The Wichita Thunder entered Saturday’s game trudging through a five-game winless streak at home, and it looked like that streak would continue when the team fell behind 2-0 in the first period. However, the Thunder rallied to tie the game, and eventually led at one point before needing overtime to defeat the Allen Americans, 5-4. Defenseman Martin Nemcik was the hero on the night, netting the short-handed game-winner, the team’s second short-handed goal of the game to end the streak.

The game started off poorly for Wichita when the Americans scored on their first shot of the contest. Just 2:40 into the game, Dyson Stevenson passed back to Alex Guptill in the left face-off circle. He wristed a shot that beat goalie Scott Greenham and it was quickly 1-0.

It looked like the Thunder would get the equalizer a few minutes later when there was a mad scramble in front of the Allen net. Wichita had several chances to put the puck in the net, but simply could not direct the puck into the net.

A little less than eight minutes after they scored their first goal, the Allen Americans extended this lead to two. Just after a power-play for the Thunder ended, the Americans burst through the neutral zone on a 3-2 break. Gary Steffes carried the puck into the Wichita end down the right wing and wristed a shot past Greenham to make it 2-0.

The Thunder outshot the Americans 16-12 in the first period, but came away with nothing to show for it. In the second period they would get back into the game.

Just 23 seconds into the period, Daultan Leveille carried the puck into the Allen zone and passed the puck in front of the net. The puck was loose in front and Louick Marcotte tapped it in for his fifth goal of the season.

A little over five minutes later the Thunder would tie the score. While killing off a power-play, Nemcik came out of his end with a lot of speed and passed up to Ryan Tesink. The forward entered the zone down the right-wing and wristed a shot by Allen goalie Jamie Murray to tie the score. That was Tesink’s first goal of the season.

From there the Americans began to control the play and looked like they would take the lead right back, but Greenham made three huge saves to keep the score tied. At the 10:25 mark, an outlet pass found Bryan Moore alone at the Wichita blueline. He went in on a breakaway, but his shot was stopped by the Thunder goalie. Four minutes later Tanner Eberle found himself on a breakaway, but he was flat out stoned by the blocker of Greenham. With just 10-seconds left in the period, Spencer Asuchak was left alone in front of the Wichita net and looked like his one-timer was a sure goal, but Greenham made a huge save with his leg to send it to the second break tied at two.

Into the third the game went, and the Americans would quickly get back on top. At the 2:36 mark the Thunder were unable to clear the puck out of their end, and Steffes gained control. He passed to Chad Costello, who was right in front of the Thunder goal. Costello began to sweep across the Wichita goal before returning to his forehand and putting the wrist shot over Greenham’s shoulder to make it 3-2.

The lead would not last long as the Thunder would tie the score again 1:11 later. Tesink had the puck behind the Allen net and passed out in front. Vincent Arseneau dove for the puck and tipped it in for his second goal of the season.

Nine minutes later the Thunder would take their first lead. Ian Lowe dug the puck out from along the boards behind the Americans’ goal, and Blake Tatchell made a nice pass across the crease to Nathan Moon who wristed the shot over the shoulder of Murray and in for his sixth goal of the season.

The game looked like a Thunder lock, but with exactly one minute left in the game, Mike Gunn wristed a shot from the point that somehow found its way through a whole lot of traffic and into the goal for his first goal of the season.

Into overtime the game went and when Vincent Dunn took a penalty 1:44 into the extra frame it looked like the Wichita Thunder were in a lot of trouble. However, Nemcik gained control of the puck in his own end and skated hard out of his zone. He passed ahead to Arseneau, who carried the puck into the Americans’ zone. At the last moment, he made a great pass in front of the net that Nemcik tipped in for his first goal of the season and the Thunder were 5-4 winners.

Nemcik , Tesink, and Arseneau each finished with a goal and an assist for the Wichita Thunder. Greehman made 35-saves to earn his seventh win of the season. Stevenson had 3-assists for the Americans and Steffes had a goal and an assist.

The Wichita Thunder take to the ice Sunday against the Missouri Mavericks. The puck drops at 4:05.

Read feature on goalie Scott Greenham

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier