Oilers roll out for Ohio, Western Conference Finals

TULSA, Okla. – The next chapter of the Tulsa Oilers’ storybook season doesn’t begin until Friday, but Tulsa fans are just as ready as the team to keep writing the tale.

Tulsa Oilers fans look on as the team bus hits the road for Toledo, Ohio on Wednesday evening / Photo by Les Stockton (PHN)

As the team boarded its bus for Toledo on Wednesday evening, they were greeted by a crowd of rowdy fans wishing them well. The jersey-clad fans chanted, cheered, rang cowbells and waved their pom-poms as the players, some recording video on their phones, made their way to the bus.

“The atmosphere was electric and contagious,” said third-year Oilers season ticket holder Kelly Walton.

Altha Victorino, fan since 1994, even took time from her travels to Toledo for the Western Conference Finals to add her thoughts on the send-off.

“I personally enjoyed the send-off,” said Victorino. “I think it’s nice to let them know we stand behind them and support them fully,” she added.

New fan Sandi Yauch made the hour and a half drive from Grand Lake with her daughter to send the team off.

“Our favorite part was seeing the guy’s faces, and all of them high-fiving the little boy who was out there,” she said.

After first watching hockey on television in January, Yauch attended her first Oilers game in February. Since then, she has only missed two games. She currently has three season tickets, and said that more family members are considering joining her at the games.

“We are definitely hooked, I love the athleticism and speed of the game,” Yauch said.

The send-off is just the latest display of support from a fan base that has been waiting for this type of playoff run for a long time. The Oilers franchise, playing in the month of May for the first time in its 90-year history, had previously not advanced out of the opening round of the post-season since 2011. Since the reincarnation of the team in 1992-93, Tulsa was knocked out in the first round in nine of its 12 appearances.

As is being seen during this month-long playoff run, this season and team is different.

“We have much better control on our power plays and amazing defense this year,” said long-time Oilers fan Jennifer Horton, when asked what makes this team special.

“This team has a coach that cares and has their back,” said Walton. “The guys seem to be more dedicated, hit harder, skate faster – they want to be here in Tulsa playing. Coach Murray wants to be here and it shows,” she said.

“I think the guys are hungry and they really want it, and they know they can do it,” said Victorino.

The Oilers won the first three games of their Mountain Division Final Series with the Idaho Steelheads, before dropping the final two road games. While the team made the 1,500-mile drive home from Boise, fans planned and carried out a late-night welcome home rally at the team apartments. The following night, the Oilers pulled off a 3-1 series-clinching win in front of a loud and excited crowd.

Play-by-play Broadcaster John Peterson addressed the homecoming rally during a post-game Q&A with Head Coach Rob Murray at the BOK Center on Sunday.

“That was really special, and that gave us the extra boost,” Peterson said.

The Oilers and Walleye met twice in the 2018-19 regular season in Toledo, with the two sides coming away with a series split. Tulsa is making its first appearance in the Western Conference Finals, while Toledo is in the hunt for the second time in three years and the third time since 2015.

Both squads are battle tested, with Tulsa having survived a seven-game opening round series with Kansas City, followed by a six-game series with Idaho. Toledo took six games to dispose of the Fort Wayne Komets in the first round, before ending the season of the Brabham Cup champion Cincinnati Cyclones in five games in the Central Division Final.

The Oilers are led offensively by Alex Dostie (11 G, 8 A), Stephen Perfetto (6 G, 13 A) and Adam Pleskach (10 G, 6 A). Dostie and Perfetto are tied atop the playoff points list, while Pleskach is three points back in fourth place. Defensemen Eric Drapluk (9 Pts) and Steven Kaunisto (8 Pts) are two of the top-four scoring defensemen in the post-season.

The Walleye will rely on forwards Greg Wolfe (6 G, 6 A), Dylan Sadowy (5 G, 5 A) and Zach Gallant (4 G, 6 A) to provide the scoring. Defensively, Toledo is anchored by three-time defending Kelly Cup Champion, and former Tulsa Oiler, Matt Register. Kevin Tansey (12) and Randy Gazzola (8), meanwhile, are in the top four in the plus/minus category.

Goaltender Devin Williams (8-5) will hold down the net for Tulsa. Williams has improved with each game this post-season and enters the Western Conference Finals with a goals allowed average of 2.45 and a save percentage of .920 while making 402-saves and recording one shutout in 782-minutes.

On the other end of the ice, Toledo will look to Pat Nagle (8-3) to stop Tulsa’s shots. Nagle has a save percentage of .941 while leading the league with a goals allowed average of 1.68.

The Walleye have allowed the fewest number of goals of any Western Conference team during the Kelly Cup Playoffs (21), while the Oilers have scored the most goals (39) in the ECHL. Toledo leads the playoffs with 3.36 goals per game and is second with 1.91 goals against per game. The series is sure to be a hard-fought, entertaining battle. Game one is set for a 7:35pm ET face off at the Huntington Center on Friday.

The fan’s advice to the Oilers as they prepare for what will be their toughest challenge yet?

“Keep up the work you’ve been doing all season, Tulsa fans have your backs,” said Walton.

“Keep working hard, take it one game at a time and one period at a time,” Horton said. “Never give up, never give in.”

The Oilers’ post-season run matches that motto, word for word.

Contact the Writer: John.Hall@ProHockeyNews.com

Contact the Photographer: Les.Stockton@ProHockeyNews.com