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ECHL Tulsa Oilers

Oilers Bested by Americans in Turkey Day Shootout

November 27, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release


TULSA, OK - In a wild Thanksgiving Day contest that featured 86 shots on goal and 52 penalty minutes, the Tulsa Oilers ended up on the wrong side of a 5-4 shootout decision against the Allen Americans in front of 3,648 at the BOK Center. The Oilers earned a single point and remain two points behind the Americans for first place in the Central Division.

After losing to the Americans on Tuesday, the Oilers seized the early momentum on Thursday night. Six minutes into the first period, Matt Larke outraced Allen defenseman Tyler Ludwig to a loose puck and swatted a shot past netminder Riley Gill. Larke's first goal of the season put the Oilers up 1-0. With under four minutes to play in the opening frame, the Oilers kept the Americans pinned in their own zone and Nathan Lutz finished off one of Tulsa's finest shifts of the season with a blast from the blue line to give his squad a 2-0 edge. The response from Allen was almost immediate as Greger Hanson sizzled a wrist shot through the legs of Brady Hjelle just 26 seconds after Lutz' tally. The Americans recorded the equalizer before the end of the period as Ian Schultz slammed home a power play rebound in front of Hjelle with just 54 seconds remaining.

The Americans scored a third unanswered goal at 13:25 of the second period to take their first lead of the contest. Kevin Young, who finished the night with a goal and two assists, dialed up a heavy slap shot that rocketed over the shoulder of Hjelle and into the top corner of the net.

Allen's lead held until the 5:14 mark of the third when Kyle O'Kane snapped a loose puck past Gill to level the game at 3-3. O'Kane registered his fourth goal of the season and found the back of the net for a third straight game. Four minutes later, it was O'Kane who led a 2-on-1 rush into the Allen zone and put a pass right on the tape of Jeff Jubinville who chipped a shot past a sprawling Gill to push the Oilers back in front. Tulsa defenseman Jake Obermeyer was called for delay of game at 14:17 and the Americans, on their tenth power play of the night, cashed in to draw even once again. Former Oiler Chad Costello banked a shot off of Lutz in front of the Oilers net with exactly five minutes to play in regulation.

Hjelle was able to turn aside four Allen shots in overtime including a breakaway chance from Gary Steffes to help preserve the tie and force a shootout. Steffes, Costello, and Hanson scored for the Americans while T.J. Caig was the only Oilers shooter to solve Gill.

The Oilers surrendered a season-high 55 shots on goal and were out-gunned 42-15 over the final 45 minutes of action. Caig dished out three assists in the loss and O'Kane recorded his first multi-point outing of the season. Hjelle, who made his third appearance of the season after five straight starts by Kevin Carr, ended the night with 51 saves. The Oilers fell to 8-5-3 overall and are now 4-1-2 all-time in Thanksgiving Day games.

The Oilers are right back on home ice at 7:35 p.m. on Friday night against the Quad City Mallards.

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