Early Hole Sinks Thunder in Allen

Allen, TX (Dec. 27th) - Wichita couldn't overcome a quick start by Allen on Wednesday night, losing 7-3 at the Allen Event Center. The Americans jumped out to a 4-0 lead and never looked back. The loss pushes Wichita into fourth place, one point back of Allen in the Mountain Division.

Evan Polei netted a pair and Kevin Dufour scored in his first game in a Thunder uniform.

Zach Hall got things started for the Americans. He slid a rebound past Shane Starrett near the left post to make it 1-0. Mathieu Aubin increased the lead to 2-0 at 10:43 as he caught a pass through the slot and registered his sixth of the year. Casey Pierro-Zabotel made it 3-0, tipping a shot from the blue line for his ninth of the year.

In the second, Joel Rumpel came on in relief to start the frame. Colby McAuley made it 4-0 at 2:52 with a wrist shot from the left circle during a two-on-one chance. Wichita gained some life with a pair of goals less than two minutes apart. Polei stuffed home a rebound at 11:44 and cut the lead to 4-1. Dufour scored at 13:16 off a rebound to cut the lead to 4-2. Olivier Archambault took the air out of Wichita's sails with a goal just 39 seconds later and made it 5-2.

Polei recorded his second of the night at 1:16 of the third period to cut the lead to 5-3. Allen wouldn't allow the Thunder to get any closer as Eric Roy and Pierro-Zabotel scored back-to-back markers and a 7-3 win.

Polei registered his first multi-goal game of his career. Dufour recorded his fifth of the season and first in a Thunder uniform.

Wichita went 1-for-3 on the power play. Allen was 1-for-4 on the man advantage.

The Thunder returns home on Friday for a pair of games against Allen starting at 7:05 p.m.

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