Some rivalries are built on one famous playoff series. The one between the Tulsa Oilers and the Wichita Thunder was built the slow way — thirty-five straight seasons of bus rides up and down the road between Oklahoma and Kansas, hundreds of games, and two franchises that have shared almost every step of their modern history.
In 2026-27 the rivalry gets bigger than ever. The teams meet 14 times, more than in the previous two seasons combined. Here is why these games matter so much in Tulsa.
The rivalry in brief
- First season together: 1992-93, the inaugural season of the new Central Hockey League
- Consecutive seasons as opponents: 35, including 2026-27
- Distance: roughly 175 miles between the BOK Center and Wichita’s INTRUST Bank Arena
- 2026-27 meetings: 14, starting with a five-game run that begins Oct. 23
Born in the same league, in the same year
When the Central Hockey League relaunched in 1992, Tulsa and Wichita were both charter members. That league lasted 22 seasons, and over that stretch franchises came and went from Texas to Colorado to Missouri. Only two teams played every single season from start to finish: the Oilers and the Thunder.
When the CHL closed in 2014, both clubs moved into the ECHL for the 2014-15 season. They have been division rivals ever since, now sharing the Mountain Division with Allen, Idaho, Kansas City, New Mexico, Rapid City and Tahoe.
Why it feels different
Geography
Wichita is the closest thing Tulsa has to a neighbor in the ECHL. It is close enough that fans make the drive for road games, which means you will hear both teams’ supporters in either building. That is rare in a league where many opponents are a day’s travel away.
Volume
Familiarity breeds contempt, and these teams see each other constantly. Players who spend more than one season in the division quickly learn which opponents they will be lining up against several times a month.
Stakes
Because they compete for the same playoff spots, a regulation win over Wichita is often worth more than it looks in the standings. This season, with 14 meetings, the head-to-head series alone accounts for close to a fifth of Tulsa’s schedule.
A recent classic: the 2026 finale
The last chapter was a wild one. On the final night of the 2025-26 regular season, the Oilers went to Wichita and trailed for much of the game before rallying to force overtime. Owen Lindmark ended it about 15 seconds into the extra period, giving Tulsa a 7-6 win and dropping the Thunder to the bottom of the division. It was the kind of game that guarantees nobody forgets about this rivalry over the summer.
The 2026-27 rivalry schedule
The teams start the season with a run of five meetings in quick succession, beginning with Tulsa’s first road game of the year. Key dates:
- Fri., Oct. 23: Oilers at Thunder, 7:05 p.m. — Tulsa’s first road game of the season
- Thu., Oct. 29: Thunder at Oilers, 7:05 p.m., BOK Center
- Sat., Oct. 31: Oilers at Thunder, 2:05 p.m. Halloween matinee
- Sun., Dec. 6: Thunder at Oilers, 3:05 p.m., at the WeStreet Ice Center
The December game at WeStreet is worth singling out. The Oilers’ practice rink is much smaller than the BOK Center, so fans sit right on top of the action — exactly the atmosphere a rivalry game deserves.
How to enjoy a rivalry night
- Get there early. Rivalry games draw bigger walk-up crowds, and the BOK Center screens every guest with walk-through metal detectors.
- Make a road trip of it. Wichita is an easy drive, and seeing the rivalry from the other side is part of the experience.
- Keep it friendly. The best rivalries are loud, not ugly. Both arenas enforce codes of conduct.
The bottom line
Tulsa’s hockey history stretches back to 1928, but the modern identity of the Oilers is tied up with Wichita. Thirty-five seasons in, these are still the games that fill the building and decide playoff races. With 14 of them on the schedule, 2026-27 could be the season the rivalry has been building toward.
New to the Oilers? Start with our history of hockey in Tulsa or the first-timer’s guide to the BOK Center.
