Oilers beat Steelheads to take 2-0 series lead

TULSA, Okla. – Adam Pleskach netted two goals for the second game in-a-row and Devin Williams made 24-saves, as the Tulsa Oilers turned back the Idaho Steelheads 3-1 in game two of the ECHL Mountain Division Final Sunday afternoon at the BOK Center in front of 3,148 fans.

Despite the identical 3-1 final score, game two was not necessarily a mirror image of the series-opener.

The Oilers grabbed the opening goal on Sunday, with Stephen Perfetto scoring his fifth of the playoffs just 3:18 into the game. On a 3-on-1 break, Alex Dostie carried the puck into the zone, then dropped it to Perfetto in the slot. Perfetto and Pleskach then executed a perfect give-and-go that beat Idaho goalie Tomas Sholl stick-side to make it 1-0. Tulsa held onto the lead the rest of the period, as they entered the first intermission ahead 15-10 in shots.

Idaho answered back 9:22 into the middle frame, scoring the equalizer on a Brad McClure power play goal from Nolan Gluchowski and Kale Kessy. With Tulsa’s Alex Globke serving a two-minute holding minor, McClure tipped Gluchowski’s shot from the high slot and wiped out Devin Williams’ 29-minute long shutout bid. The power play goal would come on Idaho’s only man advantage of the game.

Tulsa had a chance to take the lead again two minutes later when Mike McKee was awarded a penalty shot after being hooked on a breakaway inside the Steelheads zone. McKee skated in on net and shot high, glove side, over the crossbar and the score remained 1-1.

Pleskach found the net for the eventual game-winner 8:09 into the third period on a power play goal from Perfetto and Eric Drapluk. With Jeff King in the box for holding, Pleskach batted a rebound out of the air and into the net just one minute into the man advantage to make it 2-1.

The Oilers captain added an empty net goal, his seventh of the postseason, with 1:!4 remaining to make it 3-1.

“Tonight we got back to our game,” said Oilers Head Coach Rob Murray. “We were fast and we defended well.”

“We played a heck of a team game tonight,” he said, adding that he continues to watch his players improve with each game.

Murray said the team made some defensive adjustments after watching the film from game one, and the adjustments were effective. He applauded the play of defensemen Scott Moldenhauer and Chris Forney.

“Those two had as solid of a game as we’ve seen them play as a tandem,” he said.

The Oilers and Steelheads have just one day off before they square off again for game three in Boise. Face-off is set for 7:10pm MDT.

“There’s a long ways to go, but it sure is nice to hit the road with two wins,” Murray said.

Contact the Writer: John.Hall@prohockeynews.com