Melindy Completes Comeback Win in Rapid City
December 3, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
Rapid City, SD- James Melindy scored his second goal of the season at 2:09 of overtime to help Wichita come back for a 3-2 victory on Friday night over Rapid City at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.
Alexis Losieau recorded his 14th of the season with six minutes left to tie the game and Drew Owsley made 27 saves to preserve the victory for the visitors.
Rapid City got off to a quick start, lighting the lamp twice in the first period. Brett Perlini scored a shorthanded goal halfway through to make it 1-0. With three minutes to go, Lindsay Sparks was pulled down on a breakaway and awarded a penalty shot. He beat Drew Owsley and extended the lead to 2-0.
In the second, Vincent Dunn recorded his first goal of the season at 6:54 to get Wichita on the board. Ryan Tesink won a race to a loose puck and left a pass to Dunn and he made it 2-1.
At 13:41, Loiseau tied the contest at two with a wrist shot from the left circle and extended his goal-streak to five games. Rapid City had one last chance with seconds left on the clock, but Owsley held the fort. For the second game in a row, Wichita needed overtime to decide the outcome.
Melindy recorded the game-winner with two minutes left in the extra session. He carried the puck down the left wall, went right to the front of the net and beat Lotz under the leg for the 3-2 victory.
Wichita improves to 1-0 in games decided in overtime and breaks a five-game winless skid. Loiseau has goals in five-straight contests with six over that span. Melindy grabbed his first game-winner of the season. Owsley claimed the win, stopping 27 of 29 shots. Lotz takes the shootout loss, stopping 28 of 31 he faced.
Wichita went 0-for-1 on the power play. Rapid City was 0-for-3 on the man advantage.
The two teams play tomorrow night to close out a two-game series in the Black Hills starting at 8:05 p.m.
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