ECHL Tulsa Oilers

Oilers Blitz Rush in First Period, Cruise to 6-4 Win

November 14, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release


TULSA, OK - The Tulsa Oilers overcame early adversity on Friday night and scored three goals in the first period on the way to a 6-4 victory over the Rapid City Rush in front of 5,961 at the BOK Center. Veteran center Jon Booras tallied twice for Tulsa and Kevin Carr turned aside 33 shots to help the Oilers improve to 5-3-1 and start their three-game home stand with a pair of points.

Only 57 seconds had ticked off the clock in the first period when a high-stick from Dave Pszenyczny opened up a cut on the face of Rush forward Kyle Stroh. On the ensuing Rapid City power play, Oilers captain Nathan Lutz was called for roughing and the Rush enjoyed a full, two-minute, two-man advantage. With a combination of shot-blocking and shot-stopping from Carr, the Oilers were able to eliminate the Rush threat and escape unscathed. After Pszenyczny served his double-minor, the score remained 0-0 and the Oilers wasted no time in manufacturing offense. Booras put the Oilers on the board at 9:29 of the opening period after he stole the puck from Jesse Schultz along the right-wing wall in the Rush zone. Booras skated off the boards and ripped a snap shot under the blocker of Wayne Savage for his second goal of the season. Exactly seven minutes later, Luke Judson led a two-on-one break into Rapid City territory and beat Savage to the glove side for his first goal of the season and first as an Oiler. The home team increased its lead to 3-0 just 36 seconds after Judson's strike as Drew Fisher re-directed Nathan Lutz' point shot over the shoulder of Savage. The Rush netminder was lifted from the game and replaced by Danny Battochio with 2:55 remaining on the first period clock.

Robin Soudek gave Rapid City a jolt of energy at 1:57 of the second period by wristing home a loose puck in the slot to cut the Tulsa advantage to 3-1. The Oilers answer came in the form of Tommy Mele who sped through the neutral zone and darted to the left wing before slipping a shot through the legs of Battochio at 5:29. Judson recorded his second point of the contest at 7:16 when he alertly pounced on a rebound off the end boards and centered the puck to the waiting tape of Booras. The Tulsa center tapped the puck past Battochio to give the Oilers their largest lead of the evening at 5-1. Former Oiler Sean Erickson scored for the Rush at 11:55 but Tulsa enjoyed a comfortable 5-2 edge heading into the third.

The Oilers streak of 22 consecutive successful penalty kills was snapped at 7:03 of the third after Dylan Clarke, who spent his rookie season in Tulsa, beat Carr on the power play. The Oilers three-goal lead was restored at 13:15 of the final frame by Kyle O'Kane. Denied on his first attempt from close range, O'Kane chipped his own rebound over Battochio for his first goal of the season. Daniel Barczuk's goal at 17:28 gave the Rush a glimmer of hope, but the Oilers were able to coast to the finish line and take the first of 11 meetings this season between the two clubs.

Tulsa improved to 3-1-1 at the BOK Center despite allowing 28 shots over the final two periods. T.J. Caig registered a pair of assists for the Oilers and Booras posted his team-leading sixth multi-point outing of the season. Soudek led the offensive effort for Rapid City with a goal and a pair of assists.

The Oilers and Rush are now tied atop the Central Division standings with 11 points each.

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