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ECHL Tulsa Oilers

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

March 25, 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

TEAM CAPSULES

Tulsa Oilers

Overall: 33-26-1-3 (70 points)

Home: 17-13-1-1

Road: 16-13-0-2

Rank: 3rd in Central Division

Allen Americans

Overall: 41-14-5-3 (90 points)

Home: 20-6-4-1

Road: 21-8-1-2

Rank: 1st in Central Division

SERIES LEADERS - OILERS VS. AMERICANS

Tulsa Oilers

Goals: Adam Pleskach - 8

Assists: Jon Booras - 12

Points: T.J. Caig - 18

PIM: Tommy Mele - 45

+/-: Drew Fisher +5

Allen Americans

Goals: Chad Costello - 12

Assists: Chad Costello - 14

Points: Chad Costello - 26

PIM: Garrett Clarke - 48

+/-: Chad Costello +14

SEEING RED

The Oilers and Americans clash for the second time in four days and for the 14 th meeting of the season. Tulsa is 5-8-1 overall against Allen and 2-3-1 at the BOK Center. The clubs haven't met in Tulsa since December 28 and will face off two more times in the next six days to complete their 17-game season series. In the 13 previous meetings, the two sides have combined to average nearly nine goals per game and the Americans hold a 66-50 advantage in total goals scored in the series.

SEEKING PAYBACK

Tulsa's longest win streak of the season came to a crashing halt on Sunday in an 8-2 setback to the Allen Americans. Gary Steffes led the potent Allen attack with two goals and two assists while Chad Costello, the ECHL leader in points, recorded a goal, two assists, and a +5 rating. The Oilers surrendered their highest goal total of the season and suffered their most lopsided loss.

FUN WHILE IT LASTED

During the recent six-game win streak, the longest run of sustained success this season, the Oilers outscored the opposition 23-5 and used the momentum to climb to third place in the closely contested Central Division playoff chase. Rookie goalie Kevin Carr was in net for all six games and over the course of the streak, the 24-year old posted a 0.83 goals against average and a .971 save percentage. Jeff Jubinville led the Tulsa offense with seven goals and eight points during the six-game run. The streak is tied for the second-longest win streak of the Bruce Ramsay era (7 games in 2009-10) and despite Sunday's loss, the Oilers have still claimed victory in 12 of their last 16 games.

RAPID REVERSAL

The Oilers gave up more goals in two periods against Allen on Sunday (six) than they allowed in the previous six games (five). After combining for a +68 rating during their six-game win streak, the Oilers ended Sunday's debacle with a cumulative -29. The Americans handed the Oilers their worst loss since December 27, 2013, an 8-2 setback to the Wichita Thunder at the BOK Center.

NEW BLOOD

To add depth to the roster and to make up for a rash of recent injuries, the Oilers signed four players last week from the college ranks. Defenseman Steven Hoshaw, a California native out of American International College, played in all three games last week and registered an assist in his pro debut against Quad City. Justin Mansfield, a product of Merrimack College, debuted on the Tulsa blue line on Saturday in Wichita and saw shifts at defense and forward in Sunday's tilt against Allen. Forward Phil Brewer, a former Bemidji State University teammate of Jeff Jubinville and Drew Fisher, recorded an assist in his first pro game at Wichita on Saturday, and forward Stephen Perfetto, fresh off a four-year career at Lake Superior State University, notched assists in each of his first two games as an Oiler.

SPECIAL TEAMS SURGE

Through eight games in the month of March, the Oilers have seen dramatic improvement in their special teams units. Tulsa is operating at 22.5-percent on the power play in March (7-for-31), well above its season average of 15.5-percent. The Oilers have six power play goals in their last four games and have scored on the man-advantage in four consecutive contests. The penalty kill unit has erased 27 of 30 opposition power plays over the last eight games, a 90-percent success rate. The recent rise has pushed the Oilers up to 23 rd in the ECHL on the penalty kill at 80.3-percent for the season.

CLOSING IN

The Oilers need just one more victory to equal their win total from last season and two more victories to tie the highest win total (35) of Bruce Ramsay's tenure as Head Coach. The franchise record for wins in a single season was set during the 1999-00 campaign when the Oilers won 38 games under the guidance of Head Coach Shaun Clouston.

OIL DROPS

Drew Fisher, the Oilers leader with 69 points, is just two assists shy of 100 for his career and will play in his 200 th professional game on Sunday in Wichita...Tommy Mele appeared in two games for the Oklahoma City Barons last weekend during his second AHL call-up of the season...T.J. Caig ranks fourth in the league with 10 power play goals.

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