Quad City rolls over Tulsa

MOLINE, IL.—The Tulsa Oilers suffered their worst defeat of the season as the Quad City Mallards hung a 9-3 on them on Saturday night.

The Mallards started the game much like the Missouri Mavericks did on Friday night, taking the game to the Oilers and scoring with less than a minute elapsed on the clock.

Quad City forward Jeff Lee chipped a puck past Shane Madolora just 35 seconds into the contest and the Mallards would push the lead to 2-0 only four minutes later when Mike Stinziani jammed home his own rebound.  Oilers left-winger Adam Pleskach netted his 12th goal of the season at 16:09 to cut the Mallards lead in half but that is as close as the Oilers would get.

There is only one way to describe the second period: brutal.

Nick Grasso Gave the home team a 3-1 advantage at the 1:46 mark of the second period, then Stinzani punched the puck in behind Madolora 32 seconds after that.  After allowing 4 goals Shane Madalora was pulled in favor of Ross MacKinnon.  He wouldn’t fare much better as the Mallards erupted for 5 more goals, including the Oilers 8th shorthanded goal against this season, which is the Central Hockey League’s worst.  When the dust settled, Quad City had a commanding 9-1 lead over Tulsa making any comeback basically impossible.

The Oilers scored twice more before it was all said and done with Ben Gordon and Adam Pleskach netting markers, but there would be no miracle in Moline for the Oilers tonight.

In addition to the score being lopsided, referee Kevin Mallin assessed some 30 minutes of penalty time on the Oilers…including three separate minors on Ryan Menei at the 15:33 mark of the second period…compared to only 8 minutes of penalties on Quad City.  Total.  The disparity in the penalties were so drastic by the end of the second period that when Tulsa head coach Bruce Ramsay attempted to discuss it with Mallin the team was assessed a 2 minute “disputing the call” minor on the team and a game misconduct to Ramsay.

Tulsa allowed a season-high nine goals and tied its season high for shots allowed in a single game by surrendering 45 to the Mallards.  The line of Gordon, Pleskach, and Ryan Menei combined for eight of the Oilers nine points.  Tulsa went 1-3 on its power play chances while Quad City scored two power play goals on nine opportunities.  The Oilers also gave up their CHL-worst eighth short-handed goal of the season and have allowed a short-handed goal in three consecutive games.

With the win the Mallards improve to 7-3-4 with 18 points while the Oilers fall tom 10-9-2 with 22 points, and slip a spot to 5th place in the standings.

The Oilers return home next Friday night for their first meeting with the Arizona Sundogs at 7:35pm in the BOK Center.