Second Period Does Thunder In On Wednesday Night

WEST VALLEY CITY, UT (March 29) – Wichita continued its six-game road trip on Wednesday night, losing 8-5 to Utah at the Maverik Center. 

The two teams were tied heading into the second period, but the Grizzlies scored six times to pull away for the win. 

Jay Dickman, Peter Bates, Jason Pineo and Cole MacDonald provided the offense in the losing effort. 

Johnny Walker put Utah on the board just 4:21 into the first. He found a rebound near the right post and put it past Justin Kapelmaster to make it 1-0. 

Dickman recorded his first of two on the night at 12:42. He redirected a shot from the blueline on the power play from Cole MacDonald to tie it at one. 

Jordan Martel re-gained the lead at 15:53 with his 12th of the season. Wichita turned the puck over near the left wall and Martel rifled home a rebound to make it 2-1. 

Bates deflected a shot from Austin Crossley at 17:02 to tie the contest at two. 

Utah scored the next five to jump out to a 7-2 advantage. Brandon Cutler made it 3-2 just 31 seconds into the frame. Tarun Fizer negated an icing, stole the puck behind the Thunder net and found Cutler in the slot. 

At 1:35, Cameron Wright connected on his 22nd of the season to make it 4-2. The Thunder failed to get it out near their own line and Wright fired home a one-timer near the left hashmark.

Keaton Jameson made it 5-2 at 2:28. He caught a pass between the circles and fired a shot past the glove of Kapelmaster for his 13th of the year. 

Fizer and Jameson connected just over a minute apart to increase the lead to 7-2. 

At 9:17, Quinn Preston fired a one-timer on the power play that caught Dickman's leg and cut the lead to 7-3. 

Connor McDonald made it 8-3 at 17:27 as he curled around the Thunder net, got to his forehand and beat Kapelmaster for his fifth of the year.

Cole MacDonald cut the lead to 8-4 with 21 seconds remaining in the frame. Wichita was awarded a two-man advantage and he beat Trent Miner with a wrist shot from the high slot for his 10th of the season. 

In the third, Pineo tipped home a shot from MacDonald at 2:10 to make it 8-5.

Wichita was 3-for-6 on the power play. Utah was 0-for-4 with the man advantage. 

Pineo tallied his first goal as a pro. Dickman returned to the lineup after missing the last five games and notched his third multi-goal outing of the year. Bates has goals in back-to-back games. MacDonald has six points in his last two contests. Watts has two points in back-to-back games after collecting two helpers. Michal Stinil extended his point-streak to five games with an assist. 

Wichita remains in West Valley City on Friday night at 8:10 p.m. to face the Utah Grizzlies.

Our annual Education Day Game, presented by Butler Community College and Golden Plains Credit Union, is coming soon. If you're a teacher or work with a local school, contact our office and ask for Tucker to bring your class out as we host the Tulsa Oilers at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 5. Click here to buy tickets.

Autism Acceptance Night, presented by Wichita State University Communications Sciences and Disorders, is nearing as well. Join us on Friday, April 7 as we host the Rapid City Rush. We'll create a more sensory friendly environment for the game, reduce the lighting and loud music and more as we raise acceptance for those with Autism.

For just $20, get a ticket to the game and a limited edition Autism Acceptance Night t-shirt. Use the code ACCEPT when you check out.

Looking to bring the family? Take advantage of our Ollie's Family Four Pack for April 7. Get four tickets, a $20 Ollie's Bargain Outlet gift card and four team photos for just $40. Use the code FUN when you check out. Buy tickets here.

Single game tickets are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets online HERE, at the Select-A-Seat Box Office at INTRUST Bank Arena or by calling the Thunder office at 316-264-4625.

Several outstanding promotions remain on our schedule for the season. Click HERE to learn more.