Allen Claims High Scoring Affair

ALLEN, TX (Feb. 1) - Wichita held two separate leads down the stretch, but Allen battled back and won a high scoring contest on Saturday night, 7-6, at the Allen Event Center.

Peter Crinella led the way with three points while Billy Exell and Garrett Schmitz each had two.

The Thunder got off to a hot start as four different players found the back of the net. Just 49 seconds in, Crinella found Shaquille Merasty right in front of the crease and he buried a one-timer to make it 1-0. Allen tied it four minutes later as Tyler Sheehy connected with a power play tally. Zach Borsoi recorded his first goal as a pro to re-take the lead at 7:27. He fired a shot from the right point that got through traffic past Dereck Baribeau. At 13:40, Schmitz knocked down a clearing attempt at the Allen line, skated down the slot and beat Baribeau to increase the lead to 3-1. Crinella made it 4-1 with a power play goal at 15:33. He was given a seam pass and one-timed it in for his 13th of the year.

Alex Breton potted his 8th of the season just 46 seconds into the second to cut the lead to 4-2. At 10:46, Les Lancaster fired one just underneath the bar past Mitch Gillam to cut the lead to 4-3. Exell connected on his 4th of the year at 11:59 and re-gained a two-goal lead for the Thunder.

In the third, Allen outscored the Thunder 4-1 in the frame and took its first lead of the game. Jack Sadek scored at 2:15 to cut the lead to 5-4. Tyler Sheehy fired a wrist shot from the deep slot to tie the game at 5:02. Crinella connected on his second power play goal of the contest at 7:32 to give the Thunder a 6-5 advantage. Just over a minute later, Brett Pollock made it a 5-5 game as he sent pass towards the net and it got through Gillam. Joshua Lammon scored at 10:20 to make it 7-6, which was the Americans first lead of night. He knocked a rebound out of the air that initially hit Gillam and batted it past him. The Thunder argued that it was hit with a high stick, but there would be no review. Allen held on late and walked out with a 7-6 victory.

Wichita has power play goals in three-straight games. Crinella had two goals and an assist. Exell and Schmitz each had a goal and an assist.

Wichita returns home on Wednesday night to host the Utah Grizzlies at 7:05 p.m.

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