Louick Marcotte Sends Thunder to Second Straight Victory
For the first time in nearly three weeks, the Wichita Thunder have won back-to-back games, thanks to Louick Marcotte, who scored both goals to give the team a 2-1 victory over the Rapid City Rush. Scott Greenham was brilliant in net, stopping 35 shots in moving the Thunder to 9-7-0-1 on the season.
The first period would be a real battle, and both teams would come away with a goal. A second less than two minutes into the game, Marcotte took a shot that was deflected and went past Rapid City goalie Adam Morrison. That made it 1-0 and was Marcotte’s third goal of the season.
With about two and a half minutes left in the first frame, the Rapid City Rush would tie the score on the power-play. Brett Perlini passed to Zach Tolkinen, who fired a one-timer past Greenham to tie the score at one. It was his second goal of the season.
The first period would end tied on the scoreboard, and with the Thunder leading in shots 10-9. Neither team would score in the second, as the Rush evened the shots on goal, outshooting Wichita 14-13 in the period.
Into the third period it would go, and just 1:21 into the frame Marcotte would strike again. With the Thunder on a 5-3 power-play Nathan Moon passed to Marcotte who blasted a one-timer by Morrison and into the net. That made the score 2-1 and set up for a feverish close out to the game.
The goal sparked the Rush who fired 13 shots on Greenham while the Thunder just had two. However, Greenham was making save after save, a couple of them with Gumby like moves that kept the Rush from scoring.
The victory gave the Wichita Thunder a sweep of the two-game series with Rapid City. That gives the Thunder 19-points on the season, fifth in the central but with three games in hand with the third place Quad City Mallards (23-points). This was the first time that Wichita has won back-to-back games since defeating Fort Wayne on November 13 and Alaska on the 18th.
Louick Marcotte now has four goals on the season. Four different Thunder players had assists.
The Wichita Thunder are off until Friday, when they welcome the Allen Americans to town. The puck drops at 7:05.
By Robert Pannier
