Thunder Comeback Ruined by Late Goal, 5-4

Photo Credit: Wichita Thunder

INDEPENDENCE, MO – The Wichita Thunder put together an impressive comeback on Saturday evening, rallying from a four-goal deficit in the second period to tie the score. However, a Kansas City Mavericks goal with 70 seconds left in the contest spoiled the teams come back as Wichita fell, 5-4. Jay Dickman had two assists for the Thunder and four different players scored goals.

It was a rough start to this contest for the Thunder as Kansas City came out of the first period holding a three-goal advantage and extended it to four goals just a minute into the second frame.

The Mavericks got the advantage 3:37 into the contest when Cam Morrison scored on the power-play. Max Andreev made a perfect pass toward the crease that Morrison was able to redirect past Thunder goaltender Gabriel Carriere for his second goal of the year.

Less than two minutes later the Mavericks were back on the board. Nate Knoepke passed the puck to Cade Borchardt, who fired a laser past the Wichita netminder for his second goal of the year.

With a little under four minutes left in the second Pascal Laberge scored on the power-play to extend the lead to three. Morrison set up the plate when he made a nice move just inside the right face-off circle, then found Laberge who blew home a one-timer for his first tally of the year.

David Noël extended the lead to four when he scored his first goal of the season 49 seconds into the second frame. Noël took a shot from the blue line that looked like it deflected off a player and past Carriere to make it 4-0.

Wichita looked like they were going to be blown off the ice, but Michael Stinil scored his second goal of the season 4:40 into the second period to begin the comeback. Dominic Dockery put a backhand pass onto the stick of Stinil in the slot, who fired a shot past Mavericks netminder Jack Lafontaine.

What did I was just getting started as Shane Kuzmeski cut the deficit to two just 41 seconds later. Kuzmeski had the puck along the left half boards, firing a shot that beat Lafontaine for his first goal of the year.

Wichita seemed unstoppable, as Ryan Finnegan netted his first goal of the season just 16 seconds later. Finnegan took a pass from T.J. Lloyd, moving in on a 2-on-1. He correctly opted to take the shot, beating the Mavericks netminder to the far post to make it 4-3.

At the 12:13 mark, Nolan Burke tied the score. It was a beautiful tic-tac-toe play that created the opportunity as Dickman passed the puck across the slot to Carter Jones, who quickly fired it toward the back door where Burke redirected the puck in for his first tally of the year.

Wichita was rolling, but Kansas City broke their hearts when Luke Loheit scored his second goal of the season at the 18:50 mark of the third. With the puck loose in the slot, Loheit was able to knock it in with the game-winner.

Carriere finished with 26 saves. Lafontaine had 32 saves for the Mavericks.

The Thunder (0-2-0) return to Wichita on Friday when they will welcome the Tulsa Oilers. The puck drops at 7:05.

Gamesheet

by Robert Pannier

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