The Tahoe Knight Monsters hit the road on Sunday to take on the Tulsa Oilers in their fifth game of the 2025–26 season. The matchup took place at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with puck drop set for 3:05 PM. Entering the game, Tahoe carried a 2-2-0 record and was coming off a strong win against the Oilers on Friday. Tulsa, sitting at 1-2-0, was looking to bounce back and even the weekend series. Historically, the Knight Monsters have dominated this rivalry, holding an 8-1-2 record all-time against the Oilers. Their most recent meeting came just two days earlier on October 24th, when Tahoe skated away with a convincing 4-1 victory.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters entered Sunday’s matchup ready for their fifth game of the season, while the Tulsa Oilers were set for their fourth. Tahoe came into the contest looking to build on their recent success, aiming for a second straight victory and their third win of the year. After a dominant showing on Friday, the Knight Monsters were determined to leave Tulsa with back-to-back wins and a boost of early-season momentum. In that first game, Tahoe’s offense came out firing, controlling play from start to finish and never letting the Oilers gain their footing. Tulsa, meanwhile, struggled to generate any consistent pressure and had few answers for Tahoe’s relentless attack. Heading into Sunday, the Oilers were eager for redemption, but the question loomed large, could the Knight Monsters keep their strong play rolling and bring that same intensity into the rematch?
Between the pipes, #34 Jordan Papirny got the start for the Tahoe Knight Monsters, making his third appearance of the season. At the other end, the Tulsa Oilers turned to #1 Tomas Suchanek, who was in net for his second start of the 2025-26 campaign. Both goaltenders were eager to make an impact and set the tone early in this Sunday matchup. Tulsa entered the game shorthanded, as defenseman Roman Kinal was serving a one-game suspension for his actions in Friday’s contest, leaving the Oilers without one of their key blue-liners.
Just two minutes into the game, the Tahoe Knight Monsters wasted no time getting on the board. Forward #15 Jake McGrew opened the scoring with an early goal to give Tahoe the lead. The play was set up beautifully by #10 Mike O’Leary and #26 Nate Kallen, who picked up the assists on the opening tally. It was exactly the kind of quick start the Knight Monsters were hoping for on the road.
Six minutes into the opening period, Tahoe’s Luke Adam was sent to the box for hooking, putting the Knight Monsters on the penalty kill. However, the disadvantage didn’t slow them down. Instead, Tahoe turned defense into offense as #92 Sloan Stanick broke free and scored a shorthanded goal to extend the lead to two. The unassisted tally was a momentum-shifting moment early in the game, showcasing the Knight Monsters aggressiveness and ability to capitalize even while down a man.
Nine minutes into the first period, Tahoe’s Kevin Wall was called for tripping, sending the Knight Monsters to the penalty kill for the second time in the game. Tulsa continued to push offensively, and with just under six minutes remaining in the period, they finally broke through. #22 Adam McMaster found the back of the net with an unassisted goal, getting the Oilers on the board and cutting into Tahoe’s early lead.
At the end of the first period, the Tahoe Knight Monsters held a 2-1 lead. After a strong start that saw them jump ahead early, Tulsa managed to claw one back late in the frame to keep things close heading into the intermission.
Seven minutes into the second period, Tahoe’s Jake Durflinger was sent to the box for hooking, giving Tulsa another power-play opportunity. The penalties continued to pile up as the period went on. Ten minutes in, Tulsa’s Jaxsen Wiebe was called for interference, followed by a delay of game penalty to Mike McKee with just under nine minutes remaining. Late in the frame, with four minutes left, Tahoe’s Casey Bailey took a roughing penalty, putting the Knight Monsters back on the penalty kill. Despite being shorthanded once again, Tahoe turned defense into offense for the second time in the game. #94 Kevin Wall capitalized on a Tulsa mistake and buried an unassisted shorthanded goal, extending the Knight Monsters’ lead and shifting the momentum firmly in their favor.
After two periods of play, the Tahoe Knight Monsters carried a 3-1 lead into the third. Strong special teams play and a pair of shorthanded goals highlighted Tahoe’s effort through 40 minutes, giving them control of the game as they looked to close out another road victory in Tulsa.
Eight minutes into the third period, the Tulsa Oilers struck to cut the Tahoe Knight Monsters lead to just one goal. #27 Easton Armstrong found the back of the net, with assists credited to #8 Brodi Stuart and #13 Tyrell Goulbourne. The goal energized the Oilers and set up a tense final stretch, as they looked to mount a late comeback against a determined Knight Monsters squad.
With just eight minutes remaining in the game, the Tahoe Knight Monsters put the contest further out of reach. #25 Casey Bailey scored the insurance goal, assisted by #92 Sloan Stanick and #94 Kevin Wall. The play showcased Tahoe’s composure under pressure and gave the team a two-goal cushion heading into the final minutes.
With less than five minutes remaining, #94 Kevin Wall struck again for the Tahoe Knight Monsters, adding another goal to seal the win. The play was set up by #92 Sloan Stanick, giving Tahoe a comfortable lead and putting the finishing touches on a dominant performance on the road.
With under four minutes left in the game, Tahoe’s Trent Swick was called for high-sticking, sending the Knight Monsters to the penalty box one final time. Despite the late penalty, Tahoe held strong and closed out the contest with a 5-2 victory. The win marked a successful weekend for the Knight Monsters, as they left Tulsa with back-to-back wins and momentum heading into the next stretch of the season.
https://echl.com/videos/tahoe-knight-monsters-vs-tulsa-oilers-oct-26-2025
The Tahoe Knight Monsters offense was firing on all cylinders from the opening puck drop. They struck early to take the lead and quickly added to their advantage with a shorthanded goal on the penalty kill. The Tulsa Oilers managed to get one back before the end of the first period, keeping the game within reach. In the second period, Tahoe continued their strong play, not only scoring another shorthanded goal but also shutting down Tulsa’s offense entirely. The Oilers cut the lead again in the third, but back-to-back goals from the Knight Monsters sealed the victory. With this dominant performance, Tahoe secured back-to-back wins in Tulsa, picking up valuable early-season points and building momentum for the stretch ahead.
Zac Electrifly 
Leave a comment