TULSA, Okla. – Down 2-0 in their best-of-seven Central Division semi-final series with the Allen Americans, the Tulsa Oilers roared back with a vengeance Friday night, securing a 5-1 win before 2,607 fans at the BOK Center. The win pulls the Oilers to within one game of tying the opening round Kelly Cup Playoff series.
The Oilers were firing on all cylinders, scoring at even strength, on the power play and shorthanded. They pursued the puck relentlessly, and were not afraid to play the body in the corners. Their physical play both sent the message to the Americans that they would not lie down and give away the series; it also had some fans wondering where the physicality has been with this squad this season.
Rookie goaltender Kevin Carr (1-1-1) led the way for the Oilers, stopping 28 Allen shots to pick up his first victory of the postseason. On the other side, Riley Gill (1-1) was chased from the game just over 28-minutes in after allowing four goals on 17 shots.
Tulsa struck first at 5:50 of the opening period on a two man rush into the zone. Tom Mele received a pass from T.J. Caig, moved across the blue line and slid a perfect pass to Jon Booras, who buried the puck into the net for his second postseason goal to give the Oilers a 1-0 lead. The Oilers had two power play chances in the first period, but failed to connect and the two sides entered the locker rooms with Tulsa maintaining a 1-0 lead and a 13-9 shot advantage.
The majority of the action came in the middle frame, with Tulsa scoring three goals on just five shots to break open the game.
Rookie Stephen Perfetto gave Tulsa a two-goal lead at 2:54, tucking the puck under Gill for his first professional goal. Kevin Noble was awarded the lone helper on the play. The Oilers increased their lead just over three minutes later. With the penalty boxes beginning to fill, Tulsa found the back of the net on a goal by Adam Pleskach from Drew Fisher and Booras during a four-on-three power play.
Allen’s lone goal came just 31-seconds later when Gary Steffes fired a snap shot past Carr at 6:52 from Jamie Schaafsma and Trevor Ludwig to make it 3-1. Defenseman Sean Erickson then increased the Tulsa lead at 8:32, stealing the puck and moving in all alone on Gill to score and knock out the Americans’ netminder in favor of Joel Rumpel. Despite being outshot 15-5 in the period, the Oilers held a 4-1 lead heading into the final intermission.
Mele went on to add the only tally in the third period, when on a breakaway he pulled the puck to his forehand, beating Rumple at 5:58 to make it a 5-1 Tulsa lead. Shots were even for the period at 5-5, with Allen outshooting Tulsa overall (29-23) for the third time in as many games.
The Oilers finished the night one-for-seven on the man advantage while holding Allen to no power play goals for the first time in the series.
Game four of the series is slated for a 7:35pm start tonight at the BOK Center, with game five scheduled for a 7:05pm opening faceoff Tuesday in Allen.
Contact the writer: john.hall@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer: les.stockton@prohockeynews.com
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