CHL Wichita Thunder

Thunder Drops Overtime Tilt 6-5 in Denver

October 27, 2013 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release


Denver, CO - AJ Gale scored with 3:26 left in the extra session to hand Wichita its first overtime loss of the season on Saturday night, dropping a 6-5 decision to Denver at the Denver Coliseum. Matt Robinson scored two goals and Nick McParland had three points to pace the Thunder. Wichita claims a point, but sees its record drop to 1-2-2 on the season.

The two teams began the game at a rapid pace with the top two lines getting the call early on. Denver's Daniel Barnes was called for a tripping penalty five minutes into the game and gave the Thunder an early chance with the man advantage, which was outstanding the night before. However, the Cutthroats had other ideas, scoring a shorthanded goal at 6:59 from TJ Fox. Garett Bembridge stole the puck in the neutral zone, skated up the right wing, and fed a pass through a Thunder defender on a two-on-one and gave the Cutthroats a 1-0 lead.

Wichita was awarded a power play at the end of the first period and made quick work at the beginning of the second. Nick McParland scored his first in a Thunder uniform at 57 seconds after putting home a rebound past Kieran Millan to tie the game at one. Dustin Donaghy got into the act with a goal at 8:58. A bad pass hit off a Cutthroat skate and Donaghy let a quick shot go that didn't allow Millan to set up and gave Wichita a 2-1 advantage. At 13:57, Wichita scored a shorthanded goal from Robinson after collecting a Jared Walker pass on his backhand, switching it to his forehand and beating Millan to the blocker side. The Thunder went up 4-1 at 16:02, scoring another power play goal on a two-man advantage from Mike Wilson. The Cutthroats were awarded a power play and cashed in at 18:27 on a goal from Michael Schumacher and cut the lead to 4-2 heading to the intermission.

Denver kept its foot on the gas, scoring twice at the start of the third period in 30 seconds to pull even at four. Robin Soudek scored a power play goal at 1:05 to make it a 4-3 game and then found Cam Reid in close at 1:35 to tie it at four. Soudek then scored his second of the period at 12:48 to give the Cutthroats a 5-4 advantage. With less than two minutes left in regulation, Robinson got a centering feed from Jon Booras and squirted it through Millan to tie the game at five and force overtime.

Both teams had some chances in the extra session, but Gale had the best one and made it count. After the Thunder failed to clear the puck out of its own zone, Gale walked off the right wall, faked as if he was about to pass and beat Taylor Nelson for the game-winner at 2:34 of overtime.

Robinson finished with two goals and an assist. Mike Wilson extended his point-streak to three games adding a goal and an assist. McParland had a goal and two assists in his second game since signing in Wichita. The Thunder scored a season-high four goals in one period and its fastest goal to start a period, which was 57 seconds. Nelson takes the overtime loss, stopping 29 of 35 shots while Millan gets his third win, stopping 34 of 39 shots.

Wichita was 2-for-6 on the power play. Denver went 2-for-5.

The Thunder remains in Denver tomorrow for its last meeting at the Denver Coliseum against the Cutthroats. The next Thunder home game is Friday, November 1st against the Brampton Beast, which is Faith and Fellowship night, followed by a post-game concert with Abandon Kansas!

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 season by visiting www.wichitathunder.com.

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Central Hockey League Stories from October 27, 2013


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