TULSA, OK (Jan. 8) – Jay Dickman scored in regulation and tallied the only goal in the shootout to help push Wichita past Tulsa on Sunday afternoon, 3-2, at the BOK Center.
Strauss Mann stopped 42 shots through 67 minutes and made all three saves in the shootout to grab his sixth win of the year.
Dante Sheriff gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead at 7:38 of the first. Wichita turned it over at the Tulsa line and Max Golod skated the other way. He fed a pass across to Sheriff at the left circle for the one-timer.
Late in the second, Peter Bates made a nice move through the slot and leveled the game at one. He caught a pass from Kenny Hausinger, went forehand to backhand across the goal-mouth and beat Gage Alexander for his sixth of the season.
The Thunder took their first lead of the contest at 8:30 of the third. Brayden Watts fired a shot-pass near the crease and Dickman redirected it home for his 10th of the year to make it 2-1.
At 11:22, Jackson Leef tied the game at two. He crashed the net and had a puck hit his skate near the left post. The goal was reviewed for a possible kicking motion, but stood and made it 2-2.
In overtime, Wichita controlled the first three minutes until Watts was called for a high stick at 3:04. Mann stood tall for the Thunder and the game headed into a shootout.
Eddie Matsushima, Michael Farren and Sheriff were all shut down by Mann. Dickman recorded the only goal of the shootout in the bottom of round one to help Wichita earn the win.
Wichita improved to 6-3 in games decided past regulation. After going a month without a game past 60 minutes, the Thunder have played in back-to-back games into overtime or a shootout. Both teams appeared in their first shootout of the season. The Thunder improved to 4-0 against Tulsa in games decided past 60 minutes.
The Thunder went 1-for-5 on the power play. Tulsa was 0-for-4 on the man advantage. Wichita went a perfect 11-for-11 against Idaho and Tulsa on the kill this past week.
Watts extended his point-streak to 13 games and has assists in seven-straight. Hausinger has points in back-to-back outings. Timur Ibragimov has assists in back-to-back contests. Mann earned wins in both starts this week, stopping 83 of 86 shots he faced.
