TULSA, OK – A sixth straight home win, 3-1 Sunday in Game 6 of the Mountain Division Finals, sent the Tulsa Oilers (8-5-0) through to the Western Conference Finals after winning the best-of-seven series four games to two over the Idaho Steelheads (6-5-0) at the BOK Center.
Returning the lineup for the first time since Game 7 of the first round, Oilers forward Ryan Tesink struck first less than three minutes into the game, burying a rebound from the left circle over Tomas Sholl to put Tulsa in front early. Idaho tied the score at 1-1 on an Oilers turnover at the Tulsa blue line, when Robbie Payne picked off a pass and raced in on a breakaway, beating Devin Williams with a shot through the legs.
Tulsa outshot Idaho 13-8 in the middle frame, and Oilers captain Adam Pleskach skated into the right circle and ripped a shot into the top of the net to give Tulsa a 2-1 lead at the midway point of the period.
Scott Henegar appeared to score an insurance goal on a wraparound in the third period, but the goal was disallowed as the Oilers carried their 2-1 lead down to the final minutes of regulation. The Steelheads pulled Sholl for an extra attacker, but Pleskach hustled to beat an icing and scored an empty-net goal to seal Tulsa’s series win.
The Oilers advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time, where they will face the Toledo Walleye in a best-of-seven series to determine who will represent the Western Conference in the Kelly Cup Finals. A full schedule of the Conference Finals will be announced in the coming days, with the series starting Friday and Sunday with Games 1 and 2 at the Huntington Center in Toledo.
With Tulsa Oilers release
Contact the Photographer: Les.Stockton@prohockeynews.com
This is when Pleskach made the face in the television camera.
You must be logged in to post a comment.