Crinella Reaches Milestone In 4-3 Win at Allen

ALLEN, TX (Feb. 19) - Peter Crinella scored twice, including the game-winner midway through the third, to help Wichita skate past Allen on Saturday night, 4-3, at CUTX Event Center. 

Crinella collected his 100th point as a pro and his first game-winner of the season. Jay Dickman and Alex Peters each had two helpers. Olivier Rodrigue came on in relief to grab his fifth win of the year, stopping 12 shots in the third period. 

Allen got on the board first for the second night in a row. Jackson Leppard collected his 15th of the season at 4:39, firing a one-timer past Jake Theut on the power play to make it 1-0. 

At 7:26, Stefan Fournier tallied his fourth of the year on the power play and tied the game. Dickman found him near the crease and he beat Francis Marotte to tie it at one. 

Crinella tallied his first of the contest on the power play at 9:42. He found a loose puck off a shot from Peters and beat Marotte to make it 2-1. 

Stephen Johnson gave the Thunder a 3-1 lead in the second period with a shorthanded breakaway tally at 11:49. He stole it near the red line and beat Marotte with a wrist shot just under his glove for his eighth of the season. 

Spencer Asuchak tied the game with back-to-back goals in a four-minute span. His first came at 11:08 as he put home a feed across the crease from Chad Costello. He tied it at 15:55, sliding a rebound past Theut after he appeared to make the save. 

Rodrigue came into the game at the start of the third period and made some key saves in the first two minutes.

Crinella gave the Thunder a 4-3 lead at 9:05 when he came into the zone up the left side, cut across the grain and beat Marotte with a backhand to the short-side for his 20th of the year. 

Wichita appeared to take a 5-3 lead on the power play with just over a minute left. Fournier put home a rebound off a shot from Crinella. The call was reversed after it was determined he used a kicking motion. 

Marotte was pulled in the final stages, but the Thunder held on for the win. 

Wichita improves to 9-0-2 over its last 11 games and is 10-2-3 in its last 15.

Crinella has at least two points in five-straight games. Peters has assists in three-straight (5a). Fournier has points in his last three (1g, 3a). Dickman has points in three of the last four (2g, 3a) and needs three more to reach 100 for his career. Stephen Johnson has goals in back-to-back games. 

The Thunder continues their five-game road trip on Wednesday night in Iowa to face the Heartlanders at 7 p.m.

The team wore a special El Trueno uniform on Friday night that is being auctioned off online on the DASH Auction platform. Bidding is live now and closes on Friday, February 25 at 8 p.m. Click here to bid!

Single game tickets are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at the Wichita Thunder office located at 505 W. Maple, Suite 100, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On weekday game days, the Thunder office closes at 4 p.m. Click here to purchase online!

Fans can also purchase tickets at the Select-A-Seat Box Office at INTRUST Bank Arena Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and starting at noon on weekend game days.