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Blazers Torch Oilers 7-3
Tulsa's Losing Streak Stretched to Five by OKC
January 3, 2003
by Janna Kinder TulsaHockey.net
The woes continued for the Tulsa
Oilers Friday night at the Tulsa Convention Center, as the Oklahoma City Blazers won in convincing fashion 7-3 over a struggling Tulsa squad.
The loss extended the Oilers' winless streak to 5 games.
Oklahoma City now trails Tulsa by just 4 points for the lead in the Northwest Division and has two games in hand on the Oilers.
The Oilers grabbed a 1-0 lead when Tulsa sparkplug Klage Kaebel broke
down the right wing, circled behind and then back in front of the Blazer net, and backhanded a shot, beating Oklahoma City netminder Boyd Ballardat 2:43 of the first period for his 5th goal of the season.
Assists went to forwards Derek Toninato and Lyle Steenbergen.
Oklahoma City tied the game at 1 when Joe Burton scored on a breakaway, beating Oiler goaltender Rod Branch with a low shot at 9:30 of the
first, assisted by defenseman Hardy Sauter.
The Blazers took a 2-1 lead when Blair Manning sent a cross ice pass from the left wing to Burton in the right circle, who in turn fired a quick shot into
the Oiler net, beating Branch stickside at 16:28 of the first.
Oklahoma City went up 3-1 at 6:57 of the second period when Dave Shields blasted an uncontested slap shot from the right circle into the
net. The goal was set up by a pass from Jonathon Dubois.
Tulsa's Justin Ossachuk answered at 9:08 of the second with a hard slap shot from near the Blazer blue line for his 11th goal of the season.
Defenseman Mike Johnson picked up the only assist on the goal.
OKC roared back just 27 seconds later when Ryan Campbell launched a slap shot from the right circle past Branch at 9:35 of the second,
taking a 4-2 lead.
Tulsa cut the lead to 1 at 16:41 of the second during a power play, with Ossachuk cashing in his 2nd goal of the night, assisted by Jamie Steer and Todd Marcellus.
The
Blazers made it 5-3 during an OKC power play at 5:20 of the third period when Ryan Watson sent a high shot into the top of the Oiler goal from the right crease area, restoring the Blazers' two goal cushion.
OKC doubled up on the Oilers with another power play goal at 8:12 of the third by Shields.
Adding insult to injury, Dubois found the puck sitting near the Oiler goal line after Branch made an
initial stop but failed to cover up, and poked it into the goal at 13:04 of the third to give the Blazers a monumental 7-3 lead.
The Oilers travel to Amarillo for a Saturday night game against the
Gorillas. Game time is set for 7:11 p.m. |
