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CHL Tulsa Oilers

Oilers Weekly News and Notes

November 12, 2012 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release


Week In Review: The Oilers are coming a week of three victories in four games. Last Wednesday at home, a pair of Tulsa rookies stole the show in a 2-1 win over Rapid City. First-year forward Matt Gingera chipped in the game-winning goal with seven minutes remaining in the third period and rookie goaltender Dan Bakala made 27 saves to seal the win. The Oilers split of pair of games in Fort Worth to start the weekend, falling 5-4 to the Brahmas on Friday but bouncing back with a thrilling 1-0 overtime win on Saturday. With 16 stops, veteran netminder Ian Keserich recorded his first shutout of the season and ninth of his career. David Alexandre Beauregard poked home the game-winner in the extra frame to give the Oilers two points and break a curse of eight straight overtime losses. In the first meeting of the season against Missouri on Sunday, the Oilers picked up powerplay goals from Mike Ullrich and Ben Gordon along with 32 saves from Keserich in a 3-2 triumph over the Mavericks. Tulsa is 6-5-1 and sits in a tie for third place in the CHL standings with 13 points.

Keserich Finds His Form: Ian Keserich was a significant factor in each of the last two Tulsa victories. The 26-year old goaltender, now in his third season with the Oilers, made back-to-back starts on Friday and Saturday and stopped 48 of the 50 shots he faced. Keserich was called upon to stop several point blank chances and also made key saves late in both games while improving his record to 4-3-0. With his shutout in Fort Worth on Friday, Keserich has now blanked the Brahmas four times since the start of the 2011-12 season.

The 300 Club: Oilers right wing Michel Beausoleil added another achievement to his 12-year resumé on Friday when he scored the 300th goal of his career. In his fifth season with the Oilers, Beausoleil leads the team with nine goals and is tied for the CHL lead with 16 points. The Montreal native, averaging nearly a point per game over his career, is on pace for a fourth consecutive season of at least 20 goals. Beausoleil, who has played more games in a Tulsa uniform than any other player on the roster, has a point in ten of the Oilers twelve games so far this season.

With an assist on Saturday's game-winning goal at Fort Worth, Ryan Menei earned the 300th point of his professional career. A six-year veteran in his first season with Tulsa, Menei leads the Oilers with nine assists and ranks third on the squad with 12 points. Menei, a Winnipeg native who spent last season playing in Italy, is well on his way to recapturing the form he displayed in Rapid City in 2010-11 when he posted a career-high 87 points.

Terrific Trio: The second line of Gary Steffes (C), Michel Beausoleil (RW), and David Alexandre Beauregard (LW), has been Tulsa's most successful and consistent forward combination through the first 12 games of the season. In the last three games, the trio is responsible for six goals and 11 points. Each man has already hit the double-digit mark in points and the line-mates have combined for an astounding +25 rating.

Ullrich Tries To Pick Up Where He Left Off: In the four games since his return to an Oilers uniform, center Mike Ullrich has a goal and two assists. The 26-year old, who tied for the Tulsa team lead in points last season, is back to anchoring the Oilers top line alongside Ben Gordon and Ryan Menei. Ullrich posted the first "Gordie Howe hat-trick" of his pro career in Saturday's tilt with Missouri when he tipped in a powerplay goal, dropped the gloves with Mavericks forward Andrew Courtney, and assisted on Gordon's game winning goal.

A Helping Hand: This week, the Oilers and Junior Oilers will partner with Tulsa Habitat for Humanity to lend a hand on two build sites. Players, coaches, and staff members will assist the Habitat crews in completing two homes for underprivileged families.

The Oilers are also working with Childers Middle School in Broken Arrow to promote Childers' Holiday Food Drive. The month-long giving campaign has a hockey theme and the two Childers classrooms that donate the most food will participate in a floor hockey game with the Oilers players on Monday, November 19.

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