SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – There will be a fifth game in the first ever playoff series between two of the CHL’s original six teams. 
After losing the first two games on home ice, the Tulsa Oilers have returned the favor to the Mississippi RiverKings, winning games three on Sunday and game four last night in Southaven to force a deciding game five on Saturday in Tulsa. Tulsa’s 4-1 win came in large part thanks to a three-goal third period that silenced the 1,961 fans in attendance at the DeSoto Civic Center. With the score tied 1-1, Tulsa saw Chad Costello score his first two goals of the playoffs while John Mori’s short-handed goal at 3:32 of the period proved to be the game-winner. For the second-straight game, Tulsa got on the board first when Michel Beausoleil scored a power play goal at 17:18 of the first period, his fourth power play goal of the series. Costello sent a centering feed to the crease that Beausoleil tipped into the net for the early lead. Jack Combs was credited with the secondary assist on Tulsa’s seventh power play goal of the series. Mississippi held a slight advantage on shots in the opening period, as they out-shot Tulsa 8-7. The two teams combined for eight penalties in the period, perhaps as they worked off the early-game butterflies. The RiverKings were 0-for-4 on the man-advantage, while the Oilers were 1-for-2. Mississippi turned up the heat in the middle frame as they peppered Tulsa goaltender Trevor Cann with 17 shots. Tulsa managed just six shots on goal, suffering through a nearly eight minute drought without a shot on goal. Andrew Lackner cashed in on the ’Kings offensive outpouring, tying things up at 7:28 of the second on a shot from outside the left circle that beat Cann and found the upper right-hand corner of the net. The unassisted goal was the first of the playoffs for the former Oilers defenseman. The Oilers out-shot the RiverKings 9-6 in the final period en route to the victory. Mori’s goal came with Luke Lucyk in the box serving two-minutes on a cross checking minor. In a rush in front of Mississippi goalie Alexander Pechurskiy, Mori knocked home a rebound to give the Oilers their second lead of the game. Braden Walls picked up an assist on Tulsa’s first shorthanded marker of the playoffs. Costello struck just 2:21 later on a feed from Jack Combs to widen the gap to 3-1. His second goal of the night came at the 11:05 mark with assists going to Combs and Beausoleil. Costello’s three points gives him eight total points through four playoff games. Cann was solid in net for Tulsa, holding off 30 of 31 Mississippi shots to pick up his second straight win. Pechurskiy made 18 saves on 22 shots as the RiverKings out-shot the Oilers 31-22 on the night. Face-off for game five is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. Saturday at the BOK Center. Contact the author at john.hall@prohockeynews.com
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