OIL DROPS: WEEKLY REPORT 12/07

Oilers celebrate a victory at the BOK Center. (photo by: Kevin Pyle – www.photopyle.com)

LAST WEEK’S RESULTSWednesday Dec, 2 – vs. Rapid City Rush (4-2 L) Watch HereThursday Dec. 3 – vs. Utah Grizzlies (5-1 W) Watch Here

THIS WEEK’S GAMESThursday Dec. 10 – vs. Idaho Steelheads at 7:05 p.m.Friday Dec. 11 – vs. Idaho Steelheads at 7:05 p.m.Sunday Dec. 13 – vs. Missouri Mavericks at 4:05 p.m.

TEAM CAPSULEOverall: 8-9-1-1 (18 points)Home: 5-5-1-0Road: 3-4-0-1Rank: 3rd in Central Division

TEAM LEADERSGoals:  Emerson Clark – 8Assists:  Dennis Brown -12Points: Adam Pleskach – 16+/-: Matt Konan, +12PIM:  Mathieu Gagnon – 60

WEEK IN REVIEWThe Oilers went 1-1-0-0 last week at home, gaining two out of a possible four points. After a loss to Rapid City on Wednesday night (4-2), Tulsa notched their second-largest margin of victory on the season and second highest offensive output with their win over the Utah Grizzlies on Thursday (5-1). Head Coach Jason Christie tied the ECHL record for most wins coached with his 491st success against Utah.

LOOKING AHEADTulsa will be back at the BOK Center this Thursday, Friday and Sunday as they look to gain six more points on this 8-game home stand. The Oilers will host Idaho (7-12-4-0) Thursday and Friday then welcome back Missouri on Sunday. Thursday will be the Oilers’ first look at the Idaho Steelheads in franchise history as both teams sit at 18 points apiece. Sunday’s matchup against the Mavericks will be Tulsa’s chance to break the Western Conference leaders’ current 14-game winning streak.

FRENCH CONNECTIONRookie center Christophe Lalancette is averaging a point per game with 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) in his first 10 games as a pro. Lalancette ranks third in shooting percentage amongst rookies in the ECHL with 23.5% (4 goals in 18 shots). The San Jose fourth rounder has played in 10 of Tulsa’s 19 contests this season.

CARR CONTINUESKevin Carr has made seven consecutive starts in net and ranks fourth in the ECHL with a 1.77 goals against average. Carr has played 712 minutes this season, owning a 6-6-0-0 record.

‘WON’ WIN AWAYAfter tying all-time ECHL coaching wins leader with John Marks, a 2012 inductee into the ECHL Hall of Fame, Coach Christie can break this record on Thursday against Idaho. Coach enters the week with 491 wins in the span of 13 ECHL seasons. With a win on Thursday, Christie can set a new record with 883 games coached.

FIRST DATESThis season, the Oilers are getting a broader picture of the league by facing off against first-time opponents.  Last week, the Oilers clashed with the Utah Grizzlies for the first time in franchise history and this week, the Oilers welcome the Idaho Steelheads into the BOK Center for the very first time.  In contrast to last season where the Oilers played 69 of their 72 games against divisional foes, this season’s schedule features only 54 divisional games and a total of four first-time opponents (Utah, Idaho, South Carolina, Cincinnati).

WONGER PROFILEThe latest Oilers’ player testimonial features veteran forward Brandon Wong. Learn more about how Wong fell in love with hockey, his pre-game routine, gained friendships and more!
 WATCH: Brandon Wong – Player Profile 

EXTRA DROPSThe Tulsa Oilers are the only team in the ECHL that has not allowed a shorthanded goal this season…This week the Oilers will host their Teddy Bear Toss benefitting the Salvation Army against the Steelheads (12/11) and a Paint the Ice Party after Missouri’s game on Sunday (12/13)… Emerson Clark ranks fourth in the league in shooting percentage with 8 goals in 27 attempts (29.6%)… After a full week off, this Thursday the Oilers will begin a stretch of five games in nine days…

Are you looking for Activities in Tulsa?

Now ahead for Brewer, right wing to DeSalvo. DeSalvo over the blue line gets bumped on the way in, still has control of the puck. DeSalvo sends it to the blue line to Lutz, over to Clark, Clark on the right side. Clark sticks to the slot, a shot gets deflected off of … I think it was Federico’s leg, and the Americans bring it back.

Over the Gens, he tried to send a shot from the point, got deflected and stolen away by the Oilers. Back from Tulsa with it. Blomqvist down low, goes behind the goal, now around to the left side. Blomqvist brings it out to the point, hands it off there to Sova. Joe Sova’s shot toward the goal, rebound, knocked away. Here’s a shot by Pleskach, he can’t get it to go. Now it’s recovered by the Oilers back in the neutral zone.

They will bring it back in. Konan dumps it off in the corner. The Americans recover in their own end, and they’ll set the play from behind the goal with Pinkston with it. Rick Pinkston behind his net, Oilers making a defensive change. Back now up the ice comes Pinkston into the Tulsa zone. He slaps the puck ahead, goes behind the goal, and the Americans will make a change with one minute remaining here in the 1st period of play.

1-0, Allen Americans with the lead. Puck in the Americans’ zone. They hand it off behind the goal, off to the near side. Courtnall loses control of the puck, it goes all the way into the Tulsa end, it’ll be an icing against the Americans. The face-off will come all the way back into the Allen end with 44 seconds left to go here in this 1st period of play.

Face-off in the Americans’ end, won by the Americans, they give it away to Roy on the near side, he’ll send it out in the neutral zone. Intercepted. Nice play there by Harstad, gets away to the left wing, Ramsay, now into the Americans’ zone, goes behind the goal, slapped away by the goaltender to the near side. Kept in, however, by the Oilers’ Wong on the near boards, and again around on the near side, Brown gets it in again for the Oilers.

He resets there, gives it to Ramsay. His backhander into the zone, as the Oilers make a change. 13 seconds left to go in the period, slapped into the Tulsa end. Behind the goal it goes with five seconds left to go, Oilers recover.

Into the air, gloved down by Brewer, and that’s the end of the 1st period of play. After one period of hockey, it is 1-0. The Allen Americans with the lead after one period of play.

We’ll take a timeout. When we come back, we’ll take a look at the 1st period scoring, and we’ll have our intermission interview with Brandon Wong. That’ll be coming up here in this first intermission. I’m just … Sorry, sounded a little befuddled because I’m trying to figure out my cords here. I couldn’t get something to work earlier, and we changed things up. All right, now it’s time to play a break. We’ll be back with the 1st intermission in just a minute. You’re listening to Oilers hockey.