ECHL Tulsa Oilers

Oilers Romance Wichita in Tulsa Tonight: Valentines Game Preview

Published on February 14, 2016 under ECHL (ECHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release


TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The Oilers have a special Valentines date tonight with the Wichita Thunder, celebrating their 10th matchup this season. Going 6-1-1-1 against the Thunder, the Oilers look to claim two points off of their Central Division rivals. Wichita is currently dead last in the Western Conference with 28 points holding a 4-18-2-1 record on the road. Last night, the Oilers fell in a 4-3 overtime heartbreaker to the Quad City Mallards. With a 2-0 lead going into the third period and then giving up four goals in the final 23 minutes, Tulsa will look to bounce back to finish their 4-game week at home.

ROLLING MEADOWS ROOKIE ON ROLL

After a 14-point month in January, Dan DeSalvo is on a hot streak- an eight game point streak as well. The rookie out of Bowling Green State University has produced eight points in the first six games of February. The 23 year-old has 41 points in 44 games with the Oilers this season. DeSalvo is tied for third among rookies in points (41) and second in assists (29). The forward leads the rookies in the ECHL with a plus-minus of 19. DeSalvo's goal and assist last night put him on his eight-game point streak, which is a season high for any Oilers player this year.

@KuceDaddy3

Oilers defenseman Connor Kucera, another Bowling Green State University product, is also having a stand-out month. The 6-foot 2, 206-weighing rookie known as "Thor" achieved his first profession goal on January 31 against the Allen Americans. Since then, he has been the owner of two game-winning goals and an assist. The defenseman has inked seven points in his last seven appearances. Just last night, the defenseman earned his first multi-point game with the Oilers against the Quad City Mallards in what was another heroic game-saving goal that Tulsa was unable to capitalize on.

MOVING MOOSE

Tuesday, the Tulsa Oilers announced that defenseman Brennan Serville has been re-assigned to the Oilers from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League. Serville, 22, began the 2015-16 campaign with the Tulsa Oilers where he played in seven games and produced an assist on October 16, 2015 against the Wichita Thunder.

Friday, another Manitoba transaction went through as the Moose re-assigned goaltender Jussi Olkinuora to the Oilers. Olkinuora played a total of 222 minutes in Manitoba for a 5.13 goals against average. The 25 year-old from Helsinki, Finland began the 2015-16 campaign in Tulsa where he was between the pipes for seven games and earned a record of 2-3-2 with a 2.80 goals against average.

A CALL-UP FOR CLARK

The Tulsa Oilers announced Friday that forward Emerson Clark has been loaned to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League. Clark, 23, began the 2015-16 campaign with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits before being traded to the Tulsa Oilers after nine games, five points and 25 penalty minutes. Since his time in Tulsa, the Whitby, Ontario native has suited up for 32 contests and has registered 26 points (15 goals and 11 assists) and 96 penalty minutes. The forward led the Oilers in goals at 18.

EXTRA DROPS

Dennis Brown is sixth among ECHL defensemen with 29 points...Kevin Carr is sixth among ECHL goaltenders with a 2.11 goals against average and third in minutes (2131)... Phil Brewer is tied for first in rookie shootout goals with two... Oilers are fourth in shots against averaging 27.83...third at home on the power play with a 22.5 percentage...

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

Tulsa Oilers VS Wichita Thunder 4:05 p.m.

Watch on ECHL-TV

Listen on Ustream

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

6-1-1-1

All-time: 139-107-27

TEAM CAPSULES

Tulsa Oilers

Overall: 24-17-3-2 (52 points)

Home: 15-7-3-1

Road: 9-10-0-1

Rank: 3rd in Central Division

Wichita Thunder

Overall: 10-31-4-4 (28 points)

Home: 6-13-2-3

Road: 4-18-2-1

Rank: 4th in Central Division

OILERS LEADERS

Goals: Adam Pleskach - 17

Assists: Dan DeSalvo - 29

Points: Dan DeSalvo - 41

+/-: Dennis Brown +20

PIM: Mathieu Gagnon - 111

THUNDER LEADERS

Goals: Kenton Miller - 11

Assists: Kale Kerbasian - 19

Points: Kale Kerbasian - 26

+/-: Matt Neal, +4

PIM: Dan Milan - 88

Check out the Tulsa Oilers Statistics

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ECHL Stories from February 14, 2016


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