(Photo Credit: Kevin Pyle)
Despite trailing 1-0 for most of the game the St. Charles Chill outplayed Tulsa in a classic tilt that featured everything you can ask for in a hockey game except the outcome, a 3-2 sudden death shootout loss.
The tone was set in the first minute of play when Steve Makway traded punches with Oiler defenseman Craig Cescon in front of the Chill net.
The Oilers (4-5-1) grabbed a lead at the 12:09 mark of the first period when Adam Pleskach skated down the slot and snapped a shot off that beat Robby Moss on the blocker side to set the score at 1-0. St. Charles (2-5-2) outshot the Oilers 14-8 in the opening period that saw 10 penalties called totaling 27 minutes leading to seven power plays that neither team could convert.
Tight defense by both teams factored in to a scoreless second period. The Chill killed off three consecutive power plays in the last half of the evenly played middle frame before it swung in favor of St. Charles with 29 second left. The Oiler’s Ryan Cramer was handed a five minute major and game misconduct for a check from behind right in front of the Chill bench and the power play spilled over into the third.
Less than two minutes into the third period Steve Makway buried his third goal of the season on a wrister from the top slot with a two-man advantage after Craig Cescon was called for interference 85 seconds into the frame. The goal tied the game but the Chill was hoping for more during the extended power play.
Tulsa took the lead back with less than five minutes left in regulation but three minutes later former Oiler rookie Kyle O’Kane squeezed the puck inside the near post for his fourth of the season after a long battle behind the net in conjunction with Phil Bushbacher who tallied the assist, his third point of the weekend, and the game was squared once again.
After a scoreless overtime and five skaters deep in the shootout the game was still tied after each team tallied two goals in the first five skaters. Sixth skater O’Kane had his forehand attempt stuffed by Shane Madolora before Drew Fisher strung together an impressive series of fakes before lifting a backhander past Moss for the game-winner.
The Chill returns to The Family Arena this Friday and Saturday against the Arizona Sundogs with game time set for 7:05. Single-game tickets start as low as $5 and are available through MetroTix and at The Family Arena box office. For group ticket packages, sponsorships, and more information on the St. Charles Chill visit StCharlesChill.com or call (636) 724-SHOT (7468).
