WICHITA, KS – Jake Wahlin scored 16 seconds into the extra frame as the Wichita Thunder defeated the Iowa Heartlanders on Saturday, 3-2. The victory was the third straight overtime win for the team and capped off a great comeback that saw the club rally from a two-goal deficit in the third to earn the victory. Evan Buitenhuis stopped 30 shots to earn the victory and Michal Stinil had a goal and an assist. Michael Pastujov had two assists for Iowa.

This was a great goaltenders battle, as both Hunter Jones and Buitenhuis kept the game scoreless through the first 20 minutes. Both teams came out of the first frame with eight shots, but the Heartlanders stepped up their game in the second, outshooting Wichita 16-9. That help them take the lead.

The first goal came at 10:58 while the Heartlanders were on the power-play. Pastujov passed the puck toward the net where Tommy Parrottino redirected past Buitenhuis for his third goal of the year.

A little over four minutes later Iowa was back on the board. Pastujov moved the puck behind the Thunder net where a mad scramble ensued. Cole Stallard gained control, making a nice wraparound attempt that slipped through the legs of the Wichita netminder for his fourth of the year.

Wichita had no answers for Jones through the first 56 minutes of this contest, but scored two goals in the final four minutes to send this game to overtime. At 16:23, the Thunder were on the power-play. The Thunder were doing a great job of moving the puck inside the Iowa zone. Billy Constantinou eventually found Stinil at the left circle, who blasted a shot by Jones for his first goal of the year.

With 61 seconds left in the contest, Jay Dickman tied the score. Buitenhuis was on the bench for the extra attacker. Stinil took a shot that was knocked down in front, but Dickman battled for the loose puck, putting it past Jones for his second goal of the year.

That sent the game into overtime, but it did not last long. Just 16 seconds into the frame, Wahlin took a pass from Timur Ibragimov at the right face-off circle, roofing it over the shoulder of Jones. The game-winner with his second goal of the year.

Buitenhuis stopped 30 shots, moving his record to 2-2-1 while lowering his goals-against average to 3.17. Wichita was 1-2 on the power-play while Iowa was 1-5. Jones stopped 23 shots for the Heartlanders.

The Wichita Thunder (6-2-1) welcome the Kansas City Mavericks (5-2-1) to town on Sunday. The puck drops at 4:05. The Iowa Heartlanders (1-7-1) are off on Sunday. They do not return to action until the Kalamazoo Wings come to town on Sunday, November 20. The puck drops at 2:05.

Gamesheet

by Robert Pannier