Oil Drops: Weekly Report 01/18/16

(Photo by Kevin Pyle – www.photopyle.com)

LAST WEEK’S RESULTSWednesday, Jan. 13 – @ Utah Grizzlies (5-2 L)Friday, Jan. 15 – @ Idaho Steelheads (2-1 L)Saturday, Jan. 16 – @ Idaho Steelheads (4-2 W)

THIS WEEK’S GAMESFriday, Jan. 22 – @ Missouri Mavericks, 7:05 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 23 – @ Missouri Mavericks, 7:05 p.m.

TEAM CAPSULEOverall: 17-13-2-2Home: 9-6-2-1Road: 8-7-0-1Rank: 3rd in Central Division

TEAM LEADERSGoals: Emerson Clark- 14Assists: Dan DeSalvo – 17Points: Adam Pleskach, DeSalvo, Clark – 26+/-: Dennis Brown, +17PIM: Emerson Clark – 102

WEEK IN REVIEWTwo of a possible six points were captured by the Oilers this past week. A loss to the Utah Grizzlies Wednesday (5-2) and the Idaho Steelheads Friday (2-1) wouldn’t stop Head Coach Jason Christie from achieving his 500th ECHL career win on the weekend trip. Saturday night’s 4-2 victory over the Idaho Steelheads in Century Link Arena would give the Oilers an extra two points to top them at 38 on the season and earn Christie the status of first head coach in the 28-year history of the ECHL to earn 500 wins.

Wednesday night the Oilers made their journey to the Maverick Center in West Valley City, UT for the first time in franchise history. Although these two teams had faced off once prior where Tulsa walked away with a 5-1 win, the squads would battle in Utah this time. The outcome would be different. Tulsa held a one-goal lead in the third period but four goals (one even strength, one power play and two empty nets) by Barry Almeida would give Utah the win, 5-2.

Traveling to a second foreign arena, the Oilers payed a visit to the Idaho Steelheads in Boise. In Friday night’s contest the line of Emerson Clark (goal) and Dan DeSalvo (assist) would strike again but one goal wouldn’t be enough for the 2-1 loss.

Saturday night the Oilers sought revenge and got it. Rob Linsmayer’s goal 0:09 seconds into the game would start Idaho out hot but momentum shifted when the Oilers scored three consecutive goals, one in each period. On a power play later in the third, Steelhead’s Molin would score but then Emerson Clark would respond on his second of the night. The score would read 4-2 and Clark with two goals, an assist and a fight.

LOOKING AHEADThe Oilers have met up with Missouri five times this season, however, only in Tulsa territory (2-1-1-1). This weekend the Oilers will head to Independence, MO to visit the league leading Mavericks where the home team owns a perfect record in their barn (13-0-0-0).

Of the six losses Missouri possess, Tulsa handed them two—one breaking their franchise-high 14-game winning streak. Each game between these two squads has been decided by one-goal and is expected to be a good one.

FORTUNE OF 500December 10, 2015 the Oilers’ 4-2 win over the Idaho Steelheads was a memorable one as Head Coach Jason Christie set the ECHL record for all-time wins with his 492nd career victory. A similar experience occurred on Saturday, January 16, 2016 when the Oilers earned, again, 4-2 victory over the Idaho Steelheads and provided Christie with the status of being the only coach in the ECHL to achieve 500 wins.

LIT LINEThe line of Dan DeSalvo, Phil Brewer and Emerson Clark has continued to prove plentiful. These skaters have a combination of 19 points in the last four games—Clark 8, DeSalvo 6 and Brewer 5.

‘HOWE’ DOES HE DO IT?Alongside his competent teammates, Emerson Clark is on quite the roll. Leading the Oilers with 26 points, Clark has 14 goals and 12 assists (3 goals and 2 assist from Greenville Swamp Rabbits prior to trade). On Saturday, January 9, the forward earned himself a Gordie Howe Hat Trick with a goal, three assists and a fight. For some this would be a rare occurrence, but not for Clark. Only three games later he did it again. In Saturday’s contest against the Steelheads, Clark netted two goals, an assist and a fight. The Arizona native leads the Oilers leads his team in goals, points and penalty minutes.

EXTRA DROPSEmerson Clark is fifth in the ECHL with 102 penalty minutes… Tulsa is 11-0-0-0 when leading after the second period…Tulsa is fourth in penalty minutes at 577… Dan DeSalvo in ninth among rookies with 26 points (9 goals, 17 assists) and fourth among fellow rookies with a +15 recording…The Oilers do not return to the BOK Center until January 26th…