Stealing Thunder: Tulsa wins 4-3

TULSA, OK—The Tulsa Oilers returned home Sunday afternoon after taking a shootout win from the Wichita Thunder in the Kansas Coliseum the previous evening.  In that tight, penalty filled match the Oilers scoring powerhouse named Rob Hisey netted the game winner in the shootout, further extending the incredible points run of the Oakville Ontario native. 

  The victory for Tulsa extended the current win streak to six games, the longest since the period between November 24th and December 9th in 2006.  If the Oilers win tonight they could equal the efforts of the team in 2002, who had 7 wins before November 16, 2002.  Tonights game would mark the 5th time of 10 total times Tulsa and Wichita are to meet this season, the Oilers holding the edge currently at 3 games to Wichita’s one.

  This afternoon it would be the Thunder’sa Jim Jorgenson scoring first on the power play assisted by Mark Adamek at 3:39 of the first, followed 30 seconds later by the Oilers first marker, an even strength marker by Marty Standish at 4:16 assisted by player-assistant Tyler Butler.  Completing the scoring for the period would be Tulsa center Aaron Davis, assisted by T.J. Caig and Mike Beausoleil at 7:08, putting the Oilers ahead 2-1.   The period was marred by a fight involving the Thunder’s leading scorer Jason Deleurme and the Oilers Rob Hisey.  The bout resulted in the customary penalties and a game misconduct for Deleurme who had neglected to tie his jersey down.

  Tulsa opened the scoring in the 2nd period at the 5:18 mark after T.J Caig tipped in a blast from Derek Eastman from the right wing circle on the power play.  Give an additional assist to Mike Beausoleil on the play.   Tulsa struck again on the power play at 6:55 of the period when Tyler Butler lit the lamp with Dan Riedel and Rob Hisey assisting.  The period would Again be marked by a fight, this time between the Oilers Rick Kozak and former Oiler Chris Kovalcik, whom Kozak handled quite easily.
One of the benchmarks of the Tulsa-Wichita rivalry has always been a hard-handed physical game and this afternoon has been no exception.  The game has been marked by the two altercations previously mentioned and a lot of energetic checking both on the open ice and into the boards.  The Thunder would net a goal with 5 minutes and change remaining, but that’s as close as they would get as the usual frustration would give way to another altercation and heated words between Oilers Coach Bruce Ramsay and Wichita interim head coach Jason Duda in the dying seconds of the match.

  The Oilers next home game is on Thanksgiving Night when the Missouri Mavericks make their first ever visit to thr amazing BOK Center.  Tulsa defeated the Mavericks on Friday night in the last minute of the game 4-3.  The next night Tulsa will welcome the defending champion Texas Brahmas to town, and they defeated the Oilers 5-3 back on November 7 5-3.  Tickets for those games and all the Oilers home games are available at the BOK Center box office and all Reasors locations.

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Photos: Kevin Pyle