BOISE, ID – Dawson Barteaux scored 1 :23 into overtime to complete the victory for the Idaho Steelheads, as they defeated the Wichita Thunder, 5-4. Michal Stinil scored two goals for the Thunder, and Bradley Marek, Peter Bates, and Brayden Watts each had two points. Five different players scored goals for the Steelheads.

Idaho dominated the first period, scoring the only two goals of the frame. The first came at 6:41 when Colton Kehler intercepted a pass attempt behind the net, came out in front and beat Trevor Gorsuch for his third goal of the year.

Just before the 18-minute mark, A.J. White scored his third goal of the season to extend the lead to two. Barteaux fired a shot from the point that Gorsuch saved, but White pounced on the rebound, pushing it past the Thunder netminder to make it 2-0.

The Steelheads looked like they were going to blow Wichita out, but the Thunder responded with three second period goals to take the lead. Stinil scored his first goal of the games 6:36 into the second frame. With the Thunder on the power-play, Stinil took a pass from Watts, blasting it by Dylan Wells.

A little less than six minutes later, Stinil tied the score. The Thunder star had the puck behind the net, then quickly pulled it around the post and past Wells for his fourth goal of the year.

With 2:31 left in the period, Wichita grabbed the lead. Marek took a shot that Wells saved, but Roman Kinal gained control of the rebound, putting it past Wells for his second goal of the season.

The lead did not last for long, however, as the Steelheads scored 24 seconds later to send the teams to intermission tied at three. Zane Franklin made a nice move, splitting between two defensemen before beating Gorsuch.

At 5:02 of the third, Idaho took their second lead of the night. Ty Pelton-Byce took a shot that Mark Rassell knocked down in front of the net. He then gained control of the puck, sliding it past the Wichita goaltender to make it 4-3.

This time it was the Thunder’s turn to respond quickly, and they did as Bates scored 1:14 later to knot the game for the third time. Lleyton Moore fed the puck to Bates at the left face-off circle, who lifted a wrist shot past Wells for his third goal of the year.

The game remained tied through regulation, sending it to overtime where the Steelheads dominated, recording the only three shots of the extra session. The game-winner came 83 seconds into overtime when Barteaux picked the pocket of a Thunder player at his own blueline, then headed the other direction where he beat Gorsuch with the game-winner.

With the two goals, Stinil extended his point streak to five straight games. Marek also has a five-game point streak. Gorsuch stopped 35 shots in the loss.

These two teams will close out their three-game set on Saturday. The puck drops at 8:10 Wichita time.

Gamesheet

by Robert Pannier