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ECHL Tulsa Oilers

Oilers Edge Mallards 2-1 for Fifth Straight Win

March 18, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release


MOLINE, IL - The Tulsa Oilers picked up a pair of power play goals and fended off a late surge from the Quad City Mallards to record a 2-1 victory at the iWireless Center on Wednesday night. The Oilers earned their fifth straight win and have allowed only four total goals over the course of their win streak. Kevin Carr, the Tulsa netminder for all five victories, turned in an 18-save performance to help the Oilers secure two more valuable points. The Oilers moved past idle Rapid City and into third place in the Central Division standings, just one point back of the Mallards.

A fortunate bounce allowed the Oilers to open the scoring at the 5:19 mark of the first period. A long shoot-in from Tulsa defenseman Ricards Birzinsh glanced off the corner glass in the Quad City zone and the puck unexpectedly squirted out in front of Mallards' goalie Parker Milner. Before Milner could set himself, Oilers' center Kyle Bochek chipped the puck into the back of the net to give his side a 1-0 edge. Bochek's sixth tally of the season crossed the goal line with just one second remaining on the Oilers' initial power play of the contest. Tulsa goalie Kevin Carr, who entered the evening on a four-game win streak, made a pair of key stops against Mallards' center Mario Lamoureux in the second half of the frame to keep the Oilers in front going into the first intermission.

The one-goal cushion remained until the latter stages of the second period when a boarding call against Quad City defenseman Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel put the Oilers back on the power play. Scott Macaulay's circle-to-circle pass was one-timed into the net by Adam Pleskach at 18:42 to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage. Pleskach notched his 34th goal of the season, a new career-high, and moved back into second place in the ECHL goal scoring race.

Carr's shutout bid was spoiled at 13:42 of the third period after a shot from Kevin Baker was deflected into the Tulsa net. The Mallards' frantic attempt at a rally over the last six minutes of regulation was stymied by the Oilers as Carr made key saves down the stretch. The Oilers were able to survive despite a 6-on-4 advantage for Quad City over the final minute.

Tulsa has secured points in each of its four visits to the iWireless Center this season (3-0-1) and improved to 4-2-1 overall in the season series against the Mallards. Carr has now stopped 115 of the last 119 shots he has faced and the Oilers have tasted triumph in ten of their last 12 outings.

Next up for the Oilers, a trip to INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita for a date with the Thunder at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday.

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