TULSA, Okla. – The Tulsa Oilers have posted back-to-back wins on five separate occasions this season but have yet to string together a three-game win streak. Another attempt at three in a row fell flat on Saturday night in a 4-1 loss to the Quad City Mallards in front of 5,057 at the BOK Center.
The third meeting of the season between the Oilers and the Mallards started on a promising note for the home team. With two Mallards in the penalty box, Tulsa forward T.J. Caig dialed up a 5-on-3 slap shot that zipped past Quad City goalie Evan Mosher at 7:57 of the opening period. Caig, rumored to be out of the lineup due to injury before the game, netted his tenth goal of the season and snapped an 11-game goal drought to give the Oilers an early 1-0 edge. Caig’s goal, the second 5-on-3 goal of the season for Tulsa, extended his point streak to five games.
Just beyond the halfway point of the second period, the Mallards began a march of four unanswered goals. After Tulsa netminder Brady Hjelle denied Kevin Baker from close range, Johnny Rogic fired home the rebound to level the contest at 1-1 with 9:36 remaining in the middle frame. A charging minor against Charles Lachance and a hooking call against Tommy Mele gave Quad City a two-man advantage near the end of the period and the Mallards cashed in on the opportunity. An off-wing one-timer from Baker beat Hjelle to put the Mallards in front 2-1 at the 15:57 mark.
The Mallards scored an insurance marker at 8:52 of the third after a turnover behind the Tulsa net created an opening for Pearce Eviston. Quad City forward Jeff Lee slid a pass into the slot for Eviston who banked a shot off the crossbar and down into the net for his second strike of the season. Eviston’s empty net tally with 60 seconds left in regulation sealed the victory for Quad City and helped the Mallards improve to 3-3-0 at the end of their six-game road trip.
Mosher turned away 28 shots for his fourth win of the season while Hjelle was forced to settle for another hard-luck loss after stopping 40 of the 43 shots he faced. The Oilers went 1-for-5 on the power play and have scored a power play goal in three consecutive contests. Quad City won in regulation at the BOK Center for the first time in team history and moved within four points of the second-place Oilers. Tulsa has been held to just a single goal in each of its last three losses.
The Oilers are back in action on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. when they host the Wichita Thunder.
With Tulsa Oilers team release
Contact the photographer: les.stockton@prohockeynews.com
