Joe Palmer about to take down Kevin Armstrong

A Series of Unfortunate Events...

Oilers score six straight goals to defeat the Brahmas, Burto scores two

Lemony Snicket couldn't have written a more woeful tale as the Tulsa Oilers scored six straight goals in 40 minutes to soundly defeat the Texas Brahmas tonight 6-2 at the BOK Center. 5,443 fans got their money's worth in a game that had it all - including 112 minutes worth of penalties and a goalie fight.

With the win, the Oilers extend their hold over the Northern Conference with a 12-3-1 record with 25 points. The Brahmas record falls to a dismal 7-9-2 with 16 points, remaining in fifth place in the Southern Conference.

Everything started out pleasant enough.

A group of Brahmas fans made it up to the BOK Center, including the gentleman I call "Flag Man" who waves the large Texas Brahmas flag up in section O at NYTEX.

Jason Deitsch, who is day-to-day with an upper body injury and Elias Godoy were the scratches for tonight.

What the first period lacked in excitement was made up for with solid play by the Brahmas with a shout out for Ross Rouleau and Lee Jubinville who were stand outs. Also, some notable efforts by former Blazer-turned-Oiler Marty Standish were witnessed.

The Brahmas committed three consecutive fouls (Burto - High Sticking, Jubinville - High Sticking, Sellars - Board Checking) in the first 10 minutes but the Tony's managed to kill off all three Tulsa power plays.

The Brahmas managed the only score of the first frame when Lee Jubinville sent a pass along the boards to Matt Burto, who sent the puck in under the right arm of Kevin Armstrong to notch his fourth goal of the season. It was 1-0 at the 8:45 mark.

Note: Both Armstrong and Palmer measure out at 6' 1" and 205 pounds and both are 21 years old.

The final seconds found Matt Burto being dropped along the boards by Oilers left wing Jake Riddle. Burto retaliated with a swipe of his stick to Riddle's ankles. No penalty was assessed for that action but the Oilers were assessed a penalty for delay of game due to a slow personnel change right before the buzzer.

At periods end, shots were even at 6 and the Brahmas had the 1-0 lead, an important fact as the Oilers have won all home games in which they led going into the first or second intermission. That lead would soon be doomed.

The second period opened with the man advantage for the Brahmas but it was Tulsa who scored the equalizer, a short-handed goal at the :17 second mark. Kevin McLeod lost the puck when his Sher-Wood stick broke (when does that happen?) and former Brahmas defenseman Derek Merlini took possession, sending it to center Rob Hisey. Hisey's shot trickled across the goal line when Palmer failed to squeeze the pads tight enough to make the save. This ties the Brahmas for the league lead with five short handed goals for each team (Hisey has three on his own).

Just over two minutes later, the Oilers took the 2-1 lead when TJ Caig corralled the puck shortly after leaving the penalty box after serving the delay of game minor. Caig rushed the net and took a shot which bounced off the pads of Joe Palmer but Aaron Davis picked up the rebound and sent it in to Palmer's left side as he skated in from the right circle at the 2:19 mark.

The Oilers would score their third consecutive goal at the 9:49 mark when Dan Riedel and Troy Riddle combined to get the puck to defenseman Tom Maldonado, who was coming in along the left wing boards. Maldonado's wrister from the edge of the face off circle flew past Palmer and just like that, Tulsa had a 3-1 lead.

Tempers flared when Marty Standish and Ross Rouleau got into along the right wing boards at the 14:19 mark. Standish would get a four minute Roughing Double Minor and Rouleau would get two minutes for Roughing. The Brahmas failed to convert on the resulting power play.

A Roughing call on Brahmas defenseman Tyrell Mason led to a power play goal by Tulsa captain Tyler Butler with a little help from Troy Riddle and Rick Kozak and a screened Joe Palmer at the 19:00 mark to make it a 4-1 game.

Shots favored the Oilers 12-7 in the middle frame and 18-13 after 40 minutes. Each team had four power plays up to this point with the Oilers converting once.

The Brahmas had the 13-10 shot count in the final frame and a 33-30 count in the game.

Wild and woolly was how the Oilers announcer described the third period and I couldn't agree more. Here's the Reader's Digest version.

To start things off, the Oilers scored goal number five at the 3:28 mark when Dallas Steward skated the puck along the boards and sent it to Marty Standish who was stationed at the right circle. Standish's centering pass was picked up by Jake Riddle who was waiting just outside the crease and he forced the puck past Joe Palmer to make it a 5-1 game.

15 seconds after play resumed, Aaron Davis nearly crashed the net and Joe Palmer took note and slashed Davis' ankles with his stick. Davis went nose to nose with Palmer but did not retaliate and was quickly subdued by two Brahmas defensemen. Meanwhile, Palmer and Kevin Armstrong exchanged words/gestures across the ice and both left their respective creases, skating to center ice for what looked like a goalie fight in the making. But it was not to be as linesmen Benjamin Dupuis and Cory Piche quickly separated the two. Davis was assessed two minutes for Unsportsmanlike Conduct and both Palmer and Armstrong were given two minutes (Goalie Leaving Crease) penalties.

At the 9:20 mark, Michel Beausoleil took a feed from Dallas Steward and sent his shot from the right circle pasts Palmer's right glove to make it a 6-1 game. Marty Standish was also credited with the assist.

11 seconds later, Ross Rouleau and TJ Caig got into it along the boards with Rouleau apparently getting the worst of a very quick scrape. Both would be assessed five minute Fighting Majors.

At the 13:42 mark, Tyler Butler took on the enforcer role after Jason Reese took down Dallas Steward with a particularly rough hit. Butler stormed in and absolutely flattened Reese with what looked like several blows to the face. Reese was given two minutes for Roughing and also the five minute Fighting Major. Butler, who was sent to the locker room was assessed a two minute Fighting (Instigator), a five minute Fighting Major and a 10 minute Fighting (Instigator) Misconduct).

While the two teams took a break in the fighting, Matt Burto scored his second goal of the game off the set up by Kevin McLeod and James Hiebert at the 16:53 mark. This set the final score at 6-2.

Tempers continued to run above the red line and just over two minutes later, Burto and Marty Standish exchanged blows which kept the linesmen busy while the two goalies decided to skate to center ice to finish up what they had started 15 minutes earlier. Joe Palmer came out the victor landing several blows and taking Kevin Armstrong to the ice. Burto and Standish were each assessed five minute Fighting Majors. Palmer and Armstrong each received two minute Goalie Leaving Crease, five minute Fighting Majors and the required 10 minute No Category Game Misconduct and each were sent to the showers. Joe Palmer had a few choice words (New York style) for a group of Oilers fans who heckled him on his way off the ice.

Marty Magers and Brett Jaeger came in for the final 1:01 of the game during which there were no shots and I believe both teams just wanted to end the game.

Shots in the final frame were 11-9, advantage Brahmas but Tulsa had the 27-24 final count and the 6-1 win in their pocket.

Kevin Armstrong made 22 saves on 24 shots and earned the win. His record goes to 11-3-1. Joe Palmer had 21 saves on 27 shots and takes the loss. His record goes to 4-3-2.

The Brahmas went 0 for 6 on the power play. Tulsa went 1 for 7. The Brahmas were assessed 52 minutes on 16 infractions; Tulsa received 60 minutes on 16 infractions. Joe Palmer had 19 PIM and Ross Rouleau had 11 PIM.

The 3rd Star of the game went to Kevin Armstrong for his efforts in net for Tulsa. The 2nd Star was awarded to Tyler Butler, who had the sole power play goal of the night and the 1st Star went to Troy Riddle who had two assists.

You can view the box score here

You can view Les Stockton's photos from the game here and Mark Brummett's photos here

Observations:

• Where do you go from here? Up hopefully. 'Nuff said.
• Palmer's night resulted in him dropping from number one in the league to number five with a 2.65 GAA. He falls to number nine with a .908 save percentage. Gotta love a goalie fight though.
• Matt Burto (5 G, 3 A) is a breath of fresh air lately. Not only one of the hardest working players, but a scoring threat now as well.
• Jubinville and Burto were easily the stars of the night for the Brahmas.
• Lots of fighting lately should prime the Brahmas for the Americans on Saturday night. Allen leads the league in penalty minutes now with 438. Arizona who?
• The Tulsa announcer said it - tonight's game probably just sold a lot of tickets for Sunday's game at NYTEX.

The Brahmas travel back home tonight to prepare for tomorrow night's game against the Americans at the Allen Events Center.

Photo Credit: Mark Brummett