TULSA, OK – The Tulsa Oilers needed two wins and a lot of help this weekend to get into the Kelly Cup Playoffs, but fell 3-2 in a shootout to the Rapid City Rush on Friday at the BOK Center.
Rapid City took a 1-0 lead into the locker room after 20 minutes, as Peter Sivak scored late in the frame to break the scoreless deadlock. The Oilers outshot the Rush 14-8 in the frame, but Rapid City goaltender Christian Frey stopped all 14.
The Oilers tied the game, when Charlie Sampair cleaned up a rebound at the edge of the crease and lifted it over Frey to make it 1-1 early in the second period. Rapid City went back in front 2-1, when Alex Kromm blasted a shot from the point through a screen. The Rush carried that lead into the third period, as the Oilers needed to find a way to come back to win in order to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Sampair scored again, this time early in the third period, to tie the score at 2-2. Neither team could jump back in front, as the game went into overtime. After a scoreless five minute 3-on-3 period, Rapid City’s Daniel Leavens scored the only goal in a three-round shootout to win the game for the Rush. Tulsa heavily outshot Rapid City 54-23, but Frey stopped 52 in the victory, while Devin Williams stopped 20 in the loss.
With Tulsa Oilers release
Contact the photographer: Les.Stockton@prohockeynews.com
Dmitrii Sergeev
Mitch Nardi
Steven Kaunisto
Christian Frey
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