Oilers Outlast Mavericks, 5-4

The Missouri Mavericks erased a three-goal deficit but eventually lost to the Tulsa Oilers, 5-4, Sunday evening at BOK Center.  Dave Pszenyczny had a pair of goals for the Mavericks (35-21-6) who lost to the Oilers for the first time in seven games this season.  Five different Tulsa players scored goals and Marty Standish had three assists for the Oilers.  Mavericks' forward Ed McGrane also had three assists in the loss and the Mavericks remain two points below the Rapid City Rush for third place in the Turner Conference with four games remaining in the regular season.

"It was a hard fought game," said Mavericks' Head Coach Scott Hillman.  "We made some mistakes at key times and they cost us.  We will go right back to work for a big game Wednesday against Evansville."

The Oilers took a 3-0 lead through the first 30 minutes of play.  Travis Mealy scored his first professional goal just 1:56 into the game, and then Dylan Clarke and Mike Ullrich scored goals in the second period to give the Oilers a three-goal lead.  Missouri finally go on the scoreboard when Pszenyczny scored a power play goal from a sharp angle at the 17:36 mark of the second period.  McGrane and Sebastien Thinel assisted on the goal and the Mavericks headed to the final period trailing the Oilers by two goals.

Pszenyczny scored his second goal of the game just 43 seconds into the third period cutting Tulsa's lead to 3-2 and the Mavericks tied the game on a goal by Brandon Coccimiglio at the 5:46 mark.

Tulsa bounced back and scored the next two goals of the game to take a 5-3 lead.  Sean Erickson and Ryan Cramer scored less than four minutes apart including a power play goal and the Mavericks were unable to come back a second time.  Matt McCready scored his first professional goal for the Mavericks on a power play blast at the 13:02 mark, but the visiting team couldn't score the equalizer.

Missouri finished 2-for-2 on the power play and the Oilers had one goal on two chances.  The Mavericks have four games remaining in the regular season and Missouri is currently in fourth place in the Turner Conference with 76 points.  The Mavs trail the Rapid City Rush by two points, and the first-place Fort Wayne Komets are just five points ahead of the Mavericks.

Missouri will travel to Evansville on Wednesday night to take on the second-place IceMen.  The Mavericks will close out the regular season next weekend with three games in three nights starting on Friday, March 23 against the Bloomington Blaze at Independence Events Center.  The final two games of the regular season will be against the Tulsa Oilers on Saturday and Sunday, March 24 and 25.  The teams will play in Independence on Saturday night and close out the regular season on Sunday in Tulsa.

Single game playoff tickets go on sale (credit card only) on Monday at 12 noon. All playoff tickets will be refunded in the event the Mavericks do not qualify for postseason play.