Family emergency causes Oilers coach to miss games

BY JOHN RITTENOURE World Correspondent
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
3/03/10 at 6:02 AM

Tulsa Oilers coach Bruce Ramsay will not be behind the team's bench tonight when the Oilers face off against the Mississippi RiverKings at the BOK Center. A family emergency has Ramsay returning to Canada to visit his mother.

Injured defenseman Tyler Fleck has been appointed interim coach until Ramsay returns.

Fleck said Ramsay will miss the team's next three games at least.

"Then we will see after the weekend," Fleck said. "We are just going to take it one day at a time and do the job for Bruce while he is gone."

Coaching is a new role for Fleck, who has not played since Jan. 17 when he was placed on injured reserve.

"It definitely is a new challenge," said Fleck. "Going from player to coach is definitely a transition. I am just trying to prepare so we can continue with business while Bruce is gone to take care of his family.

"We have gone over everything. I kind of got a feel for it. At this point in the year, the guys know what they have to do.

"We have to be prepared. We are in a dogfight for a playoff spot, and it is going to come right down to the wire."

With just three home games remaining and six left on the road, Fleck knows how important these final games are if Tulsa hopes to regain a playoff spot.

"We are looking forward to Mississippi on Wednesday," Fleck said. "We have got to have a win there. We feel like we have been playing pretty well but have had some bad luck. Things should go our way here if we keep on working hard. The work ethic is there and we are right in it.

"It is kind of funny, I spent a long time trying to make sure Tulsa did not make the playoffs (playing for the Oklahoma City Blazers); now I have the opportunity to do something we have not done in a long time (make the playoffs)."

MISSISSIPPI AT TULSA

When: Wednesday, 7:35 p.m.

Where: BOK Center

Records: Tulsa, 25-24-6, 56 points, sixth place in Northern Conference. Mississippi, 27-21-7, 61 points, third place in Northern Conference.

Promotions: None.

Broadcast: tulsaworld.com/oilers.

Tickets: $10 to $30. Available at BOK Center box office at 866-726-5287, www.tickets.com, Reasor’s Stores, Homeland Stores.