TULSA, OK – Rookie forward Tyler Soy notched three points in leading the Tulsa Oilers (8-2-4) to a 4-2 win Tuesday over the Wichita Thunder (5-5-4) at the BOK Center.
Rookie forward Ian McNulty scored his first pro goal on a breakaway 3:02 into the first period to put Tulsa on the board early, and Adam Phillips made it 2-0 late in the frame when he blasted a shot from the point on Tulsa’s first power play. Wichita had an answer on their first power play when Dyson Stevenson tipped a shot from Keoni Texeira with 1:03 left in the frame.
The Thunder found an equalizer when Matt Schmalz beat Oilers goaltener Evan Fitzpatrick over the glove with a shot from the left circle 5:37 into the middle period. Tulsa held a 17-13 shots advantage though 40 minutes in a 2-2 game entering the third.
Early in the third period, Steven Kaunisto put the Oilers back in front for good when he fired a shot past Wichita goalie Stuart Skinner. It was Kaunisto’s second game-winning goal in the last three games. Soy, who had two first period assists, scooped up a loose puck off of a face-off win and flipped a shot under the crossbar and in for his first pro goal to make it 4-2.
Fitzpatrick stopped 24 shots to stay unbeaten in regulation (4-0-2) to start his pro career.
Tulsa travels to INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita on Wednesday for a rematch in the StoneWolf Casino Cup, before returning home Saturday in a final matchup with the Thunder. The Oilers wrap up the week Sunday with a 4:05pm matinee against the Kansas City Mavericks at the BOK Center.
