Oilers strike shootout win
BY JOHN RITTENOURE World Correspondent
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
2/13/13 at 5:44 AM
The Tulsa Oilers are trying their best to make a late run at the final Central Hockey League playoff spot and they moved one step closer on Tuesday night with a 2-1 shootout victory over the first place Allen Americans at the BOK Center.
The win was Tulsa's (18-29-3) fourth shootout victory in eight games and their sixth win over the same period. Allen fell to 27-10-9 but remains in first place.
But the story of the night was the goaltending on both teams. Tulsa's Shane Madolora turned back 45 shots to Allen's Steve Silverthorn who stopped 36.
For the final two periods Madolora and Siverthorn were perfect in goal. The shootout went ten rounds before Sean Erickson scored for the victory.
"It was nice that (Sean) Erickson got the one goal," said Madolora." He put it over the goalie's pad. It was a simple move that we scored with earlier."
Earlier, Drew Fisher also connected on a shootout shot but Kale Kerbashian connected for the Americans' only goal against Madolora in the shootout.
"The one they scored the guy made a really good move," said Madolora. "When both goalies are kicking like that it turns into a fun game. It was nice to get the win."
"You can credit both goalies," Oilers coach Bruce Ramsay said. "There was 80 shots taken and only two goals scored.
"I give our guys credit. We battled. We had some great scoring chances and hit some posts. We had to kill off some tough penalties."
Ramsay feels his team is not ready to give up on making the playoffs. The Oilers are now 11 points back of eighth place Bloomington.
"They (Allen) are a great hockey team and it proves what you can accomplish," Ramsay said. "We have beat Wichita, Missouri and Allen. These are the best teams in the league and we are right there with them.
"That puts us within six points of Quad City. Who knows what can happen. We have a lot of games left and we have to keep working hard."
Jamie Schaafsma, who scored three goals in Allen's 5-1 victory over Tulsa on Sunday, picked up the first goal of the game with a powerplay blast at 5:08 of the first period to put the Americans ahead 1-0. But Ryan Menei answered with his 27th goal of the season to even the game at 1-1. Menei batted a rebound out of the air and flipped it into the net at 11:39.
After being outshot 17-9 in the first period the Oilers picked up the pace in the second registering 15 shots on goal to 13 for the Americans. However neither team was able to score over the 20 minute period.
Game Notes: The Oilers return to the BOK Center this weekend to play Arizona on Friday and Fort Worth Saturday. Game time is 7:35.
OILERS 2, AMERICANS 1 (SO)
| Allen |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
- |
1 |
| Tulsa |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
- |
2 |
First Period: 1, Allen, Schaafsma, 20 (Pineault, Tyler Ludwig) 5:08 (pp). 2, Tulsa, Menei, 27 (Erickson) 11:39. Penalties: Tulsa, Cramer (hooking) 4:11. Tulsa, Gordon (hooking) 11:55.
Second Period: No scoring. Penalties: Allen, Hendrikx (delay of game) 10:45. Tulsa, Buvinow (tripping) 12:09.
Third Period: No scoring. Penalties: Tulsa, Fisher (hooking) 7:30. Tulsa, Gordon (hooking) 9:21.
Overtime: No scoring. Penalties: None.
Shootout: 3, Tulsa, Erickson, 6.
Power Plays: Allen, 1-5. Tulsa, 0-1.
Shots: Allen, 17-13-11-4-0 - 45. Tulsa, 9-15-7-4-1 - 36.
Saves: Allen, Silverthorn 8-15-7-4-0--34. Tulsa, Madolora 16-13-11-4-0--44.
Referee: Zak Blazic. A: 3,032.
Associated Images:
The Oilers' Tyler Fleck (left) and Gio Flamminio battle Allen's Adam Pineault (center) and Jarret Lukin for the puck during Tuesday night's game at the BOK Center. JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
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