Thunder rolls to perfect week
March 14, 2005 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
THUNDER SHOCKS BUCKS- Travis Clayton scored late in the third period, then again just 13 seconds into overtime, giving the Thunder a 2-1 victory over red-hot Laredo on Monday. The two teams played over 54 minutes of scoreless hockey before Igor Agarunov gave Laredo a short-lived lead. Clayton tied the game just 41 second later. Jamie Vandespyker recorded the victory, making 24 saves.
THUNDER POUNDS BRAHMAS- Trailing 1-0 in the second period, the Thunder scored five unanswered goals, rolling to a 5-2 win over Fort Worth on Wednesday. Joe Blaznek led the Thunder with a Natural Hat Trick, making a winner out of Vandespyker.
THUNDER FIGHT PAST RIVERKINGS- Joe Blaznek broke a 3-3 tie with less than five minutes left and Jason Duda added an empty-netter, leading the Thunder to a 5-3 victory over Memphis on Friday in a fight-filled game. Duda led the Thunder with two goals and four points, as the two teams piled up 122 penalty minutes.
THUNDER SHUT DOWN TARANTULAS- The Thunder rolled to a 5-2 win over Topeka on Saturday in front of a season-high crowd of over 8000 fans at the Kansas Coliseum. Rookie Mike Carter led the Thunder with two goals, as Vandespyker picked up his fourth victory of the week.
PLAYOFF BOUND THUNDER- For the second straight season the Thunder are headed to the CHL Playoffs. Wichita will open their best-of-seven first round series in Bossier-Shreveport on Thursday and Friday, March 24th and 25th. The Thunder will host games three thru five on Saturday, March 26th, Friday and Saturday, April 1st and 2nd. Games six and seven, if necessary, would take place in Bossier City on Monday and Thursday, April 4th and 7th. Individual tickets for games three and four are on sale now. The Thunder are also taking a fan bus to Bossier-City for games one and two. The cost is $120 plus hotel. Call the Thunder office to order your tickets or make reservations for the bus trip.
DUDA CLOSING IN ON SCORING TITLE- With just six days left in the regular season, Thunder left wing Jason Duda is approaching his first ever CHL Scoring Title. A ninth-year Thunder veteran, Duda leads the CHL with 65 assists and 95 points, both career-highs. Duda, the 2005 Thunder Most Valuable Player, is also a finalist for the CHL MVP Award. Paul Jackson is the only Thunder player ever to lead the CHL in scoring, doing so in the 1993-94 season. Duda also ranks second in scoring among all pro hockey players, trailing only Kevin Swider (106 points) of the SPHL's Knoxville Ice Bears. With eight points in three games last week, Duda moved into sixth in CHL history, with 625 career points.
CLAYTON ENJOYING RECORD SEASON TOO- With two games left in the regular season, eighth-year Thunder veteran Travis Clayton needs just two more points for a new single-season career high. Clayton currently ranks second in the CHL with 91 points, is third overall with 53 assists and leads the CHL with a plus/minus rating of +38. With nine points last week, Clayton moved into fifth in CHL history, with 631 career points. Clayton received the 2005 Thunder Player's Player Award.
JOE KEEPS SMOKIN'- Joe Blaznek is another Thunder forward enjoying a career-best season. Blaznek picked up his third hat trick of the season on Wednesday and scored his ninth game-winning goal of the season on Friday. Blaznek, the 2005 Thunder Offensive Player of the Year, has also picked up a career-high 35 assists, ranks fifth in the CHL with 36 goals and seventh in the CHL with 71 points. Only Blaznek and Memphis' Don Parsons have recorded three hat tricks this season.
ESDALE HOLDS ON TO SCORING LEAD- With 65 points, Paul Esdale is clinging to a one-point lead over Memphis' Derek Landmesser for the CHL scoring lead among defensemen. Esdale, who leads all pro hockey defensemen with 22 goals, also leads the entire CHL in plus/minus, at +38. Esdale, one of six finalists for the 2005 Thunder Defenseman of the Year Award, is currently riding an eight-game assist streak, the longest current streak in the CHL.
PARKER BREAKS THUNDER, CHL RECORDS- Rookie Derek Parker is fighting his way into the record books. Last week, Parker broke the Thunder records for most major penalties (37) and most penalty minutes (407) in a season. On Saturday, he fought Topeka's Tyler Hanchuk for the seventh time this season, tying the CHL record for most major penalties in a season (45) and breaking the CHL record for most penalty minutes in a season, with 467. Curtis Voth had the CHL record, picking up 466 penalty minutes for Tulsa in the 1999-2000 season. Parker needs one more major penalty to break the record he now shares with former Memphis RiverKing Kevin Holliday. Parker currently leads all of pro hockey in both major penalties and penalty minutes and will become the first Thunder player to lead the CHL, since Bryan Wells picked up 407 penalty minutes during the 1995-96 season. Parker is also riding a 12-game penalty streak, the longest current streak in the CHL.
HOME SWEET HOME- With four home wins last week, the Thunder finished the season going 21-6-3 at the Kansas Coliseum. Only the Colorado Eagles, with 22, have won more home games than the Thunder, who went 15-2-2 over their final 19 home games.
ROAD KIND TO THUNDER AS WELL- With victories this weekend in Memphis and Bossier-Shreveport, the Thunder will finish the season with a franchise-record 21 road victories. The 1995 CHL Champion Thunder team holds the franchise-record, going 20-12-1 that season.
RECORD BREAKING RECORD- With an overall record of 39-16-3, Wichita's winning percentage of .698 is currently the best in franchise history. The 1995 CHL Champion Thunder team went 44-18-4 (.697), while the 1994 CHL Champion Thunder team went 40-18-6 (.672). The 2004-05 Thunder team will suffer the fewest regular season losses in franchise history.
EARLY AND OFTEN- The Thunder have torched CHL opponents in the first period this season, scoring a CHL-most 70 first period goals. Wichita is 26-5-1 when scoring first and an impressive 22-2-1 when leading after the first period. The Thunder have also gone 26-0-1 when leading after two periods. The one loss came on January 7th in overtime to the Tulsa Oilers.
POWER "FUL" PLAY- The Thunder scored four power play goals last week, increasing their total to a CHL-most 73. Wichita's power play unit ranks third in the CHL, at 19.3%. Travis Clayton ranks second in the CHL with 14 power play goals.
TOUGH THUNDER- The Thunder have piled up the penalty minutes this season and lead the CHL, averaging 28.62 penalty minutes per game. The Thunder also lead the CHL in total penalty minutes (1660), minor penalties (475) and major penalties (90). Despite being shorthanded a whopping 328 times, The Thunder penalty killing unit ranks fourth in the CHL, at 85.4%.
THUNDERBOLTS- Wichita is the only CHL team with four players that have scored 60 or more points...Goaltender Jamie Vandespyker has won his last six starts, allowing just 11 goals...Vandespyker ranks third in the CHL with a 2.52 goals against average...Nathan Grobins hold the Thunder sinlge-season record with a 2.49 goals against average last season...Grobins also holds the Thunder single-season record for save percentage (.914)...Rookie Jason Flick has a .911 save percentage this season...Mike Carter and Nate Metcalf are tied for 14th among CHL rookies, with 33 points each...Wichita leads the CHL with six shorthanded goals at home...The Thunder ranks second in the CHL, averaging 3.50 goals per game.
THUNDER TV- Rookie Defenseman Ryan Fairbarn will be the guest on the Thunder TV Coach's Show, taped every Monday at 5:00 PM at Heroes in Old Town. The show will air on Saturday at Noon on Cox Cable Channel 22, sponsored by Park City, followed by the re-broadcast of this past Saturday's game versus Topeka. The final Thunder Coach's Show of the season will take place next Monday at Heroes.
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS: Monday, March 7- Laredo 1 at Wichita 2 Won (OT)
Wednesday, March 9- Fort Worth 2 at Wichita 5 Won
Friday, March 11- Memphis 3 at Wichita 5 Won
Saturday, March 12- Topeka 2 at Wichita 5 Won
THIS WEEK'S GAMES: Friday, March 18- Wichita at Memphis 7:05 PM
Saturday, March 19- Wichita at Bossier-Shreveport 7:05 PM
PRACTICE SCHEDULE: Tuesday-Wednesday Kansas Coliseum 10:00 AM
Central Hockey League Stories from March 14, 2005
- Mudbugs Weekly - Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
- Oakley CHL Player & Goaltender of the Week Announced - CHL
- Gorillas head back to the playoffs for third straight year - Amarillo Gorillas
- RiverKings donation accompanies Special Olympics athletes on track to skating success - Mississippi RiverKings
- Scorpions enter final week - New Mexico Scorpions
- Saints Clinch Playoff Spot; Still In Hunt For Division Title - San Angelo Saints
- Thunder rolls to perfect week - Wichita Thunder
- Bucks Out & About - Laredo Bucks
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