PHN’s Best Shots of the Game: Missouri Drops First Home Game of the Season

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – The Missouri Mavericks took their first loss of the season on home ice Saturday night, falling 6-3 to the visiting Tulsa Oilers after a come-from-behind landslide of third period goals from their Central Division opponent.

Missouri remains atop the ECHL standings with 64 points and an overall record of 31-5-1-1.

The Mavericks jumped out to a 2-0 lead with an early goal in the 1st period from Rocco Carzo (assisted byTyler Barnes and Kane Lafranchise) at 4:25 in a power-play situation, and another quick lamp-lighter fromTyler Barnes at the top of the 2nd frame, who was assisted by Sebastien Sylvestre and Wes Cunningham at 5:04.

Adam Pleskach cut into the Mavs lead minutes later at 7:32, scoring his 14th goal of the season with the help of teammates Aaron Harstad and Dan DeSalvo.

One of the newest additions to the Mavericks roster, Eric Neilson, made his presence known on the ice with a scrum against Emerson Clark during the second period, then added is name to the scoresheet at 3:26 of the third period with the help of Sebastien Sylvestre and Tanner Fritz.

C.J. Ludwig made a glass-shattering hit on the Oilers Phil Brewer following Neilson’s second period goal.

The tide turned with back-to-back goals from Emerson Clark to tie the game up 3-3 by the halfway point of the final frame. Further unanswered goals by Dennis Brown and Mathieu Brisebois gave the visiting Oilers a 5-3 lead with less than 5 minutes left in the game.

Missouri was handed a 2-man advantage in the final minutes of regulation, and pulled net-minder Stephon Williams from between the pipes in favor of an extra attacker, but the Oilers were the ones to capitalize as DeSalvo scored his scored the fifth goal of the period for Tulsa to secure a 6-3 win.

The Mavericks play their next home game on Tuesday, Jan. 26 when they host the Evansville IceMen at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena for a 7:05p.m. game.

With Missouri Mavericks release

Contact the photographer: les.stockton@prohockeynews.com