MAVERICKS THREE-GOAL THIRD BEATS OILERS, 5-4
Missouri overtakes fifth place with win

INDEPENDENCE, Missouri – The Missouri Mavericks overcame a two-goal third period deficit to beat the Tulsa Oilers, 5-4, in front of a sellout crowd of 5,728 at Independence Events Center Friday night.  Simon Watson had a pair of goals and Derek Pallardy and Carlyle Lewis each had a goal and an assist as the Mavericks moved above Tulsa into fifth place in the Northern Conference.  Goaltender Charlie Effinger stopped all 20 shots he faced after he entered the game with 7:32 remaining in the second period, and the win was the fourth straight home win for Missouri marking a season-long home winning streak.  The Mavericks will try to make it five in-a-row at Independence Events Center Saturday night when they take on the Wichita Thunder at 7:05 p.m.

Watson’s first of two goals came at the 7:40 mark of the first period.  Missouri was on the penalty kill when the puck bounced over the stick of a Tulsa defenseman and Watson came in alone on a shorthanded breakaway.  He stuffed the puck under the armor of Tulsa goaltender Marty Magers for the unassisted shorthanded goal.  Less than three minutes later, Watson had his second of the night when he banged home a rebound while the Mavericks were on a four-on-three power play.  Tulsa responded and scored with only 30 seconds remaining in the period on Dan Reidel’s 16th of the season.   Missouri doubled Tulsa’s shots on goal in the first period at 16-8 and held a 2-1 lead after the first 20 minutes.

The Oilers took control in the second period.  Tyler Butler tied the game at two when he scored in a scrum in front of the net at the 3:14 mark.  Jake Riddle gave the visitors their first lead at the 4:56 mark on a shorthanded goal when he snapped a shot over the stick of Mavericks’ goaltender Gerry Festa.  At 12:28, Travis Banga netted his second goal of the season marking the Oilers’ fourth straight goal, and third of the second period.  Festa was pulled in favor of Mavericks’ goaltender Charlie Effinger and the Mavericks went into the second intermission trailing 4-2.

Missouri’s comeback started on Carlyle Lewis’ fifth goal of the season at the 8:40 mark of the third period.  Lewis put in a rebound on assists from Mike Burgoyne and Jeff Christian to cut the lead to 4-3.  Jeff MacDermid tied the game at 11:15 when he took a feed from Karl Sellan and beat Magers.  Finally, just 1:16 after MacDermid’s goal, Derek Pallardy earned the game winner when he took a nice feed from Lewis and lifted it over the stick of Magers.  Missouri held on for the final 7:29 for the win and took over sole possession of the fifth and final playoff spot in the Northern Conference.

The Mavericks finished 1 for 8 on the power play and killed all six of Tulsa’s man advantages.  The teams were even in shots at 39 each, and both teams tallied shorthanded goals in the game.  The win for Mavericks’ goaltender Charlie Effinger was his fifth win in six games since being traded to the Mavericks.