Oilers win a bullfight 6-2.

TULSA, OK--In hockey, like other sports, you play with a great deal of emotion.  Some of it comes from what’s going on in the game, other times you get it through inspiration frokm another source, like for instance, your coach.

Coach Bruce Ransay was not pleased with the efforts his Tulsa Oilers team displayed on Thanksgiving night against the upstart Missouri mavericks.  The two teams battled to a 5-4 shootout decision for the mavericks, handing the Oilers their first “loss” at home yet preserving the fact that they have yet to lose a game in regulation at the amazing BOK Center this season.  In previous years to lose by taking the other team to a tiebreaker would be all right and the coach at the time would be satisfied that instead of a loss and no points in the standings, the Oilers would come away with one point.

Bruce Ramsay is not that kind of coach.

The Oilers hosted the CHL defending champion Texas Brahmas last night stinging from the SOL and wanting to post a fresh victory to get back in Coach Ramsay’s good graces.  The Brahmas came into the game riding a flawless 5-0 win streak and looking to go to six wins visiting the Oilers.  The Oilers went down a goal in the first period, which was the opening frame’s only goal when Matt Burto took a pass from Lee Jubinville and shot the puck past  Oilers goalie Kevin Armstrong to put Texas up 1-0.

The Oilers then began an onslaught of goals beginning with a shorthanded marker from the league’s scoring leader Rob Hisey assisted by Derek Merlini 17 seconds into the 2nds, and that was followed by a goal by the Oilers centerman Aaron Davis assisted by T.J. Caig at 2:19.  Add goals from Tom Maldonado and Tyler Butler at 9:49 and 19:00 and the period would end with the Oilers riding high and the Brahmas stunned.  Tulsa would score twice more in the 3rd period, goals coming from Jake Riddle and Mike Beausoliel to extend the 4 goal lead to 6.  Burto would add anpother Brahma goal late in the third, but Texas would come no closer than the 4 point deficit as the game ended.

As often as not in hockey, when you jump ahead like Tulsa did in the 2nd period tempers flare, and last night was no exception.  There were four fights in the game, including a rare bout between the goalies.  Armstrong and Texas netminder Joe Palmer ripped their gloves off, spiked their masks and sticks to the ice and went at it in the dying minutes of the game to the delight of the 5,443 Oilers fans present.  The two players had attempted to go a round previously in the 3rd period, but were stopped at the blue lines by the linesmen.  There were a total of a periods worth of penalty minutes handed out as the frutration of the defending champs came out while they were behind on the scoreboard.

The Oilers next game is at home on Tuesday night as they face the team they share the top of the North division of the CHL with, the Clorado Eagles at 7:05.  The Brahmas travel to Allen to face the Americans tonight.  Tickets for the Oilers next game and all home games are available at the BOK Center box office, tulsaoilers.com and all reasors locations.

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Photos: Kevin Pyle

GAME LENGTH: 2:30
ATTENDANCE: 5,443
REFEREE: Jon McIsaac
1ST STAR: Riddle, Troy (TUL)
2ND STAR: Butler, Tyler (TUL)
3RD STAR: Armstrong, Kevin (TUL)

SCORING SUMMARY
Period 1
Texas - Matt Burto (Lee Jubinville) 8:45
Period 2
Tulsa - Rob Hisey (shorthanded) (Derek Merlini) 0:17
Tulsa - Aaron Davis (TJ Caig) 2:19
Tulsa - Tom Maldonado (Dan Riedel, Troy Riddle) 9:49
Tulsa - Tyler Butler (powerplay) (Troy Riddle, Rick Kozak) 19:00
Period 3
Tulsa - Jake Riddle (Marty Standish, Dallas Steward) 3:28
Tulsa - Michel Beausoleil (Dallas Steward, Marty Standish) 9:20
Texas - Matt Burto (Kevin McLeod, James Hiebert) 16:53

PENALTIES
Period 1
Texas - Matt Burto - (High Sticking), 2 min, 2:38
Texas - Lee Jubinville - (High Sticking), 2 min, 6:23
Texas - Luke Sellars - (Board Checking), 2 min, 9:38
Tulsa - Troy Riddle - (Hooking), 2 min, 10:03
Tulsa - TJ Caig - (Delay of Game Bench Minor), 2 min, 20:00
Period 2
Tulsa - Jim Henkemeyer - (Tripping), 2 min, 11:24
Tulsa - Marty Standish - (Roughing Double Minor), 4 min, 14:19
Texas - Ross Rouleau - (Roughing), 2 min, 14:19
Texas - Tyrell Mason - (Roughing), 2 min, 17:28
Period 3
Texas - Ross Rouleau - (Hooking), 2 min, 1:20
Tulsa - Aaron Davis - (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 min, 3:43
Tulsa - Kevin Armstrong - (Goalie Leaving Crease), 2 min, 3:43
Texas - Joe Palmer - (Goalie Leaving Crease), 2 min, 3:43
Texas - Ross Rouleau - (Interference), 2 min, 6:56
Tulsa - TJ Caig - (Fighting Major), 5 min, 9:31
Texas - Ross Rouleau - (Fighting Major), 5 min, 9:31
Texas - Lee Jubinville - (Holding), 2 min, 10:46
Tulsa - Tyler Butler - (Fighting (Instigator)), 2 min, 13:42
Tulsa - Tyler Butler - (Fighting Major), 5 min, 13:42
Tulsa - Tyler Butler - (Fighting (Instigator) Misconduct), 10 min, 13:42
Texas - Jason Reese - (Roughing), 2 min, 13:42
Texas - Jason Reese - (Fighting Major), 5 min, 13:42
Tulsa - Jim Henkemeyer - (Tripping), 2 min, 17:20
Tulsa - Marty Standish - (Fighting Major), 5 min, 18:59
Texas - Matt Burto - (Fighting Major), 5 min, 18:59
Tulsa - Kevin Armstrong - (Goalie Leaving Crease), 2 min, 18:59
Tulsa - Kevin Armstrong - (Fighting Major), 5 min, 18:59
Texas - Joe Palmer - (Goalie Leaving Crease), 2 min, 18:59
Texas - Joe Palmer - (Fighting Major), 5 min, 18:59
Texas - Joe Palmer - (No Category Game Misconduct), 10 min, 18:59
Tulsa - Kevin Armstrong - (No Category Game Misconduct), 10 min, 18:59