TULSA, OK – A second period three-goal surge from the Tulsa Oilers (24-14-6) was enough to push the home squad past the visiting Allen Americans (14-28-4) 4-3 Saturday at the BOK Center.
Oilers rookie Jared Thomas buried a loose puck out of a goal-mouth scramble 32 seconds into the game to give Tulsa a 1-0 lead. Allen had four first period power plays, but the Oilers killed off all four penalties. Goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick stopped all nine shots he faced, while Americans goalie C.J. Motte turned away seven of eight.
Tulsa added to its lead early in the second period when a puck bounced off of Charlie Sampair’s skate and ricocheted past Motte. Scott Henegar fired a shot past the sliding Motte to make it 3-0 on an Oilers 2-on-1 rush, before Americans forward Alexandre Ranger put Allen on the board with a deflection in front of Fitzpatrick. Late in the frame, Ryan Tesink cleaned up a rebound for his second point of the night to put the Oilers ahead 4-1 after 40 minutes.
Allen rookie Braylon Shmyr fooled Fitzpatrick with a shot from high in the slot to halve the Oilers lead 6:23 into the third period. The Americans cut their deficit to one with 8:58 remaining in regulation when Zach Pochiro scored his league-leading 24th goal to make it 4-3. Tulsa held on from there to split the weekend series heading into tomorrow’s finale.
The Oilers and Americans finish off the weekend series with a rubber match Sunday at 4:05pm on the York Plumbing Ice at the BOK Center. A post game skate for the fans with the Oilers players will follow the game.
With Tulsa Oilers release
Contact the Photographer: Les.Stockton@prohockeynews.com
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