Kansas City Holds off Thunder Comeback with 6-4 Win
March 27, 2021 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita tried to mount a comeback on Friday night, but fell to Kansas City by the final of 6-4 at INTRUST Bank Arena.
Kansas City scored five-unanswered to take a 5-1 lead midway through the game. The Thunder climbed back within one with four minutes left, but came up just short.
Jay DIckman, Austin McIlmurray and Peter Crinella each had two points in the losing effort.
Garrett Schmitz got the scoring started just 3:48 into the game. Just as a power play was expiring, he jumped on a loose puck and fired it past Matt Ginn for his third of the season.
Nick Pastujov tied the game two minutes later for his first of two. He caught pass in front of the crease after Evan Buitenhuis had made a save on Adam Brady. Darik Angeli got to a loose puck, gave it to Pastujov and he slid it through to make it 1-1. Zach Osburn gave the Mavericks a 2-1 advantage at 6:43 as he found his own rebound and scored his sixth of the year.
In the second, Boston Leier tipped home a rebound at 3:41 to make it 3-1. Pastujov scored at 8:45, grabbing his second of the game and fourth of the season to make it 4-1. Jared VanWormer made it 5-1 at 10:00 with a rebound off the pads of Buitenhuis.
Dickman cut the lead to 5-2 with a beautiful wrist shot off a face-off at 17:50 for his 12th of the season. Beauregard won the draw back to him and Dickman wristed a shot over the glove of Ginn.
Beau Starrett potted his seventh of the year at 5:56 of the third to cut the lead to 5-3. McIlmurray fed him a pass near the crease and beat Ginn. The goal had to be reviewed, but stood and gave the Thunder some life.
At 16:01, McIlmurray fired home a one-timer from the slot to make it 5-4. Wichita pulled Buitenhuis and had one last face-off in the Mavericks zone, but Lane Scheidl found an empty net and closed the scoring at 6-4.
Wichita has killed off 14-straight penalties, which spans the last three contests. Dickman and McIlmurray each finished with a goal and an assist while Crinella had two helpers. Buitenhuis wasn't scheduled to start, but was forced into duty after Evan Weninger went down during warm-ups.
The Thunder heads on the road for the next four games starting tomorrow night in Independence, Missouri against Kansas City at 7:05 p.m.
ECHL Stories from March 27, 2021
- Meireles' Overtime Heroics Lift Greenville Past Icemen - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Rush Win Rubber Match Behind Sturtz and Coulter - Rapid City Rush
- Mavs Defeated by Wichita Saturday Night, 3-2 - Kansas City Mavericks
- Second Period Surge Lifts Thunder Past KC - Wichita Thunder
- Late Overtime Winner Hands Indy Second Loss of the Weekend - Indy Fuel
- Florida Finds a Way in the Third - Wheeling Nailers
- Stingrays Light up Scoresheet in 6-3 Victory - South Carolina Stingrays
- Blades Spear the Nailers - Florida Everblades
- Bird scores twice for Solar Bears in 6-3 loss to Stingrays - Orlando Solar Bears
- Grizzlies Acquire Hayden Hodgson in Trade - Utah Grizzlies
- ECHL Transactions - March 27 - ECHL
- ECHL Announces Fines, Suspensions - ECHL
- Inevitable Icemen Top Greenville 3-1 on Thanos Night - Jacksonville Icemen
- Game Preview: Swamp Rabbits vs. Icemen, 7:05 PM - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Grizzlies Preview: Tulsa at Utah March 27, 2021 - Utah Grizzlies
- Game Day Preview: Americans Host Rapid City, 7:05 Pm - Allen Americans
- Final Matchup of the Season for Blades and Nailers - Florida Everblades
- Game Preview: Stingrays vs. Solar Bears, March 27 at 6:05 PM - South Carolina Stingrays
- Americans Strike Back against Rapid City 5-2 - Allen Americans
- Oilers Down Grizzlies 3-1 - Tulsa Oilers
- Kansas City Holds off Thunder Comeback with 6-4 Win - Wichita Thunder
- Grizz Fall 3-1 to Oilers - Utah Grizzlies
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
