Wichita Takes Two of Three from Rapid City
January 31, 2021 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
Wichita Thunder celebrate a goal against the Rapid City Rush
(Wichita Thunder)
WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita closed out a three-game series on Sunday afternoon, winning 5-2 over Rapid City at INTRUST Bank Arena.
Rookie netminder Hayden Lavigne stopped 39 shots in his first ECHL start as the Thunder took two-out-of-three from the Rush.
Beau Starrett and Stefan Fournier each had two goals while Bobby McMann had a goal and an assist.
Starrett got the scoring started midway through the first period. He skated to a rebound off a shot from Cam Clarke and scored his first of the season. 15 seconds later, Chantz Petruic found Starrett wide open in the blue paint and he beat Taran Kozun through the five-hole to make it 2-0. Fournier registered his first of two at 15:25, redirecting a beautiful pass from Gordie Green to make it 3-0 on the power play.
In the second, Fournier made it 4-0 at 5:14 as he blasted a shot from the right circle off the rush for his sixth of the season. Peter Quenneville and Rapid City wouldn't go away quietly, however, as he put home a rebound at 15:27 past Lavigne to make it 4-1.
Cedric Montminy scored early in the third to cut the lead to two as he slid a backhand from the right circle for his seventh of the year. Both teams had late power plays, but failed to convert. Kozun was pulled for the extra attacker as Rapid City tried to get back into the game. McMann found a loose puck near the slot and fired a shot down the ice into the empty net to make it 5-2.
Wichita scored its first power play goal since January 10 and went 1-for-3 in the game. The Thunder penalty kill stopped all four chances for the Rush and have killed off 12-straight for their opponent.
11 different players found the scoresheet. Starrett potted his first multi-point game of the season. Fournier recorded his first two-point outing of the year as well and has points in five of his last six games. McMann has three points in his last two games.
The Thunder heads to Allen on Wednesday to begin a three-game series next week against the Americans.
Images from this story
 Wichita Thunder celebrate a goal against the Rapid City Rush |
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