Tulsa Oilers Outlast Mavericks, 3-2

The Missouri Mavericks were defeated by the Tulsa Oilers, 3-2, Sunday evening at BOK Center.  Ben Gordon’s second period goal held up for the Oilers (6-5-1) as they defeated the Mavericks (3-5-2) in the first of nine meetings between the teams this season.  Jeff Pierce and Trevor Kell scored the goals for the Mavericks who failed to win two straight games for the first time this season.  Tulsa’s two power play goals proved to be the difference as the Oilers finished 2-for-5 on the power play while killing all four of the Mavericks’ power play opportunities.

“We are turning the corner,” said Mavericks’ Head Coach Scott Hillman.  “We did what we needed to do to create more quality chances than the Oilers did.  We just did not capitalize on those chances.”

Nearly all of the scoring occurred in the first period as four of the five total goals were scored in the first 20 minutes.  The Mavericks opened the scoring just 54 seconds into regulation on Pierce’s fifth goal of the season.  The unassisted goal tied him with Kellan Tochkin for the team lead.

Tulsa rebounded and added a pair of goals at the 9:22 and 15:11 marks of the first period.  Mike Ullrich scored on the power play on assists from Gordon and Sean Erickson, and then Michel Beausoleil gave the home team a 2-1 lead on assists from Gary Steffes and Gordon.

Missouri answered and tied the game before the first intermission when Kell scored his third goal of the season at the 17:54 mark.  It marked the Mavericks final goal of the game although the team put up 24 more shots in the final two periods.

Gordon’s power play goal in the second period proved to be the game winner.

Missouri lost in regulation in Tulsa for just the third time in 14 games since the Mavericks entered the league in 2009.  Missouri is now 9-3-2 at BOK Center.