Comeback Falls Short in 7-5 Loss To Indy

Wichita, KS (Feb. 17th) - Wichita scored three goals in the third period to battle back into the game on Sunday afternoon, but fell to Indy by the final of 7-5 at INTRUST Bank Arena.

Jakob Stukel, Ryan Van Stralen and Taylor Cammarata potted goals five minutes apart to help the Thunder climb back from a 6-2 deficit. Indy scored a late empty-netter to end the comeback bid.

Indy got off to a quick start, scoring three goals in the first 10 minutes of the contest. Logan Nelson scored just four seconds into a power play as he took the puck off a face-off and fired a wrist shot past Ty Rimmer's glove. At 9:19, Matt Rupert found a loose puck during a net-front scramble and he tipped it in near the goal line to increase the lead to 2-0. Just nine seconds later, Radovan Bondra tallied his sixth of the year to make it 3-0. Mark MacMillan got the Thunder on the board at 12:01 as he buried a wrist shot past Matt Tomkins on the power play to make it 3-1.

In the third, Wichita climbed back into the game and it was started on a goal from Jakob Stukel at 2:44. He made a power move up the right wing, skated across the goal-mouth and beat Tomkins to make it 6-3. Ryan Van Stralen netted his third of the year at 3:43 to cut the lead to 6-4. At 7:35, Taylor Cammarata caught a pass from Ralph Cuddemi and scored to make it 6-5. The Thunder had a late power play when Matt Rupert sat on top of the puck off a face-off and was called for delay of game. Rimmer was pulled for the extra attacker. The penalty expired and Ryan Rupert recorded his hat trick goal at 18:46 into an empty net.

Stukel finished with a goal and an assist. Jared Wilson had two helpers. Cuddemi had 10 shots on net for the second game in a row to lead all shooters.

Wichita heads the road starting Tuesday morning for four games in the Hoosier State. The Thunder closes out a three-game set against the Fuel Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. CST.

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