 on the penalty kill and won their fourth straight game in the StoneWolf Casino Cup series.

CREATING A CUSHION

Thanks to a three-point weekend for the Oilers and a six-game losing skid for the Thunder, Tulsa has opened up a five point lead on Wichita for the fourth and final Central Division playoff spot. The Oilers have six games remaining in the regular season while the Thunder has just five games left on the schedule.

NEW FACE ON THE BLUE LINE

The Oilers signed rookie defenseman Kevin Gibson on Monday and the 25-year old will make his debut tonight against Allen. Gibson, 6-foot-0, 180-pounds, just completed a four-year collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and helped guide the Pointers to the 2014-15 Division III National Championship game. As a senior, the Gross Pointe, Michigan native was the highest scoring defenseman in the country with 32 points (8 goals, 24 assists) and was named a 2015 All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association.

A GAME OF FIRSTS

Sunday proved to be a memorable evening for a trio of Tulsa rookies with key contributions in the 5-1 win over Wichita. Phil Brewer, recently signed out of Bemidji State University, scored his first professional goal with a shorthanded strike in the first period. In the second period, Justin Mansfield registered his first professional point with a stretch pass that set up a breakaway goal for Brady Ramsay. With just over a minute remaining in regulation, rookie defenseman Ricards Birzinsh cashed in a breakaway attempt for his first goal of the season and his first goal as a North American professional.

ON THE RISE

The Oilers have earned points in eight of their last ten games (7-2-1) and have surrendered an average of just two goals per game over that span. In their seven wins, Tulsa's average margin of victory was 3.14 goals.

HOT STICK

Adam Pleskach has scored in three straight games and is tied for second in the ECHL with 37 goals on the season. The second-year pro has eight goals through 11 games in the month of March.

ROOM TO IMPROVE

With 34 wins on the season, the Oilers have equaled their win total from the 2013-14 campaign. Through 66 games this season, Tulsa's win percentage (.553) is slightly higher than it was through 66 games last season (.537). The Oilers need just one more victory to tie the highest win total of the Bruce Ramsay era.

OIL DROPS

Drew Fisher dished out his 100 th career assist on Saturday in Allen and appeared in his 200 th professional game on Sunday in Wichita...After going four straight games with a power play goal, the Oilers are 0-for-12 on the man-advantage over their last three games...T.J. Caig missed his first game of the season on Sunday after suffering a lower body injury on Saturday night...The Oilers have won 17 games at home and 17 games on the road...The Oilers have assured themselves of a winning record for the third consecutive month.

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