Oilers drop Steelheads 3-1 as Western Division race tightens

TULSA, Okla. – Devin Williams was nearly perfect in net, and Jared Thomas netted his ninth goal of the season as the Tulsa Oilers avenged Saturday’s loss to the Idaho Steelheads on Sunday afternoon at the BOK Center to close the gap in the race for the ECHL’s Western Division.

The Steelheads opened the scoring with former Oiler Kale Kessy scoring his seventh goal of the season 17:16 into the opening period. The goal, which would be the only allowed by Williams, came much the same way as Saturday’s game winner for Idaho. As Williams moved to the side of the net to play the puck, it took an odd bounce off the end boards and landed right in front of Kessy, who quickly pulled the trigger and blasted it into the net past the outstreched Williams to make it a 1-0 Steelheads lead.

Devin Williams stopped 21 of 22 shots, backstopping a 3-1 Oilers win on Sunday at the BOK Center / Photo by Les Stockton (PHN)

The Oilers got the equalizer 8:01 into the middle frame on Scott Henegar’s sixth mark of the season. During a battle for the puck in the corner, Tulsa’s Alex Kromm grabbed the loose puck and dished to Henegar in front of the net. Henegar then buried the puck into the net past Idaho netminder Colton Point to make it 1-1.

Thomas then put the Oilers ahead 2-1 just over six minutes later. With Tulsa’s Ian McNulty in the penalty box serving a minor for holding, Thomas gained control of the puck in the defensive zone, skated the length of the ice and blasted a shot from the slot past Point for Tulsa’s first lead of the night. The shorthanded goal, assisted by Mike McKee, would be the game-winner.

McNulty added an insurance goal 6:36 into the third period, grabbing a cross-ice pass from Adam Pleskach behind a falling defender, then driving up the left side and hammering a shot into the top corner of the net to make it 3-1. Steven Kaunisto got the secondary assist on McNulty’s third goal of the season, and the Oilers went on to secure the win.

Idaho’s Colton Point watches as the puck slips past him during a 3-1 Oilers win Sunday at the BOK Center / Photo by Les Stockton (PHN)

The victory pulls the Oilers (18-12-4-2) within one point of the second place Steelheads (20-11-1-2) and two points behind the division-leading Utah Grizzlies (20-8-3-1).

The Oilers now look ahead to a three game set with the Rapid City Rush. The Oilers will host the Rush at the BOK Center on Tuesday night before the series shifts to Rapid City on Friday. From there, Tulsa will head to West Valley City, Utah for a three game set with the Grizzlies January 16-19.

The Oilers have now won five of their last six games after suffering through an 11-game skid during the first three weeks of December.

Contact the Writer: John.Hall@prohockeynews.com

Contact the Photographer: Les.Stockton@prohockeynews.com