A convincing 6-2 win in Game 7 sent the Tulsa Oilers (4-3-0) through to the Mountain Division Finals, ending a hard-fought series with the Kansas City Mavericks (3-3-1) Wednesday at the BOK Center. It was Tulsa’s first playoff series since joining the ECHL in 2014-15, and the Oilers first series win as a franchise since 2010-11.
The Oilers gained the early lead when Steven Kaunisto found Ryan Tesink with a stretch pass and Tesink beat Mason McDonald on a breakaway with a backhander through the legs. The Mavericks tied the game when Jared VanWormer fooled Devin Williams with a shot from the corner that banked off of Williams’ pads and in. Late in the opening frame, Oilers captain Adam Pleskach redirected a centering pass into the net for a power play goal to put Tulsa ahead 2-1 after 20 minutes.
Alex Dostie gave Tulsa a two-goal lead 35 seconds into the middle period when he kicked a pass onto his stick and deflected it into the net on a 2-on-1 rush for his league-best seventh goal of the playoffs. Tesink then quickly made it 4-1 when he tipped a point shot through McDonald and into the net just 1:16 into the frame. Tulsa outshot Kansas City 13-8 in the period and led by three entering the third.
The Mavericks found a second life early in the third when Darian Dziurzynski scored a power play goal to cut Tulsa’s lead in half. But Dostie scored his second of the game less than two minutes later to put the Oilers back ahead by three. The 22-year-old completed his first playoff hat trick late in the game on a power play to complete Tulsa’s 6-2 win.
The Oilers move on to the Mountain Division Finals against the Idaho Steelheads, which starts with Game 1 Friday at 7:05pm at the BOK Center and Game 2 Sunday at 4:05pm in Tulsa. Catch all the action on the Sports Animal Radio Network, www.tulsaoilers.com or ECHL.TV, with pregame coverage starting at 6:45pm.
