Oil Drops: Tulsa Oilers Weekly Report
October 27, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
Friday, October 24 at Allen Americans (9-6 W)
Sunday, October 26 vs. Wichita Thunder (6-5 W/OT)
UPCOMING GAMES
Wednesday, October 29, 7:05 p.m. - at Wichita Thunder
Friday, October 31, 7:35 p.m. - vs. Missouri Mavericks
Sunday, November 2, 4:05 p.m. - vs. Wichita Thunder
TEAM LEADERS
Goals: T.J. Caig, Adam Pleskach - 4
Assists: Jon Booras - 6
Points: Jon Booras - 6
PIM: Ty Bilcke - 11
+/-: Nathan Lutz, Jake Obermeyer - +4
WEEK IN REVIEW
The Oilers made the trip to Allen, Texas last Friday for their first game in the ECHL and skated away with a wild, 9-6 victory over the Americans. T.J. Caig and Adam Pleskach tallied twice and top-line center Jon Booras chipped in four assists to help the Oilers earn their first two points of the season. Rookie goaltender Kevin Carr turned aside 38 shots for his first ECHL win and 13 of the 16 skaters on the Oilers' roster registered a point.
In Sunday's home opener against Wichita, the Oilers built a 4-1 second period lead before the Thunder stormed back with three unanswered goals. The rivals traded goals in the third period and with just 65 seconds remaining in overtime, Oilers forward T.J. Caig cashed in on a breakaway to give Tulsa a dramatic 6-5 victory. Caig and Pleskach posted two goals for the second straight contest as the Oilers tasted victory in a home opener for the first time since 2010.
RIGHT WHERE HE LEFT OFF
In 2009-10, T.J. Caig ranked second on the Oilers squad with 55 points in 51 games. Four years later, the now 33-year old Caig has returned to Tulsa and is once again showcasing his play-making ability with four goals in the first two games. Caig has found the net four times on just seven shots and ranks fourth in the league with a 57.1 shooting percentage. The Kelowna, British Columbia native is tied with Adam Pleskach for second place in the ECHL goal race and has sparked the Oilers to their first 2-0-0 start since 2011.
Listen to T.J. Caig's game-winning goal against Wichita on Sunday
RETURN OF THE MAC
As a rookie in 2013-14, defenseman Scott Macaulay scored three goals in 55 games with the Oilers. Just two games into this season, Macaulay has already tallied twice and is tied for third in points (2 goals, 3 assists) among ECHL defensemen. The 23-year old blue liner leads the Oilers with three power play points.
OFFENSIVE EFFICIENCY
With 15 goals to their credit, the Oilers have set a new franchise high for offensive output in the first two games of a season. An astounding 25-percent of the Oilers total shots have found the back of the net. Tulsa has outscored its opponents 5-1 in the first period and has yet to trail at any point this season.
HEAVYWEIGHT DEBUT
Rookie forward Ty Bilcke dropped the mitts in his first professional fight on Sunday and went toe-to-toe with Wichita enforcer Erick Lizon during the first period. The 20-year Bilcke arrived in Tulsa with a reputation as one of the toughest players in Canadian junior hockey. Bilcke, who hails from Exeter, Ontario, led the OHL with 221 penalty minutes in 2011-12 as a member of the Windsor Spitfires.
SPECIAL TEAMS SPECTRUM
Tulsa connected for two power play goals on Friday in Allen and added another power play tally on Sunday against Wichita. The Oilers are 3-for-9 with the man advantage through two games and rank second in the ECHL with a 33-percent success rate. The Oilers are near the bottom of the league in penalty killing. Tulsa has allowed five goals in 11 opposing power plays and ranks 27th out of 28 teams with a 54.5-percent kill rate.
GAME CHANGE
The Oilers game against the Orlando Solar Bears, originally scheduled for Thursday, January 15, has been changed to Saturday, January 17 at 7:05 p.m. at Amway Center in Orlando.
NOTES
Defenseman Kevin Noble scored his first professional goal on Sunday against Wichita...Sunday's victory pushed Bruce Ramsay's record as Oilers Head Coach back above .500 (150-149-29)...Adam Pleskach scored the first shorthanded goal of the season in the first period of Sunday's win over the Thunder...
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