Wichita Thunder Hockey News

Weingartner not alone on Thunder search list

BY KOLLEN LONG, The Wichita Eagle- Interim coach Rob Weingartner understandably wanted a quick decision on his future with the Wichita Thunder hockey team.He won't get one.Thunder president Chris Presson said he has received six applications for the coaching position and he is hoping for two or three more from "legitimate candidates."With… Read More

Penalty Shots

BY KOLLEN LONG, The Wichita Eagle-  And the winner isTravis Clayton, who scored a career-low 50 points, was named the Thunder MVP in a ceremony before the season finale on Saturday."He competes every night, no matter what the score is," Weingartner said.Other team awards went to Kyle Bruce (glass rattler), Stan Yanchishyn (most… Read More

Thunder ends tough season with win

BY JON MCGILLIVRAY, Wichita Eagle correspondent- Over the years, Wichita and Tulsa have built one of the better rivalries in the Central Hockey League.So maybe it wasn't surprising that Saturday's game between two teams long eliminated from the playoff chase still provided plenty of entertainment for the more than 9,000 fans in the stands.The… Read More

O'Reilly can't defend hot dog title

The second annual local celebrity hot dog eating contest was held before the Thunder game on Saturday.  Wichita State student Nick Bohanon was crowned champion after eating 8 hot dogs in 8 minutes.Former Thunder player and defending champ Sean O'Reilly couldn't keep up with Bohanon, who has a history of competitive eating.  Wichita… Read More

Fandemonium this Saturday

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder will host Fandemonium - and the Tulsa Oilers - in their season finale on Saturday at the Kansas Coliseum.The Fandemonium tailgate party begins at 3:30 p.m. in front of the main entrance of the Coliseum and will be highlighted by the second annual celebrity hot dog eating contest, where former Thunder defenseman Sean… Read More

Thunder suffers 43rd loss

BY KOLLEN LONG, The Wichita Eagle- The Texas Brahmas clinched a playoff spot on Wednesday night. The Wichita Thunder clinched, at best, a tie for the worst record in franchise history.Two teams heading in different directions met in the Kansas Coliseum, and the result was predictable. Texas handled the Thunder easily, 5-2.The loss dropped Wichita… Read More

Value is in the eye of the beholder

BY KOLLEN LONG, The Wichita Eagle-  Who is the Thunder MVP? It's an interesting discussion, with three obvious possibilities. The MVP, along with several other awards, will be announced before Saturday's season finale. A closer look at the MVP candidates:Kyle BruceIn his favor: Clearly the darkhorse in this competition, but the hardnosed… Read More

Plunder nips Thunder in fundraiser

The Thunder were nipped by the Plunder 56-55 in a shootout in the ninth annual wheelchair hockey game on Tuesday Night.  The game, played in front of over 200 fans at the WSU Heskett Center, raised over $7000 for Wheelchair Sports, Inc. thru ticket sales and the live jersey auction.  Brett "Big B" scored the lone… Read More

Richardson's hat trick saves Thunder

BY KOLLEN LONG, The Wichita Eagle- If Bruce Richardson has learned anything during his lengthy professional career it's this: "If you make a mistake," he said, "you have to battle back."Richardson did just that in the Wichita Thunder's much-needed come-from-behind 5-3 win over New Mexico on Sunday night at the Kansas… Read More

Thunder home woes persist

BY KOLLEN LONG, The Wichita Eagle- It was odd, really, to see the Wichita Thunder and Oklahoma City Blazers, original Central Hockey League franchises with a combined four championships and seven finals appearances, playing for nothing but pride this late in the season.For the first time in the 16-year history of the Central Hockey League, neither… Read More

Blazers blank Thunder

Eagle staff- Oklahoma City scored three goals in the second period and shut out the visiting Thunder 4-0 on Saturday night.The Blazers took a 1-0 lead on D.J. Jelitto's power-play goal at 5:47 of the first period.Goals just over a minute apart in the second period by Marc Connors and Dallas Flaman put the Blazers ahead 3-0. A shorthanded goal by… Read More

Thunder looks to rivalry for spark

BY KOLLEN LONG, The Wichita Eagle- At the 3:12 mark of the third period on Saturday, Peter Kennedy scored to give the Thunder hockey team a 2-0 lead over Tulsa.Since that promising point, the Thunder has allowed nine unanswered goals -- three to blow the Tulsa game and six more in a shutout loss to Youngstown on Sunday.After the Youngstown setback,… Read More

Weingartner watch continues

BY KOLLEN LONG, The Wichita Eagle-  Thunder president Chris Presson still isn't "comfortable," and that means a decision on the future of interim coach Rob Weingartner won't come until after the season.Presson had said he would decide by March 1 whether Weingartner would be offered a one-year contract; but the delay will continue… Read More

Check out the all new CHL Digest

Hey Thunder fans!

Check out the first edition of CHL digest (an online E-magazine)!  CHL Digest will be produced every other month until October, at which time it will be produced monthly.

You can view the first edition HERE.

Struggles follow Thunder home

BY KOLLEN LONG, The Wichita Eagle- The loudest cheer of the first period came when Wichita Thunder interim coach Rob Weingartner pulled rookie goalie Adam Dekker from the game.If that sounds like rude behavior from the usually loyal fans, consider what they had endured during those first 13 minutes: Youngstown scored four unanswered goals,… Read More

Thunder fans once again CHL's most annoying

By Roy Lang III, Shreveport Times- The complete results can be found HERE The Central Hockey League’ s Best of the Best Poll for the 2007-08 season may help explain some of the ridiculous numbers the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs have compiled.Bossier-Shreveport (40-10-5) entered Friday as the league’s No. 1 overall seed thanks to a… Read More

Thunder squanders advantage

Eagle staff- The Thunder surrendered a two-goal in the third period, as Tulsa beat Wichita 3-2 on Saturday night in Tulsa.After goals by Stan Yanchishyn and Peter Kennedy gave the Thunder a 2-0 lead 3:12 into the third period, the Oilers responded with unanswered goals by Brendon Hodge, Jeff Christian and David Beauregard -- the last two coming on… Read More

Brahmas overpower Thunder

Eagle staff- Texas used four powerplay goals to knock out the Thunder, winning 7-2 on Friday in Fort Worth.Anders Strome scored the Brahmas' first three goals -- one even strength, one shorthanded and one on a powerplay. His man-advantage goal came in the scecond period, and was the first of four Texas goals in the second -- three on… Read More

Thunder wins on penalty shot

BY KOLLEN LONG, The Wichita Eagle- Kyle Bruce figured out years ago, when it comes to penalty shots, simple is better.Thus, the strategy: "I don't deke. I just shoot."The elementary approach worked to perfection when he scored a no-frills goal on a penalty shot with just 3.5 seconds to play in overtime, lifting the Wichita Thunder to a… Read More

No decision yet on Weingartner

BY KOLLEN LONG, The Wichita Eagle- Thunder hockey president Chris Presson let his self-imposed deadline of March 1 pass without a decision on the future of interim coach Rob Weingartner.Presson said he has no new timetable and didn't rule out the possibility that a determination might not be made until the offseason."I need to put some more… Read More

Hounds get sweep of Thunder

Eagle staff- The Thunder's long weekend in Youngstown, Ohio, lasted a few minutes more than expected Sunday, but the outcome wasn't what the team was looking for.Youngstown beat Wichita for the third consecutive day, winning 3-2 in a shootout.The game was close all day. Youngstown scored midway through the first period, but the Thunder's Travis… Read More

Thunder loses first of three

Eagle staff- Chris Richards scored a first-period goal then assisted on the go-ahead goal as Youngstown beat the Thunder 4-3 on Friday in Youngstown, Ohio, the first of three games in three nights between the two teams.Youngstown took a 2-0 lead, but the Thunder tied the score with goals by Travis Clayton late in the first period and Bruce… Read More