Summers Nets OT Winner to Knock off Mavs
January 18, 2014 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
Independence, MO - Matt Summers scored with less than a minute remaining in overtime to help Wichita (14-17-4) secure a 4-3 victory over the Missouri Mavericks (22-11-2) on Saturday night at the Independence Events Center. The two teams combined for five goals in the third period. Four different players scored for the Thunder including RG Flath, Mike Wilson and Ian Lowe. Wichita improves to 4-2-0 against the Mavericks in the Independence Cup Series winning the last four meetings. The two teams will meet once again tomorrow afternoon at INTRUST Bank Arena.
Both goaltenders got tested early in the first period. Matt Robinson had three quality scoring chances from in-close only to be denied by Shane Owen while Taylor Nelson was solid on the other end for Wichita. The Mavericks out-shot the Thunder 13-10 through the first 20 minutes.
In the second, the Thunder started with a power play as Dave Pszenyczny was called for a two-minute elbow at the end of the first. The Mavericks were able to kill off the opportunity and then went on their first chance with the man advantage when Matt Summers was sent off for slashing. Sebastien Thinel, who spent much of the first two periods on the blue line, recorded his 11th goal of the season putting home a rebound at 5:27 to make it 1-0. Later in the period, Wichita had two great chances from Flath that Owen was able to stop. The first came on a break-a-way and the second he went coast-to-coast up the right wing.
The flood gates opened in the final period as the Thunder out-scored Missouri 3-2. At 6:18, Jon Booras stole the puck at the Thunder line, skated up the ice on a shorthanded two-on-one, fed it across to Lowe who one-timed it past Owen to tie the game. Flath gave Wichita its first lead of the game at 10:56 with assists to Summers and Andrew Martens. The Mavericks would answer two minutes later with another power play goal as Andrew Courtney tipped home a shot from Matt Stephenson to make it 2-2. Just over a minute later, Mike Wilson scored from the right face-off dot to re-gain the lead for the Thunder, up 3-2. Missouri kept plugging away and benefited from a holding penalty called on Booras with under two minutes remaining. 20 seconds later, Colt King re-directed a Stephenson feed from the blue line and the game was tied again. Regulation would not be enough and for the second time in the last three games, the Thunder headed to overtime.
Both teams had some chances in the extra session, but the Thunder made theirs count. With less than a minute remaining, Martens tracked down a loose puck behind the Mavericks net. Summers got open in-front and scored the game-winner at 4:01 of overtime to give the Thunder a 4-3 victory.
Wichita wins its first overtime game of the season and improves to 1-3 in that department. The Mavericks suffer their first defeat in a game decided in overtime. Wichita has won its last three with two of those coming after regulation. The Thunder have handed the Mavericks their only two losses of the season after regulation with the other coming in a shootout victory on November 30th. Summers remains red hot, recording seven points in the last five games (3g, 4a). Flath had a goal and two assists and has goals in three-straight. Lowe had a season-high 10 shots on net while also recording his eighth of the season. Mike Wilson has goals in the last two with his tally tonight. Nelson picked up his ninth win of the year, stopping 32 of 35 shots. Owen loses for the first time after regulation, stopping 34 of 38.
Wichita went 0-for-2 on the power play. Missouri was 3-for-5 with the man advantage..
Wichita returns home Sunday afternoon at 5:05 p.m. to host Missouri for Credit Union of America Buy-In Night.
Individual game tickets are on sale now. Season tickets and mini plans are still available. 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.
Central Hockey League Stories from January 18, 2014
- Americans Win in Shootout 4-3 - Allen Americans
- Summers Nets OT Winner to Knock off Mavs - Wichita Thunder
- Mavericks Fall Short in OT - Kansas City Mavericks
- Late Comeback Effort Falls Short in 6-3 Loss - St. Charles Chill
- Wichita Blasts Past Quad City 7-1 - Wichita Thunder
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