Early Surge Propels Americans Past Thunder, 8-4
WICHITA, KS – The Allen Americans opened Saturday’s contest with seven goals on their way to an 8-4 victory over the Wichita Thunder. The Americans scored five goals in the first period, including two by Bennett MacArthur, who finished with five points. Michal Stinil had two goals and an assist for the Thunder.
The Thunder found themselves trailing almost from the opening face-off. MacArthur scored his first goal of the game just 69 seconds into the contest. The Americans got the play started when they created a turnover at their own blueline, then went the opposite direction on a 3-on-2 break. Blake Murray crossed the blueline, then fed MacArthur the puck. He blew a one-timer by Trevor Gorsuch for his eighth goal of the year.
Just before the nine-minute mark, MacArthur extended the lead to two. With the Americans on the power-play, Colby McAuley fired a shot that MacArthur tipped past Gorsuch to make it 2-0.
Less than a minute later, Tarun Fizer made it a three-goal advantage. Kris Myllari passed the puck to Fizer, who slid across the net and tucked a backhander inside the post for his third goal of the season. MacArthur earned an assist on the play.
What 2:33 left in the first, Johnny Walker extended the lead to four. He beat Gorsuch with a shot from the right face-off circle. Then, 66 seconds later, Fixer scored his second goal of the game when MacArthur stole the puck inside the Wichita zone, then fed Fizer, who beat Gorsuch. That would be the end for Gorsuch on this night.
Kevin Resop took over, but things did not get better in the second for the Thunder. Gavin Gould notched his eighth goal of the season 33 seconds into the frame. At the 8:25 mark, Liam Finlay beat Resop with a wrist shot for his fourth of the season. That made it 7-0.
Wichita was being blown off their own eyes, but mounted a little rally in the final six minutes of the second period. Dillon Boucher got Wichita on the board when the Americans made a dangerous pass into the slot. Boucher caught the errant pass, then beat Marco Costantini for his sixth of the year.
At 15:44, Brayden Watts scored on the power-play to cut the deficit to five. Stinil took the puck along the Allen blueline, then made a quick pass to Watts who buried a one-timer by Constantine.
With three seconds left in the second and Wichita still on the power-play, it was Stinil scoring to cut the deficit to four. The Americans looked like they would clear the puck out of their zone, but Quinn Preston intercepted the clearing attempt, fed the puck to Lleyton Moore, who then dished it to Stinil. The winger blasted a shot by the Americans netminder for his 22nd goal of the season.
Allen looked like they put this game away when Blake Murray scored his 16th goal of the season 8:45 in the third. However, Wichita had one more goal in them, as Stinil scored with 17 seconds left to make it 8-4. That would be the final.
They Wichita Thunder (19-27-8) travel to Texas on Sunday to take on the Allen Americans (24-25-3). The puck drops at 2:10.
by Robert Pannier