PHN Photo Essay – Tulsa Oilers Vs. Laredo Bucks 03/20/12

TULSA, Okla. – The Tulsa Oilers just aren’t quite ready for their season to end. The young bunch of Oilers showed a fierce sense of desperation on Tuesday night and scored three straight third period goals to lift themselves to a 5-3 victory over the Laredo Bucks.
Dylan Clarke opened the scoring for Tulsa on an early first period power play, but the Bucks came right back with a goal from Joseph Harcharik to even the score.
Once more the Oilers took the lead, this time on a Sean Erickson power play tally, only to see it disappear seconds later thanks to a shot from Neil Trimm that bounced off of goalie Steve Christie and into the net.
Laredo scored the only goal of the second period off a tip from the stick of newly signed Colin McIntosh. Tulsa Head Coach Bruce Ramsay decided he’d seen enough out of Christie and Ian Keserich was summoned off the bench in relief.
Trailing by a goal to start the third period, the Oilers wasted little time turning the tide back to their favor. With another power play about to expire, Mike Ullrich shoveled a rebound over the goal line to tie the game at 3-3.
It only took 40 seconds for Tulsa to regain the lead for good. David Solway had his initial shot stopped by Bucks goalie Ryan Rondeau but muscled his way to the rebound and swatted it home for the go-ahead tally.
At the 12:40 mark, Dylan Clarke executed a perfect 2-on-1 and fed Gary Steffes who roofed a snap shot past Rondeau to provide a two-goal cushion.
Clarke, one of five Oilers to record multiple points on the evening, finished the contest with a goal and three assists, his second four-point outing of the season. Keserich stopped all 12 shots he faced to help the Oilers pull within four points of Rio Grande Valley for the final playoff spot in the Berry Conference. It was the sixth time this season the Oilers have won a game when trailing after two periods.
The following images were captured at the BOK Center on Tuesday evening.