Oil Drops: Tulsa Oilers Weekly Report
January 5, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
Tuesday, December 30 vs. Rapid City Rush (5-3 L)
Friday, January 2 vs. Brampton Beast (5-4 W/OT)
Saturday, January 3 vs. Rapid City Rush (3-1 W)
Sunday, January 4 vs. Rapid City Rush (6-3 L)
UPCOMING GAMES
Tuesday, January 6 at Rapid City Rush - 7:35 p.m.
Friday, January 9 at Rapid City Rush - 8:05 p.m.
Saturday, January 10 at Rapid City Rush - 8:05 p.m.
All times Central
TEAM CAPSULE
Overall: 16-16-1-2 (35 points)
Home: 12-10-1-1
Road: 4-6-0-1
Last 10: 3-7-0-0
Rank: 4th in Central Division
TEAM LEADERS
Goals: Adam Pleskach - 19
Assists: Drew Fisher - 24
Points: Adam Pleskach - 36
+/-: Drew Fisher +13
PIM: Tommy Mele - 107
WEEK IN REVIEW
The final game of 2014 ended in disappointing fashion on Tuesday as the Oilers watched an early 3-0 lead disappear in a 5-3 loss to the Rush at the BOK Center. The Oilers were outscored 4-0 in the third period and Rush goalie Raphael Girard made 19 saves on 19 shots after entering the game in relief of starter Danny Battochio.
On Friday, the Oilers overcame a pair of third period deficits and rallied for a 5-4 overtime win over the Brampton Beast. Tulsa fired a season-high 62 shots on net including 31 in the second period and Adam Pleskach scored the game-winning goal with 34 seconds left in the extra session. Pleskach, Drew Fisher, and Jeff Jubinville each registered three points as the Oilers improved to 2-0-0 this season against the Beast.
Rookie goaltender Kevin Murdock made his Tulsa debut on Saturday night and turned in a 30-save performance in the Oilers' 3-1 victory over the Rush. Trailing 1-0 with seven minutes left in the third period, the Oilers ripped off three unanswered goals, including two from Jeff Jubinville, to secure the win.
Rapid City turned the tables on Tulsa on Sunday afternoon and handed the Oilers a 6-3 loss. Rush rookie Cody Ferriero recorded his first professional hat-trick and the Oilers managed a season-low 14 shots on goal.
LETHAL LINE COMBINATION
In four games last week, the Tulsa line of Drew Fisher, Adam Pleskach, and Jeff Jubinville accounted for 50-percent of the Oilers point production. Fisher chipped in two goals and four assists and is riding an eight-game point streak, the longest streak of any Tulsa player this season. Pleskach contributed a goal and six assists last week while Jubinville scored six times in the four contests and also dished out a pair of assists. Pleskach and Fisher have climbed to fourth and seventh respectively in the ECHL scoring race and Jubinville ranks seventh among all rookies with 26 points on the season.
HIGHEST OF HIGHS, LOWEST OF LOWS
In the span of just 48 hours, the Oilers went from their highest shot total of the season to their lowest shot total of the season. The Oilers put 62 pucks on net in Friday's overtime victory over Brampton and set a new season-high for shots in a single period by rifling 31 on goal in the second period. At the conclusion of the second period, the Oilers had 45 shots or more than one shot per minute. Tulsa tasted the opposite end of the spectrum on Sunday afternoon by putting up a measly 14 shots in a loss to Rapid City. In the first period, the Oilers put only three shots on target, a new season-low for shots in a period. The 14 shots were the fewest by a Rapid City opponent in the history of the Rush franchise. Despite the low total on Sunday, the Oilers still lead the league in total shots.
BYE-BYE BOK CENTER
After playing 11 of their last 13 games on home ice, the Oilers will not return to the BOK Center until January 29. The Oilers begin a seven-game road trip on Tuesday that will take them to Rapid City, South Dakota, Naples, Florida, Orlando, Florida, and Independence, Missouri. Only 12 home games remain for Tulsa over the remainder of the regular season.
MILESTONE FOR THE CAPTAIN
Tulsa defenseman Nathan Lutz, in his 14th season of pro hockey, played in his 800th career game on Saturday. The 36-year old began his pro journey in the 2001-02 season with the Reading Royals (ECHL) and has gone on to play for 17 teams in seven leagues and five countries. In 800 contests, Lutz recorded 98 goals, 271 assists, 369 points, and 1,407 penalty minutes. The Mistatim, Saskatchewan native has been a part of nine playoff teams and in the 2006-07 season, he helped the Rockford Ice Hogs win the United Hockey League Championship. Now in his second season in Tulsa, Lutz also appeared in his 100th game as an Oiler on Saturday and has not missed a single game since joining the Oilers in 2013.
NEW FACE IN NET
The Oilers signed rookie goalie Kevin Murdock on Saturday and the 24-year old was immediately thrust into the starting lineup for Saturday's 3-1 win over the Rush. Murdock started the season with the Fayetteville FireAntz of the SPHL where he appeared in 15 games and posted a 2.03 goals against average and a .945 save-percentage. Prior to turning pro, the Bradenton, Florida native played for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL and spent three seasons at Lake Superior State University.
STILL TOO MANY
The Oilers have allowed their opponent to score four or more goals in eight of their last 11 contests. Tulsa ranks 26th in the ECHL with an average of 3.80 goals against per game and has surrendered more total goals than any other team in the league.
YOU CAN SEE THE TOP FROM HERE
Tulsa is the only team in the ECHL with four players in the Top 15 in scoring. Adam Pleskach, the Oilers team leader in points, sits in fourth with 36 points while Drew Fisher and T.J. Caig are seventh and ninth respectively. Jon Booras has 32 points and stands in 11th with 13 goals and 19 assists on the season.
EXTRA DROPS
The Oilers set a new season-low for penalty minutes in a single game by taking just one minor penalty in Saturday's win over the Rush...The Tulsa power play has dipped to 26th in the league at 11.9-percent and is 0-for-10 over the last three games...Despite playing in just three of the last eight games, Oilers goalie Kevin Carr still leads the league in total saves and ranks second in minutes played...Matt Larke snapped a 12-game point drought with a goal on Sunday vs. Rapid City.
ECHL Stories from January 5, 2015
- Reign Release Stretch Run Ticket Plan - Ontario Reign
- Devellano to Serve as Keynote Speaker at 2015 ECHL Hall of Fame Luncheon - Orlando Solar Bears
- Thunder Weekly - Wichita Thunder
- Solar Bears Acquire McAvoy from Elmira - Orlando Solar Bears
- Mavericks Announce Hanson Brothers VIP Happy Hour - Kansas City Mavericks
- Fuel Acquire Stroh from Rapid City, Vossen from Missouri - Indy Fuel
- Jackals Send McAvoy to Orlando - Elmira Jackals
- ECHL Transactions - January 5 - ECHL
- Forward Kris Hogg Returns to the Mavericks - Kansas City Mavericks
- Country Artist Madeline Smith to Perform at 2015 ECHL All-Star Game - Orlando Solar Bears
- Rush Trade Stroh to Indy for Cullen - Rapid City Rush
- Reign back in familiar position - ECHL
- Wheeling Nailers Weekly Report - Wheeling Nailers
- Oil Drops: Tulsa Oilers Weekly Report - Tulsa Oilers
- Gladiators and Pirates Swap Goaltenders - Atlanta Gladiators
- Devallano to Serve as Keynote Speaker at 2015 ECHL Hall of Fame Luncheon - ECHL
- Missiaen Returns to Road Warriors Lineup - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Radio Recon's Ready to Put on the Viking Helmet and Belt out a Tune - Reading Royals
- Frozen in Time-The Weekly IceMen Update - Evansville IceMen
- Defenseman Maxim Lamarche Assigned to Reading - Reading Royals
- Lipsbergs Heading Back to WHL - Stockton Thunder
- Jason Missiaen Named Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Month - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Mallards Weekly Update - Quad City Mallards
- Greenville's Missiaen Named Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Month - ECHL
- Reading Royals Weekly - Reading Royals
- Grizzlies Back Home for Three - Utah Grizzlies
- Barnes Named Rookie of the Month - Toledo Walleye
- Toledo's Barnes Named CCM ECHL Rookie of the Month - ECHL
- Komets First to Reach 50 Points in ECHL - Fort Wayne Komets
- Jackals Weekly - Elmira Jackals
- Allen's Costello Named CCM ECHL Player of the Month - ECHL
- Americans Costello Named CCM ECHL Player of the Month - Allen Americans
- Binghamton Senators Send Scott Greenham to Evansville - Evansville IceMen
- Cyclones Weekly - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Walleye Weekly - Toledo Walleye
- Stingrays Weekly: Stingrays Roll into New Year After Stellar December - South Carolina Stingrays
- Fuel Weekly - Indy Fuel
- What's the Rush? - Rapid City Rush
- Allen Americans Weekly Update - Allen Americans
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