WICHITA, KS – The Wichita Thunder scored all the goals they needed in the span of eight minutes in the second period to down the Rapid City Rush, 3-2. Aaron Dell stopped 25 shots and Peter Bates led the way with a goal and an assist. The win was the fifth straight for Wichita.

Both Dell and Rush netminder Connor Murphy were solid in the first period as the game hit the first intermission scoreless. However, the Thunder scored three unanswered goals in the first 12 minutes of the second frame to take charge.

The first came at 3:50 when Austin Heidemann netted his second goal of the year. Bates passed the puck to Heidemann, whose initial shot was saved, but he put in his own rebound to make it 1-0.

A little less than six minutes later, Ryan Finnegan made it 2-0. Dillon Boucher took a shot that missed the net, but banked off the end boards to the opposite side of the goal where Finnegan stood. He put in the deflection for is fifth goal of the season

At 11:27, Bates scored his second goal of the season to extend the lead to three, Artem Guryev put a pass into the air that landed in the slot. Bates then beat a defender to the puck, putting it in for his second goal of the year.

The Thunder were in complete control, but Trevor Janicke scored on the power-play at 15:30 to get Rapid City back into the game. Brett Davis set up the play when he was able to knock down a clearing attempt along the left boards. He then passed the puck to Chaz Smedsrud, who found Janicke alone in the slot. He beat Dell with a wrist shot for his second tally of the year.

With 3:19 left in the contest, Ryan Wagner made this a one goal game. He took a pass from Smedsrud, then blew a one-timer by Dell.

The Rush put on the pressure over the final minute, but could not get the equalizer. Dell stopped 25 shots overall to move to 2-1-0. Michal Stinil was kept off the scoresheet, seeing his six-game point streak come to an end.

These two teams square off again on Sunday. The puck drops at 2:05.

Gamesheet

By Robert Pannier