Oilers get offensive but lose in OT

TULSA, OK – Three times the Oilers trailed Quad City by a goal on Friday

night. Three times the Oilers battled back to tie the game. The Mallards denied Tulsa two valuable points just 22 seconds into overtime when Jared Brown scored to give Quad City a 4-3 victory. The Oilers single point, coupled with a Rio Grande Valley win over Arizona means Tulsa is now four points out of a playoff spot.
Brandon Marino, Quad City’s leading scorer, put the visitors on the board early. Two minutes into the opening period, Marino buried a pass from Justin Chwedoruk past Oilers goalie Ian Keserich. Tulsa captain Tyler Fleck responded with a slap –shot blast from the point that beat David Brown over the glove to tied the game at 1-1.
The first few minutes of the second period mirrored the first. Mickey Lang put the Mallards up 2-1 at 2:05 and Gary Steffes brought the Oilers back even at 4:15 by nudging a puck past Brown.
The two sides remained even until late in the third period. Quad City defenseman Jared Lavender ripped a booming drive from outside the Oilers blue line that somehow found its way through the legs of Keserich to give the Mallards a 3-2 advantage with 6:45 to play in regulation. Four minutes later, the desperate Oilers found the equalizer once again, this time from the stick of Ryan Cramer. Mallards defensemen Taylor Vichorek blocked Cramer’s first offering, but Tulsa’s rookie winger corralled the rebound and beat Brown to level the score yet again. The tally brought an end to Cramer’s 17-game goal drought.
Due to off-setting penalties at the end of regulation, the overtime period began with 3-on-3 hockey. After an Oilers turnover behind their own goal, the open ice led to an open Jared Brown. The CHL rookie scoring leader made no mistake on his point-blank wrist shot.
The Oilers scored three goals for the first time in ten games, but fell to 0-6 in overtime contests this season. Tulsa travels to Quad City on Saturday night to complete the home-and-home weekend series.



Contact Les.Stockton@prohockeynews.com