Oilers and Mudbugs playoff series tied 1-1..

Oilers win 5-4 in OT on Friday; Lose 6-1 on Saturday.

BOSSIER CITY, LA.-- The Tulsa Oilers began their first semifinals appearance in a big way on Friday night, stealing a 5-4 win in overtime against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs on their home ice. Oilers defenseman Tom Dignard fired the puck past Mudbug goalie Ryan Munce at 1:52 of the overtime period on the power play.

After the scoreless third period, Mudbug s forward Justin Aikins drew a hooking penalty off a face off in the Oilers zone, putting the Oilers on the power play. It took just 40 seconds into the man advantage for Costello to find Dignard who blasted a one timer from the right wing face off circle past Bossier-Shreveport goalie Ryan Munce giving the Oilers the win.

Dignard’s goal came after a a scoreless third period in a game in which both teams had momentum on their side. After Simon Mangos opened the scoring for Bossier-Shreveport midway through the first period, Bates Battaglia tied it for the Oilers just 55 seconds later.

Before the first perod ended, Jack Combs scored his third goal in the last two games, giving the Oilers a 2-1 lead. They stretched it to 3-1 when Luke Lucyk tipped in a centering feed from Battaglia at the 6:41 mark of the second period.

Bossier-Shreveport staged its mini comeback on goals by Jeff Kyrzakos, and David Rutherford. Battaglia’s second goal of the game, and third of the playoffs, gave the Oilers a short lived lead at 4-3. Aikins tied it just 21 seconds later.

The win was big for the Oilers, beyond the fact that it gave them a 1-0 series lead. Since the CHL-WPHL merger in 2001, the Oilers hadn’t won very often when they played in the CenturyTel Center. Previous to Friday’s victory Tulsa had only notched two wins on Bossier’s home ice.

Tempers hit the redline in game 2

Riding high after the big win on Friday night, the Tulsa Oilers looked to make it two-in-a-row on Saturday night and take a 2-0 series lead in the CHL semifinals against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.

Shawn Limpright had the only goal of the first period, a power play goal that gave Bossier-Shreveport a 1-0 lead in the first four and half minutes.

Then the roof caved in on the Oilers.

Clay Plume and Jeff Kyrzakos stretched the lead to 3-0 before the Oilers Evan Kotsopoulos was called for a major penalty for cross checking. On the major power play Jamie Milam scored to make it 4-0 but Marty Standish answered back for the Oilers a minute later with an unassisted shorthanded goal.

It wouldn’t be the last impact Standish would have on the night. Just 39 seconds later he drew a major penalty for kneeing, and Steven Crampton scored on that power play giving Bossier-Shreveport a 5-1 lead. Justin Aikins rounded out the scoring with three sconds left in the period.

Although there was no scoring in the third period, there were plenty of fireworks when Brennan Barker collided with Bossier-Shreveport goaltender John DeCaro setting off a melee with 5:32 to go. As tempers flared. Oilers coach Bruce Ramsay and Bossier-Shreveport coach Scott Muscutt gestured violently toward each other each banging on the glass toward the other’s bench.

Game three is at the BOK Center on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.