PHN’s Best Shots of the Game: power play pushes Mallards to OT win over Oilers

TULSA, Okla. – Special teams proved to be the most critical part of Tulsa Oilers and Quad City Mallards Saturday night showdown in which the Mallards proved victorious. Six of the seven goals were scored on the power play in Quad City’s 4-3 overtime win.

During what was a scoreless first period, the Oilers would earn only two shots on goal. Quad City outshot Tulsa with 11. Fans stayed entertained by the unique sweaters worn by goaltender Kevin Carr and forward Mathieu Gagnon. These two were voted on and selected as the ECHL Fantasy Team players for the Tulsa Oilers.

The second twenty minutes of play would add more thrill–and two goals.

Christophe Lalancette (22), Raphael Bussieres (28)

Within two minutes, the Oilers tripled their shot tally and one of them would go in. Connor Kucera slapped the puck that went off the pad of Brody Hoffman and found his former BGSU teammate Dan DeSalvo. The power play goal by DeSlavo inked the first for the Oilers and an eight-game point streak for the forward. Phil Brewer claimed an assist as well.

Just five minutes later, at the 7:21 mark, Axel Blomqvist extended the Oilers’ lead to two.

Mallards’ Kyle Follmer went to the box for a hooking minor and the Oilers would capitalize on the power play. Defenseman Dennis Brown took a blue line shot that Blomqvist would get a stick on to put rubber through the net for a second power play goal for Tulsa.

The third period would provide more action for both sides.

Matt Carey pulled Quad City within one goal of the Oilers when he scored a power play tally on a feed from Guillaume Gelinas.

Quad city would tie the game at two at the 11:39 mark off a goal from Raphael Bussieres.

Brian Nugent (16)

The Mallards took their first lead of the game at the 15:44 mark of the third period. Carey sniped his second goal of the game past Carr on the power play.

Kucera continued his trend of late game heroics when he scored a power play goal with 54 seconds remaining in the game to force OT.

Special teams, which was both teams bread and butter throughout the night, proved to be the Oilers ultimate downfall as Bussieres cranked his second goal of the game past Carr.

The Oilers still earned a valuable point in the standings and will look to bounce back Sunday against their Central Division rivals, the Wichita Thunder. Puck drop is at 4:05 at the BOK Center.

With Tulsa Oilers release

Contact the photographer: Les.Stockton@prohockeynews.com