First Period Dooms Thunder in Loss at Colorado

Loveland, CO (Jan. 28th) - For the second night in a row, Colorado got off to a quick start and took a 9-4 win on Saturday night against Wichita at the Budweiser Events Center. The Eagles scored seven times in the first 20 minutes and cruised to the victory.

Ian Lowe, David Friedmann and Blake Tatchell each finished with a goal and an assist.

Colorado got off to a fast start, scoring twice in the first minute and 37 seconds of the game. Josh Nicholls and Michael Sdao scored 18 seconds apart for a 2-0 advantage. David Friedmann cut the lead to one on the power play at 7:09 as he blasted a pass from Zach O'Brien at the right face-off dot.

Colorado added two more in a 28-second span with both coming on the power play when Shawn St-Amant found the net at 9:54 to make it 3-1. Mitch Holmberg scored at 10:22 to increase the lead to 4-1. Kent Patterson was pulled at that point and Drew Owsley came on in relief for the third night in a row.

Ryan Rupert cut the lead to 4-2 just 25 seconds later as his shot got through Clarke Saunders. The Eagles closed the first period with three unanswered as Jake Marto, Luke Salazar and St-Amant gave Colorado a 7-2 advantage after 20 minutes.

In the second, Wichita scored twice as Tatchell cut the lead to 7-3 at 4:19. He skated around the Eagles net and his centering feed went off a stick and slid past Saunders. Colorado took advantage of its second five-on-three power play as Ryan Tesink was called for boarding and Matt DeBlouw for a slash. After Tesink came out, Matt Register blew one past Owsley from the deep slot and made it 8-2. Lowe made it 8-3 at 16:57 after intercepting a pass near the net and beat Saunders over the glove.

The only goal of the third period was scored by Casey Pierro-Zabotel, which came just 22 seconds into the frame.

Lowe recorded his fourth of the season, has goals-in-back to back games and moves past Ron Handy into eighth place all-time with 197 points in Thunder blue. His goal was also of the shorthanded variety, which gives Wichita 11 on the season. Patterson suffers the loss, stopping 2 of 6 shots. Saunders grabs the win, stopping 30 of 34 shots he faced.

Wichita went 1-for-6 on the power play. Colorado was 3-for-7 on the man advantage.

The Thunder heads to Missouri for two-straight beginning on Friday, February 3rd at 7:30 p.m.

Individual tickets for all Thunder home games are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the INTRUST Arena Box office, by calling 855-755-SEAT or go online at www.selectaseat.com.

Contact a Thunder representative at the office today to learn more about our great season, group and other ticket packet opportunities!

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