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ECHL Tulsa Oilers

Oilers Continue Dominance of Thunder with 5-1 Triumph

March 29, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release


Tulsa Oilers vs. Wichita Thunder
Tulsa Oilers vs. Wichita Thunder
(Tulsa Oilers, Credit: Johnna Raymond)

WICHITA, KS - Seeking to put significant distance between themselves and the Wichita Thunder in the Central Division playoff race, the Tulsa Oilers picked up key contributions from several first-year players and posted a convincing 5-1 victory over the Thunder on Sunday evening at INTRUST Bank Arena. The Oilers have won 10 of the 12 meetings this season in the StoneWolf Casino Cup series and now hold a five point lead over the Thunder with six games remaining in the regular season.

The Oilers spent the majority of the first period on the penalty kill as they were called for five minor penalties over the opening frame. With Kyle Bochek in the box for tripping with just over five minutes gone by, one of the Oilers' veteran players set up a rookie for his first professional goal. Jon Booras pulled the puck to the side of the Wichita net and after his shot glanced off the pad of Thunder goalie Tim Boron, Tulsa newcomer Phil Brewer was there to stuff home the rebound. Brewer, the Bemidji State University product, scored his first career goal shorthanded to give the Oilers a 1-0 edge. With two and a half minutes left in the first period, Oilers' winger Brady Ramsay dropped the gloves with Thunder blue-liner Michael Trebish and incurred five of Tulsa's 15 first period penalty minutes.

The one goal edge remained through the first half of the second period and the Oilers were able to add to their lead at the 10:31 mark. Justin Mansfield, playing his first game at forward, zipped a pass out of his own zone to the tape of a streaking Brady Ramsay who broke in on Boron uncontested and notched his 7th goal of the season to give Tulsa a two-goal cushion. Mansfield, a rookie out of Merrimack College, recorded his first professional point with the assist.

Just over five minutes into the third, a pass from Jeff Jubinville was buried by Adam Pleskach to push the Oilers' advantage to 3-0. Pleskach tallied his 37th of the season and extended his goal streak to three games. On their sixth power play opportunity of the night, the Thunder was finally able to squeeze a puck past Oilers' goalie Kevin Carr. Wichita winger Todd Hosmer tucked a loose puck underneath Nathan Lutz as he dove across the goal line to give the home side its only strike of the evening. After two more successful penalty kills from the Oilers, Booras showcased his speed down the left wing side and ducked to the middle of the Wichita zone before lifting a backhand over Boron at 15:07. The exclamation point was provided by rookie defenseman Ricards Birzinsh who cashed in on a breakaway chance at 18:46 for his first goal of the season and first as a North American professional.

Carr finished the contest with 27 saves and improved to 10-2-0 against the Thunder this season. The Oilers posted 27 penalty minutes, their highest total since February 16, but ended the night 7-for-8 on the penalty kill. Each one of Tulsa's 15 skaters finished with at least a +1 rating as the Oilers snapped their three-game skid and equaled their win total (34) from last season.

The Oilers return to home ice on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. to close out their season series against the Allen Americans.

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Tulsa Oilers vs. Wichita Thunder
Tulsa Oilers vs. Wichita Thunder
(Johnna Raymond)		 Tulsa Oilers vs. Wichita Thunder
Tulsa Oilers vs. Wichita Thunder
(Johnna Raymond)		  



ECHL Stories from March 29, 2015


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