TULSA, OK – A three-goal third period spurred a 4-1 win for the Tulsa Oilers (41-23-6) Friday over the Kalamazoo Wings (36-30-5) in the first game of the final weekend of the regular season at the BOK Center. The win was Tulsa’s sixth straight on home ice and 11th in its last 14 games overall.
Tulsa gained the early edge when Mike McKee set up Ian McNulty for a one-timer from the right circle on a 2-on-1 rush. The Wings tied things up at 1-1 when Tanner Sorenson danced past the Tulsa defense late in a Kalamazoo power play and snapped a shot past Devin Williams. The Oilers held a slight 9-8 shots advantage after 20 minutes.
The two teams remained tied at 1-1 after a scoreless second period, where Williams and Wings goaltender Ivan Kulbakov stole the show. Williams stopped all eight shots he faced, finishing with 21 for the game, while Kulbakov turned away all 12 he faced in the frame.
The Oilers regained the lead when Adam Pleskach threaded a pass through the slot to Eric Drapluk on the backdoor, and Drapluk slid a shot past Kulbakov for the eventual game-winner. Roman Ammirato added an insurance goal early in a Tulsa power play with 3:57 remaining to make it 3-1, and Jared Thomas buried an empty net goal with 1:02 left to complete the three-goal third period.
Tulsa’s magic number to clinch the Mountain Division, pending the late result of Idaho’s game against Utah in Boise, is three points with two games remaining.
The Oilers and Wings face-off one more time Saturday at 7:05pm on European Jersey Night at the BOK Center. Tulsa will wear special jerseys designed to look like those worn by hockey teams overseas and will feature ads from many Tulsa Oilers partners. The player-worn jerseys will be auctioned off following the game in the OneOK Lounge.
With Tulsa Oilers release
Contact the Photographer: Les.Stockton@prohockeynews.com
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