Cuddemi Scores Twice in Loss at Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN (Feb. 7th) - Ralph Cuddemi scored twice against his former team, but it wasn't enough in a 9-3 loss to Fort Wayne on Wednesday night at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

Chad Butcher had a goal and an assist in the losing effort.

Mason Baptista gave Fort Wayne the early lead as he poked a loose puck under Shane Starrett at 2:30 of the first. Chad Butcher answered at 8:04, catching a pass from Kevin Dufour and beating Garrett Bartus along the ice to make it 1-1. Cuddemi, playing in his first game against his former team, gave Wichita a 2-1 advantage as he fired a wrist shot over the glove of Bartus for his 16th of the year.

The Komets struck three times in the second to grab a 4-2 lead. Marco Roy caught a piece of a shot from Cody Sol and the puck slipped past Starrett to tie the game at two. At 6:15, Trevor Cheek made it 3-2 with a power play goal from the slot. Justin MacDonald increased the lead to 4-2 with his second of the season at 13:18.

In the third, Fort Wayne pulled away, scoring five times in the frame. Cody Sol scored 31 seconds in and made it 5-2. Gabriel Desjardins scored twice in the third with his first coming at 7:09 to increase the lead to 6-2. Louick Marcotte then slid one past Starrett to make it 7-2. Starrett was lifted and Nick Riopel came on in relief. Desjardins and Szydlowski tacked on two more to make it 9-2. Cuddemi got one back at 14:16 to close out the scoring.

Cuddemi has four points in his last two games and extends his scoring streak to four contests (2g, 4a). He had two assists last Saturday to go along with his two markers tonight. Dufour added an assist to extend his point-streak to four games (3g, 3a).

Wichita went 0-for-3 on the power play. Fort Wayne was 1-for-3 on the man advantage.

The Thunder remains in Fort Wayne for a rematch on Friday night at 7 p.m. CST.

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