GAME PREVIEW: Tulsa Oilers Take On Allen Americans Thursday Night At Home

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

Tulsa Oilers vs. Allen Americans - 7:05 p.m. at BOK Center

PREVIOUS MEETINGS (Season Series Tied 2-2)

October 24 - Tulsa 9 @ Allen 6

November 8 - Tulsa 4 @ Allen 6

November 9 - Tulsa 3 @ Allen 2

November 25 - Allen 3 @ Tulsa 1

TEAM CAPSULES

Tulsa Oilers

Overall: 8-5-2

Home: 5-3-1

Road: 3-2-1

Streak: Lost 1

Rank: T-2nd in Central Division

Allen Americans

Overall: 10-3-0

Home: 4-2-0

Road: 6-1-0

Streak: Won 7

Rank: 1st in Central Division

SETTING THE SCENE

The Oilers and Americans battle in their fifth meeting of the season and for the second time in the last three days at the BOK Center. On Tuesday night, Allen earned a 3-1 win over Tulsa to level the season series at 2-2. Both clubs have scored 17 goals in the series and the road team has captured victories in three of the four previous contests. The Oilers had their four-game point streak snapped on Tuesday while the Americans are looking to extend an impressive seven-game win streak.

TURKEY DAY HOCKEY

The Oilers are playing on Thanksgiving Day for the seventh time in team history and the first time since 2011. Tulsa is 4-1-1 in Thanksgiving games with a 3-1-0 record on home ice.

LAST TIME OUT

In Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the Americans, the Oilers were held to their second-lowest goal total of the season and their lowest shot total (21) of the season. Allen scored twice in the span of 34 seconds in the first period and smothered the Tulsa attack throughout the second and third period. Drew Fisher and Jon Booras both extended their point streaks to four games with assists on Kyle O'Kane's goal in the first period.

WEEKLY WINNER

Tulsa Oilers center Jon Booras was named the Sher-Wood Hockey ECHL Player of the Week for November 17-23. Booras scored five goals in four games last week as the Oilers went 3-0-1 and moved into a tie for first place in the Central Division. The 31-year old ranks second in the ECHL with 21 points (8 goals, 13 assists) and is tied for fourth in assists. A native of Billings, Montana, Booras has posted at least one point in six of his last seven outings and leads all Oilers with eight multi-point games this season.

ADDING SOME TALLENT

Defenseman Eric Tallent makes his return to the Tulsa lineup tonight after being activated from the 21-day injured reserve list. A fifth-year pro out of Garland, Texas, Tallent appeared in 54 games for the Oilers last season and recorded 17 points (4 goals, 13 assists) along with 62 penalty minutes. The 28-year old was part of Tulsa's top blue-line tandem with veteran Nathan Lutz.

KEEP THE CARR RUNNING

Oilers goalie Kevin Carr leads the ECHL with 816 minutes and ranks second in the league with 385 total saves. The 24-year old rookie has appeared in 14 of the Oilers' 15 games this season and has started 11 of those 15 contests. Carr is tied for the ECHL lead with eight wins and has been between the pipes for every Oilers victory this season.

NOT DOWN FOR LONG

The Oilers are 4-1-1 in games following a loss and have only lost back-to-back games in regulation once this season.

OIL DROPS

Tulsa is tied for the ECHL lead with four shorthanded goals…Kyle O'Kane has scored in back-to-back games…The Oilers have been outshot in nine straight games and rank 25th out of 28 teams with an average of 32.6 shots against per game…Tulsa leads the Central Division in goals for, goals against, and penalty minutes.