WICHITA, KS – The Wichita Thunder scored three first period goals, helping them to a 4-2 victory over the Tulsa Oilers on Saturday. The victory snapped a five-game losing streak for Wichita, moving them nine points behind Tulsa for the final playoff spot in the Mountain Division. Michal Stinil had a huge game, recording four points and Brayden Watts had three.

The Thunder jumped out on top 8:36 into the contest. Stinil moved across the slot between the two circles, firing a wrist shot that hit Tulsa netminder Julian Junca on the shoulder. The rebound dropped in front where Kobe Walker pushed the puck through for his seventh goal of the season.

About three minutes later, Wichita was on the power-play when Stinil scored to extend the lead to two. Watts made a great pass through traffic to the right face-off circle where Stinil blasted home a one-timer for his team-leading 31st goal of the year.

Tulsa was down, but Dante Sheriff scored on the power-play at 14:28 to cut the deficit to one. Jaden Shields got the play started when he blasted a shot from the point that missed the net, but the puck bounced out in front where Sheriff smacked home the loose puck to make it 2-1.

Wichita looked like they would head to the locker room with a one goal advantage, but they were awarded a late power-play and Watts made them pay. Just 10 seconds into the man advantage, defenseman Lleyton Moore passed the puck to Watts, who lifted a wrist shot that buzzed by Junca for his 13th goal of the year.

In the second, Watts scored his second goal of the game. Once again, Wichita was on the power-play when Bradley Marek blasted a one-timer that missed the net, but the long bounce off the boards came right to Watts, who fired a one-timer of his own, beating the Tulsa netminder for his second goal of the game. It was the third power-play goal of the evening for Wichita. The team had entered the contest 0-18 on the power-play over their last seven games.

Tulsa was not going away, however, as Kyle Crnkovic scored on the power-play at 16:36 to cut the deficit to two. Crnkovic received a pass in the slot from Jarod Hillerman. Crnkovic took a shot that hit off the post, but bounced off the back of Thunder netminder Beck Warm for his 17th tally of the year.

The Oilers dominated the shots in this contest, outshooting the Thunder, 42-25. Warm snapped a two-game losing streak, moving his record to 10-13-1. Stinil finished with a goal and three assists and Watts had two goals and an assist.

The Thunder looked to keep their playoff hopes alive when they welcome the Allen Americans on Wednesday. The puck drops at 10:30 a.m.

Gamesheet

by Robert Pannier