Shootout Streak Comes to An End in Rapid City
March 5, 2014 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
Rapid City, SD (March 4th) - Wichita's (23-27-5) shootout magic came to an end on Tuesday night, losing 3-2 to Rapid City (33-20-1) at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. Tomas Klempa and Jesse Dudas provided the offense while David Brown was outstanding in the losing effort for the Thunder. The Thunder is 5-0-1 this year against the Rush and will close out the regular season-series on Sunday afternoon at INTRUST Bank Arena.
The first period was a physical battle between the two teams. Just six minutes in, Kevin Harvey got sent off for boarding after a hard check from behind on Andrew Martens in the corner. Klempa got to a rebound off a point-shot from Jon Madden and slipped it past Tim Boron with 16 seconds left on the man advantage to take a 1-0 lead. Wichita went back up on the power play when Jesse Schultz also caught Martens from behind and was sent off for boarding. The Rush killed off the power play and then went on their first chance when Nick McParland was called for holding. At the tail end, Rapid City was awarded another power play as Dudas got called for hooking as he was one-on-one with Konrad Reeder and the Rush had a two-man advantage for 13 seconds. The two teams combined for five power plays through 20 minutes and the Thunder would have a carry-over opportunity with Tristin Llewellyn in the box for elbowing with 43 seconds left.
Rapid City tied the game at the start of the second. After Martens was sent off for boarding, Giosa put a rebound past Brown at 5:46 while making contact with the Thunder goaltender to tie the game at one. The official ruled that he was pushed into him by a Thunder player and the goal stood. The two teams exchanged power plays and the Thunder added its second of the night six minutes later. With a four-on-three chance, Dudas rifled a one-timer past Boron to re-take the lead at 12:17. Jared Brown answered three minutes later after he tipped home a Schultz back-door feed and equaled the contest at two. Later in the period, Bobby Preece caught Klempa with an elbow just inside the Rapid City blue line and that power play carried into the start of the third.
Neither team could find the back of the net in the final period. Both goalies were tested as each team fired 11 shots on goal. Brown was spectacular in the final three minutes as he made four terrific saves from in-close. For the first time this season, Wichita and Rapid City needed extra time.
At the start of overtime, Reeder had a chance coming up the right side but his wrist shot clanked off the post. Both teams put five shots on goal in the extra session as the contest headed into a shootout tied at two. Each of the first three shooters were denied by Brown and Boron. At the top of round four, Lowe tried to go blocker side but was stopped as the puck was deflected wide. Anthony Perdicaro scored the eventual game-winner in the bottom of the round when his shot hit the post, redirected off of Brown and trickled over the goal line. Jared Walker had a chance to tie it at the top of round five, but was stopped and the Rush earned the extra point.
Wichita's shootout streak is stopped at six-straight and suffers its first shootout loss on the road this season. The Thunder moves within five points of idle Arizona for the final playoff spot. Dudas tallied his ninth power play goal of the season and moves into a sixth-place tie in that category. Brown suffers his first overtime or shootout loss of the season, stopping 30 of 32 shots. Boron claims the victory, stopping 27 of 29 shots he faced.
Wichita went 2-for-8 on the power play. Rapid City was 1-for-5 on the man advantage.
Wichita returns home to face Rapid City for the final time this season on Sunday afternoon at 5:05 p.m.
2014-15 season tickets are on sale now! Don't delay, contact the Wichita Thunder Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at (316) 264-4625. Stay up-to-date on all the news this off-season by visiting www.wichitathunder.com .
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