Oilers rally to win in Mississippi 4-3.

Three unanswered goals helps Tulsa force game 4 on Tuesday night.

SOUTHAVEN, MI-- When you have your back against the wall in a playoff series and facing elimination, you have to go all out to win and stay alive.  That is exactly what the Tulsa Oilers did on Sunday evening in game 3 of their best-of-five series with the Mississippi Riverkings, who won the two opening games in the BOK Center on Thursday and Friday night. 

Mike Beausoleil scored his third power play goal of the playoffs (one in each game) at 2:21 of the first period, giving Tulsa its first lead of the series. But Chris Richards answered that back with a power play goal at 14:40.

Louis Dumont struck for Mississippi just 1:01 into the second period to give the Riverkings a 2-1 lead. With the Oilers on a two man advantage, Chris Auger of Mississippi cleared the puck out of his own zone ahead for Patrik Levesque who beat Oilers goaltender Trevor Cann for a shorthanded goal. Levesque also has a goal in each game of the series.

While the Oilers were still on the power play Luke Lucyk deflected in a pass from Eastman , getting the Oilers back within a goal, settting the stage for the dramatic third period comeback.

In the end, Braden Walls and Derek Eastman were the heroes for the Oilers as their goals put the Oilers over the top. Walls’ goal was the Oilers first even strength goal of the series. And Eastman’s was his first of the season. He had 12 power play goals and one shorthanded goal during the regular season.

Game 4 will take place on Tuesday at 7:05pm in the DeSoto Convention Center.

If the Oilers win game four Tuesday, a decisive fifth game will be in Tulsa Saturday night at 7:35.

Photo by Kevin Pyle.