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ECHL Kansas City Mavericks

Thunder Break Tie in the Third, Defeat Mavs, 3-2

December 29, 2018 - ECHL (ECHL)
Kansas City Mavericks News Release


WICHITA, Kan. - The Kansas City Mavericks (16-11-1-1) took on the Wichita Thunder (15-11-3-3) at the Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita on Saturday night. It was the Mavericks second road tilt in as many days and things did not turn out any better than the night before as KC fell 3-2 to the Thunder.

The Thunder lit the lamp just 1:51 into the game when Keoni Texeira took a point blank shot high over the net but the puck deflected off of the glass and then bounced back over the net and off of Mavs goaltender Nick Schneider, into the back of the net. It was Texeira's first goal of the season with assists to Cam Reid and Mark MacMillan.

The Thunder extended their lead to 2-0 with a power play goal from Ralph Cuddemi, his 15th goal of the season. Assisting were Dyson Stevenson and Texeira picked up his second point of the night.

The Mavericks outshot the Thunder 10-8 in period 1 and had some good chances, but Thunder goalie Stuart Skinner stood tall and after the first frame the Thunder had a 2-0 lead.

The second period saw the Mavericks climb back into the game, exiting the ice after 40 minutes of play having tied the game at 2-2.

KC got on the board 4:19 into the period with a power play goal from Jared VanWormer. It was his 13th of the season with the lone helper to Greg Betzold. The rest of the period was back-and-forth until late in the period when Betzold recorded his 2nd point of the night on a snipe from in tight quarters to beat Skinner and tie the game. Assists on the Betzold goal went to Mark Cooper and Riley Sweeney. The Thunder outshot the Mavericks 13-10 in the period, it was the second straight period in which the team with the most shots on goal did not score and their opponents stretched twine twice.

In the third period both the Mavericks and Thunder had their fair share of opportunities. KC thought they had scored in the early portion of the frame but it was deemed the puck hit the post and was no goal. The Thunder were able to capitalize on a wrist shot from the left wing faceoff circle at the 13:19 point of the period from the stick of Nolan Vessey, who scored his 3rd goal of the season with an assist from Jakob Stukel. This proved to be all it would take as the final horn sounded and the Thunder walked out with a 3-2 home ice victory.

The Thunder outshot the Mavericks for the game, 37-32.

The Mavericks return to home ice to face this Wichita Thunder team for their traditional New Year's Eve game on Monday at 7:05pm at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena.

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