TULSA, Okla. – The 2010-11 Central Hockey League season may be over a month away, but Tulsa Oilers fans were treated to an exciting night of hockey action on Saturday night at the Oilers Ice Center.
The building was at capacity on Saturday night as the Oilers hosted their third annual alumni game featuring current and former players and personalities from five decades of hockey’s storied history in Tulsa.
Garry Unger%2C Ray Miron and Bruce Ramsay
The festivities kicked off with Ray Miron dropping the ceremonial first puck between former coach Garry Unger, who coached the Oilers to the 1993 Central Hockey League championship, and current head coach Bruce Ramsay. Miron, along with Bill Levins founded the modern Central Hockey League in 1992. The league championship trophy, won this past season by the Rapid City Rush, is named in his honor. The two teams, classified as white and blue, were made up of a who’s who list of Oilers greats. Unger, Larry Hopkins, Don MacIver, Taylor Hall and Gord Nelson all brought NHL experience to the game. Gord made the trip all the way from Saskatchewan to play in the game with his nephew, Todd Nelson. Nelson, who coached alongside Bruce Ramsay in Muskegon, will make his debut as head coach of the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL) this fall. Hall, now the Oilers’ general manager, took to the ice with Tom Karalis and Sly Naud. The trio were members of the 1993 CHL championship team. Current and recent Oilers included Dan Reidel, Tyler Fleck, Marty Standish, Michel Beausoleil, Derek Eastman and recent signee, Gordon Bell. Mike Berger, a popular defenseman from the ’93 squad, split coaching duties for the white team with KJRH Sports Director Al Jerkins, while Oilers scout emeritus Fred Gibbon teamed up with KTUL Sports Director Chris Lincoln to coach the blue team. Jerkins and Lincoln went head-to-head last year with Lincoln’s team getting the win. This time, a shootout win by the blue team improved Lincoln’s record to a perfect 2-0. Craig Hamelin, who scored 71 goals in three seasons with the Oilers, tied the game at 6-6 on a hat trick goal late in the third period. The hat trick secured Hamelin the game’s MVP award.
Butch Kaebel and Doug Pirnak
Former team captain and fan favorite Todd Marcellus, who led the Oilers to their last playoff appearance in 2005, netted the first shootout goal. His blue teammate, Henry Kuster (2005-06), followed with another goal to put them up 2-0. Standish then sealed the game when he sailed a shot off the left post and into the net. The game, however, was about more than just goals being scored.
It’s great for the organization and it’s great for the fans, ” Oilers owner Jeff Lund said. “The guys that came back, they love it. You could see it in the third period at the end, they were playing like it was a championship game. The thing that they miss the most is the camaraderie and relationships, so I know they have a lot of fun doing this.” White Team roster
Larry Hopkins (79-82), Garry Unger (66-68), Troy Caley (97-04), Craig Hamelin (95-01), Curtis Voth (98-08), Doug Pirnak (98-05), Klage Kaebel (01-06), Michel Beausoleil (08-10), Dan Villanueva (97-99), Don MacIver (79-83), Craig Lochhead (98-99), Sly Naud (92-01), Tyler Fleck (09-10), Chris Dashney (96-98). Blue Team roster:
Monte Miron (73-74), Marty Standish (09-10), Henry Kuster (05-06), Dan Reidel (09-11), Gord Bell (10-11), Bruce Ramsay (Coach 09-11), Taylor Hall (92-96), Todd Marcellus (02-05), Tom Karalis (92-98), Gord Nelson (67-71), Derek Eastman (09-11), Butch Kaebel (01-02), Craig Binns (01-02), Todd Nelson (Barons coach).
The Oilers will open the 2010-11 season at home against the Wichita Thunder on Friday, October 15th. Contact the author at
john.hall@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at
les.stockton@prohockeynews.com Related
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