Cicmanec's Hat Trick Helps Jr. Thunder to Thorne Cup Title

Ogden, UT (April 16th) - Peter Cicmanec recorded a hat trick and the Wichita Junior Thunder held off another late charge from the Idaho Junior Steelheads to win their first-ever Thorne Cup title by the final of 4-3 at The Ice Sheet on Easter Sunday.

David Good, Jack McClelland and Simon Sefcik each had two assists and Erik Spath made 35 saves in the winning effort.

The Junior Thunder swept right through the playoffs, winning 11-straight games and only trailed twice this week at the Thorne Cup Playoffs.

Idaho got on the board first just four minutes into the opening period as Jonathan Karlsson beat Spath near the right circle.

The Junior Thunder turned the tides in the second, scoring three times in the frame. Peter Cicmanec scored a power play goal with 17:58 left with assists to Sefcik and Jack McClelland. Alex Smith gave the Thunder the lead for good with a one-timer from the blue line with 13:58 left in the second. Cicmanec tallied his second of the period with 4:09 left and made it 3-1 heading into the third.

The Junior Steelheads got one back with 13:32 left in regulation as Lance Herning found the net to make it 3-2. Cicmanec lit the lamp for the third time in the contest with 8:42 remaining on the clock and re-gained a two-goal advantage, up 4-2. Rei Kikuchi cut the lead back to one with six minutes left as he put home a rebound in the crease. Idaho pulled their goaltender with just over a minute left, but the Junior Thunder held on for the victory.

Cicmanec was named as the tournament's Most Valuable Player while Oskar Gullstrom, Jack McClelland, Sefcik, Zachary Balodis and Spath were selelcted to the All-Tournament Team. Wichita finished the tournament with players scoring back-to-back hat tricks as Jack McClelland notched one in the Semi-Finals against Ogden.

Stay tuned for any more information regarding the team as they return home from Utah.

-Thunder-