Thunder Snap Skid with 6-3 Win over Blaze
March 2, 2013 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
Wichita, KS - The Thunder and Blaze each had similar travel schedules heading into tonight's game as they both arrived early in the morning. Wichita (31-17-7) looked like the fresher team and held on late to defeat Bloomington (26-27-2) 6-3 on Saturday night at INTRUST Bank Arena. Chad Painchaud, RG Flath, Neil Trimm and Matt Summers each had three points to pace the Thunder. Wichita snaps a three-game winless skid after going 0-2-1 in its last three contests. Wichita finishes 2-2-0 against Bloomington this season with both teams winning their games on home-ice. With Fort Worth idle, the Thunder are just one point back of the Brahmas for second place.
Unlike last night, Wichita jumped out of the gates early and smothered Bloomington in the first 20 minutes. The Thunder out-shot the Blaze 14-4 and were forced to kill off a five-minute penalty when Aaron Boogaard caught Leo Thomas in the head with his arm in the corner of the Bloomington zone. The Thunder killed off most of the major penalty and were then awarded a four-minute power play and took advantage. Neil Trimm scored his 27th of the season with a wrist shot from the right face-off dot to grab a 1-0 lead. Just over two minutes later, Matt Summers scored his first goal in over a month when he grabbed a rebound and snuck a turn-around shot through Pier- Oliver Pelletier. RG Flath made it 3-0 at 16:17 when he tipped home a shot from Chad Painchaud from the right circle.
Jon Booras tried to put his team on his back as he recorded two goals in less than three minutes in the second period. His first was a rebound goal at 9:25 on the power play. His second tally came at 13:43 when he found a loose puck in the neutral zone and snapped one past Torrie Jung to cut the lead to 3-2. Painchaud re-gained a two-goal advantage at 13:43 with a wrister from the right face-off circle and sent the Thunder into the third up 4-2.
Bloomington kept pushing and cut the lead back to one on a shorthanded tally by Travis Granbois at 4:48 of the third. It was the sixth shorthanded goal allowed by Wichita this season. However, Matt Robinson scored at 7:31 and gave the Thunder some breathing room. Painchaud would add his second of the night at 19:06 with an empty-netter and sealed a 6-3 win for the Thunder.
Flath, Summers and Trimm each had a goal and two assists while Painchaud finished with two goals and one helper on the night. Jung, who returned to action for the first time since February 19, earned his 17th win of the year with 19 saves on 22 shots.
Wichita went 1-for-8 on the power play while Bloomington was 1-for-4.
Wichita remains home with a matinee affair against heated-rival Missouri tomorrow at 5:05 p.m. . For tickets, call 755-SEAT, visit the INTRUST Bank Arena box office or online at www.selectaseat.com.
Wichita Thunder playoff packages are on sale now. There are many ways to get involved, so be a part of the Blue Revolution and the Thunder's quest for a CHL Title. Contact the Wichita Thunder Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at (316) 264-4625 or visit the fan relations table behind section 120 at any Wichita Thunder home game for more information. Join the Blue Revolution today!
Central Hockey League Stories from March 2, 2013
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