OILERS SCORE TWO EMPTY NETTERS IN 5-2 VICTORY
TULSA, OK – The Idaho Steelheads (26-13-1-1, 54pts) fell to the Tulsa Oilers (19-17-3-0, 43pts) by a final score of 5-2 Sunday in front of 4,160 fans at The BOK Center. Idaho opens up a three-game set vs. Allen Wednesday night from the Idaho Central Arena at 7:10 p.m.
Bair Gendenov gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead just 96 seconds into the game as Tulsa led 1-0 after the opening 20 minutes of play despite Idaho holding the edge in shots 18-14.
Dante Sheriff increased the Oilers lead to 2-0 at 10:26 of the second period. The first penalty of the game was called against Tulsa at 14:10 of the middle stanza and Francesco Arcuri (11th) scored 26 seconds into the man advantage to pull Idaho within one. Matt Register down the left wing wall fed Arcuri a few feet inside the blue line and from there he sent a wrist shot over the glove of Gage Alexander. Idaho trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes of play with shots favoring Tulsa 11-10 in the period.
6:01 into the third period Karl Boudrias lifted the Oilers back to a two-goal lead making it 3-1. With 5:52 left in regulation Ben Zloty (4th) pulled the Steelheads back within one. Wade Murphy from behind the net fed Ty Pelton-Byce inside the left circle. Pelton-Byce directed the puck to Zloty in the right circle where he blasted it upstairs into the back of the net. The Oilers would tack on empty-net goals with two minutes left and 22 seconds left to secure their second straight 5-2 win.
Jared Moe made 28 saves on 31 shots in the loss while Gage Alexander turned aside 42 of the 44 shots he faced in the win.
ICCU Three Stars
- Gage Alexander (TUL)
- Karl Boudrias (TUL)
- Bair Gendunov (TUL)
GAME NOTES
- Idaho went 1-for-3 on the power-play while Tulsa was 0-for-1.
- Idhao outshot Tulsa 44-33.
- Idaho is 22-16-4 all-time vs. Tulsa and 13-10-2 in Tulsa.
- Jordan Kawaguchi (IR), Sam Sternschein (IR), David Tendeck (IR), Jordan Kawaguchi (IR), and Jade Miller (DNP) did not dress for Idaho.
- Wade Murphy increased his point streak to four games with an assist.
- Murphy, Jack Becker, and Colton Kehler led all Idaho skaters with six shots each.
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