Thunder Lose to Allen on New Year's Eve
December 31, 2013 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
Allen, TX (December 31st) - In a CHL Finals rematch on New Year's Eve, Wichita (11-15-4) lost a see-saw affair to the Allen Americans (17-10-2) by the final score of 5-3 at the Allen Event Center. The Americans closed out the contest with three unanswered goals and broke a third-period tie with just over nine minutes left. RG Flath, Jared Walker and Jason Wilson tallied markers for the Thunder in the losing effort. Wichita is 1-1-1 against Allen this season and sees its four-game winning streak come to an end.
Allen got the scoring started early when Kale Kerbashian found some space behind the net, came to the goal mouth alone against David Brown and shelved a backhand for his 11th of the season. The Thunder then committed a pair of high sticking penalties, but stayed strong and kept the Americans at bay through the first 20 minutes on the man advantage. The Thunder evened things up on a rebound goal from Jason Wilson at 15:39. Jon Booras tracked down a puck in the right corner, gave it up to Jon Madden who let a one-timer go from the right circle and Wilson was johnny on the spot to put home his fourth of the season.
The two teams traded goals in the second 20 minutes and combined for four tallies. Flath stole a puck from Bryan Pitton, who stepped out of his crease to play a dump-in, and scored at 1:09. Halfway through the period, Wichita would have its second opportunity on the power play with Phil Fox heading off for goalie interference. After his penalty expired, he caught a head-man pass that sprung him on a break-a-way. Brown made the initial save, but Brian McMillin kept the play alive and gave it back to Fox at the right side of the net and tied the game at two at 12:56. The Thunder answered quickly with a Walker goal at 14:58 as he caught an Erick Lizon centering feed between the circles and beat Pitton for his seventh of the year to make it 3-2 in favor of Wichita. Tyler Ludwig tied the game at 15:42 with a wrist shot from between the circles and sent the game into the second intermission tied at three.
In the third period, Wichita was awarded a power play when the Americans got caught for too many men on the ice. The Thunder couldn't get one past Pitton with time dwindling down. At 15:43, Ian Lowe appeared to draw a holding the stick penalty against former Thunder forward Greger Hanson. The official took both guys to the box as Lowe was called for diving. Wichita had a number of chances down the stretch, but Pitton came up big for Allen and got some help from the post. Jesse Dudas made a neat play through traffic at the right circle, beat a few defenders and took a backhand that rang off the iron. The Americans took the lead four minutes later as Jonathan Lessard got to his own miss off the end wall and tucked in a backhand for a 4-3 lead at 11:40. The Thunder tried to answer, but Allen closed the game out with an empty-net goal at 19:11 from Fox and took the victory by the final of 5-3.
Wichita's record falls to 13-8-1 on New Year's Eve all-time. Booras extended his point-streak to seven games with an assist and has 13 over that stretch (5g, 8a). Robinson had his point-streak snapped at six games as he failed to register a point. Brown took the loss, stopping 40 of 44 shots. Pitton earned his 10th win of the season, stopping 30 of 33 shots he faced.
Wichita's goal streak on the man advantage is snapped at six-straight games, going 0-for-3. Allen was 0-for-4 with their chances on the power play.
Wichita begins the New Year with a pair of home games against the Arizona Sundogs beginning on Friday, January 3rd at 7:05.
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 December 31, 2013
- Cutthroats End 2013 with a Win - Denver Cutthroats
- Thunder Lose to Allen on New Year's Eve - Wichita Thunder
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- Sundogs Sign Proven Goal Scorer David Rutherford - Arizona Sundogs
- $1 Dog/$1 Beer Night Presented by 97X Returns When Mallards Meet St. Charles Friday - Quad City Mallards
- Mavericks Sign Brandon Smith - Kansas City Mavericks
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