Wichita Closes Weekend with Loss vs. Allen
ECHL Wichita Thunder

Wichita Closes Weekend with Loss vs. Allen

Published on April 12, 2026 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release


Wichita Thunder forward Peter Bates (right) vs. the Allen Americans
Wichita Thunder forward Peter Bates (right) vs. the Allen Americans
(Wichita Thunder)

WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita closed a four-in-five on Sunday afternoon, losing to rival Allen, 6-3, at INTRUST Bank Arena.

T.J. Lloyd, Jay Dickman and Nolan Kneen found the scoresheet in the losing effort. Roddy Ross took the loss, stopping 26 shots.

The Thunder have had a tendency of scoring first this season against Allen and that occurred once again this afternoon. Lloyd put Wichita on the board at 16:06 for his second of the year. Gavin Best found him across the zone, and he fired a shot into an open net to make it 1-0.

Allen tied the contest at 3:34 of the second period. Harrison Blaisdell, who recorded a hat trick, found the net for his 28th of the year. He stepped around a Thunder defenseman at the left circle and beat Ross from in-tight on the power play.

At 9:19, Maxim Barbashev made it 2-1 with his ninth of the year. Ty Prefontaine got a little help from some interference at the top of the circles. He slid a pass across the crease and Barbashev tapped it past Ross.

Wichita answered quickly as Dickman fired home a one-timer at 9:59 for his 24th of the season. Peter Bates made a wonderful play across the goal line and fed a backhand into the slot. Dickman beat Marco Costantini and tied it at two.

The Americans took the lead for good at 2:13 of the third. Sillinger intercepted an outlet feed, skated across the goal line and Dubois put a shot past Ross for his fourth of the year.

Danny Katic connected at 10:51, which proved to be the game-winning goal. He battled at the top of the crease and tapped home a rebound for his league-leading 37th tally of the season.

Kneen scored his fourth of the year at 12:18 to make it 4-3. He rifled a shot from just inside the blue line at the right point that beat Costantini over the shoulder. The official reviewed the play for a potential high stick, but the goal stood.

Blaisdell added is second of the night at 13:54 to make it 5-3. He had inside position down the slot and lifted it past Ross over the blocker.

Ross was lifted for the extra attacker with 2:30 remaining in the game. Blaisdell found an empty net at 18:35 to close the scoring.

With the loss, the Thunder are winless in their last seven games and fall to 1-6-0-2 in the season-series against Allen.

Best finished with two helpers. Dickman recorded his 18th multi-point game of the season with a goal and an assist. Oliver Tarr added his fourth helper of the year and has assists in back-to-back games. Kneen has points in his last two contests. Bates tallied an assist, giving him points in four of his last five games.

Wichita was 0-for-3 on the power play. Allen went 1-for-4 on the man advantage.

The Thunder close the regular season with two home games next weekend beginning on Friday night against Allen. Faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m.

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Images from this story

Wichita Thunder forward Peter Bates (right) vs. the Allen Americans
Wichita Thunder forward Peter Bates (right) vs. the Allen Americans
   



ECHL Stories from April 12, 2026


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