Almost, but not quite: Oilers lose 7-6.

TULSA, OK-- On Tuesday night, the Tulsa Oilers just ran out of time.

In a game that featured 13 goals between the Oilers and the Wichita Thunder, what it boiled down to was simply who could outlast the other. The whole game was different in every sense of the work. A heavy scoreboard…13 goals between two teams…plus one team outshooting the other by nearly double made many in the BOK Center crowd of 3,800 wonder what they were witnessing. It was definitely NOT what people had been expecting from the Oilers, who had not lost a game since the day after Thanksgiving.

On Saturday night in Wichita, the Oilers used 7 different players to get the goals that pushed them to a 7-4 win, and in tonight’s game, Jack Combs would score two for the Oilers, along with Tom Fritsche, Harrison Reed, Evan Kotsopoulos, and Tulsa’s current scoring champion Chad Costello would also light the lamp behind Thunder goalie Marc-Antoine Gelinas. Despite the efforts of the Oilers goal scorers the night belonged to Thunder forward Matt Robinson, beginning in the second period..

Robinson, who was acquired from the Laredo Bucks eight games into the season by the Thunder, scored 4 goals on the night, with AJ Gale getting two and Bobby Hughes getting the other one. The Thunder led by two goals twice in the game, but the Oilers battled back to tie the game by the end of the first and second period. As the seconds fell off the BOK Center clock the Tulsa players gave all they had, but it wasn’t enough.

The two clubs will face off again in Wichita on Friday night in Wichita for the final game of the 3-game set with the Thunder in the InTrust Bank Arena in downtown Wichita. The Oilers next home game will be a Sunday afternoon matinee against the Odessa Jackalopes, the Oilers closest pursuer in the Berry Conference of the CHL,

Sunday will also be the first day of the high school hockey GTR Cup, presented by the Tulsa Oilers. Broken Arrow plays Tulsa at noon followed by Jenks and Union at 1:30, then the Oilers game at 4:05. The GTR cup will conclude on Tuesday Dec. 21 with the consolation game at 3 p.m. and the championship at 4:30 followed by the Oilers and Texas at 7:05 p.m.

The Oilers will also make an appearance tomorrow evening at Reasors at 71st and Sheridan where they will be helping out the and support the Salvation Army by donating to the cause at any of the red kettles located in the Tulsa.

Just prior to the start of the Tulsa Oilers game with the Wichita Thunder, the Central Hockey League named Ian Keserich as Goaltender of the Week for the week ending December 12th. Ian Keserich has been a big part of the Oilers mid-season rebirth, winning his last 5 starts. In 13 starts since joining the Oilers, Keserich is 8-5-0 with one shutout and has a 3.19 goals against average and .910 save percentage.

Keserich was in goal as the Oilers defeated Rapid City 4-1 and won on the road at Wichita 7-4. He was not in goal when the Oilers beat Texas last week. In the two wins, Keserich stopped 59 of 64 shots for a .922 save percentage and a 2.68 goals against average.

Tickets for all Oiler games are available a the BOK Box Office, Tickets.com, Tulsa area Reasor’s stores, and by calling 1-866-7BOK-CTR (866-725-5287). More information is available by calling the Oilers office at 918-632-PUCK (7825).