Oilers Falter in Third Period, Drop Series Finale to Americans
January 12, 2014 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release
TULSA, OK - Nine of the first ten meetings this season between the Tulsa Oilers and Americans were decided by two goals or less and Sunday's series finale followed the trend with no shortage of drama or momentum swings. The Oilers held a 4-3 lead going into the third period but the Americans tallied three times in the final frame to surge ahead and hand Tulsa a 6-5 loss in front of 4,587 at the BOK Center.
The Oilers jumped out to a quick 2-0 leads thanks to goals by Michel Beausoleil and Ryan Menei in the first two and a half minutes of action. Allen rookie forward Alex Lavoie put his team on the board at 6:42 of the opening period when he jammed a loose puck past fallen Oilers goalie Brad Fogal. After Beausoleil was called for roughing at 7:14, it took the Americans just ten seconds to even the score with a power play goal from Jonathan Lessard. At 8:59, Oilers center Todd Robinson, who recorded his 1,000th career assist on Saturday night, fed the puck from behind the Allen net to the waiting stick of Blair Macaulay and the Oilers rookie winger slid a shot through the pads of Mark Guggenberger to put the Oilers back on top 3-2. Guggenberger gave up three goals on the first four shots he face and was lifted from the game in favor of Bryan Pitton. Tulsa re-gained its two-goal advantage at 16:48 when Robinson set up Beausoleil with another perfect pass on top of the Allen crease. The home team carried a 4-2 lead into the second period thanks to Beausoleil's second goal of the period.
Guggenberger was back between the pipes for Allen to start the second period and the contest tightened in the middle frame with the only goal coming on an American's power play. Kale Kerbashian drew the attention of the Oilers penalty killers and opened up space for Greger Hanson who snapped a shot over the glove of Fogal from the right face off dot. Tulsa's lead was cut in half as the two sides approached the start of the third period.
Less than 90 seconds into the third, Jamie Schaafsma batted a loose puck past Fogal to pull the Americans even at 4-4. The Oilers countered with a nifty passing play off of a neutral zone rush. Ryan Menei sent the puck from the right wing to the middle and Ben Gordon slid a pass across to rookie forward Adam Pleskach who reached back and cranked a one-timer through Guggenberger to put the Oilers back in front. Americans defenseman Ross Rouleau tied the game at 10:07 when he intercepted an Oilers clearing attempt and elevated a backhand past Fogal for his fourth goal of the season. Lavoie, who started the scoring for Allen, blasted in the go-ahead goal at 11:42 and his second tally of the night held up as the eventual game-winner. Despite outshooting Allen 33-30, the Oilers were unable to squeeze another shot past Guggenberger and saw their three-game win streak come to an end.
Tulsa finished the season series against Allen with a 4-6-1 record and a 2-4-0 mark on home ice. Robinson dished out three assists for the second straight game and Fogal made 24 saves in a losing effort in his first game as an Oiler.
The Oilers will get some much-needed time off this week before returning to the BOK Center on Friday, January 17 to meet the Missouri Mavericks.
Central Hockey League Stories from January 12, 2014
- Oilers Falter in Third Period, Drop Series Finale to Americans - Tulsa Oilers
- Sundogs' Continue Streak, 1-0 Victory - Arizona Sundogs
- Guggenberger and the Americans Shutdown Denver 5-0 - Allen Americans
- Gordon's Hat-Trick, Robinson's Milestone Highlight Oilers' Rout of Beast - Tulsa Oilers
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