WICHITAHOME: 6-4-0-1AWAY: 3-5-1-2OVERALL: 9-9-1-3 LEADING SCORERSGauthier, 23 pts (12g, 11a)Lowe, 19 pts (7g, 12a)Miller 17 pts (7g, 10a) QUAD CITYHOME: 4-3-1-0AWAY: 4-5-2-2OVERALL: 8-8-3-2 LEADING SCORERSLamoureux, 21 pts (6g, 15a)Fox, 17 pts (9g, 8a)Perry, 17 pts (11g, 6a) HEAD TO HEAD - This is the second of 12 meetings between the Thunder and the Mallards. Wichita is 8-3-0 at home against Quad City all-time and 14-3-3 overall.
TODAY - Wichita returns home after playing the last four on the road. The Thunder went 1-2-0-0 on their eastern road swing and lost this past Wednesday night at Tulsa by the final of 7-4. Quad City is also coming off of a loss at the hands of the Allen Americans by the final of 5-2. Quad City is led by Mario Lamoureux, who has 21 points on the season. Justin Fox and Joe Perry each have 17. Wichita is led by Danick Gauthier, who has 23 points this season. Right behind him is Ian Lowe, who has 19 points and is coming off a two-goal performance vs. Tulsa.
DOUBLE DIP - Ian Lowe had two goals on Wednesday night, which is his first multi-goal game of the season. He is second on the team in scoring with 19 and has seven goals so far this season. Lowe had 14 markers a year ago and is on pace to reach his career high of 28 back in 2012-13. Kenton Miller and Danick Gauthier also had two points on Wednesday. Miller had two helpers and Gauthier had a goal and an assist.
MIDDLE MEN - Wichita's best offensive period has been the second. The Thunder has a scoring edge of 24-17 over their opponents so far this season. The first period is where the team has struggled, being outscored 22-13 and has given up the first goal in the last five games. The Thunder are also outshooting teams 279-172 in the second period, compared to the first in which the team is being outshot 205-201.
SEASON-SERIES - Tonight is just the 21st all-time meeting between the Thunder and the Mallards. Wichita won the first meeting 2-0 behind a solid defensive performance and clutch scoring from Erick Lizon and Ian Lowe. The Thunder look to continue their winning ways against the Mallards. The two teams play the first three meetings in Wichita before traveling to Moline for the next three in January.
THUNDERBOLTS… Danick Gauthier is tied for ninth in goals (11)...Kenton Miller and Gauthier are tied for fifth place in power play goals (4)...Tyler Bunz is currently in seventh place in goals against average (2.32)...Wichita is second in shots against per game (26.32)…Wichita is 2-1-0-1 when leading after one...Wichita is 5-2-0-0 when tied after one…Wichita is 4-3-1-1 when tied after two periods…Wichita is 7-6-0-2 when outshooting the opponent…Wichita is 6-1-0-0 in two-goal games...
QUAD CITY NOTES - The Mallards are 1-5-2 in their last eight games and have lost five of their last six road games in regulation…Quad City has had 11 of their last 14 tilts decided by one goal… The Mallards have allowed power play goals in each of their last three games but still rank seventh in the ECHL in penalty killing (84.3 percent)…Mario Lamoureux in riding a four-game point streak, assisting on both of Kevin Baker's goals on Wednesday night…Evan Mosher is tied for fourth in the ECHL in save percentage (.925)… Individual tickets are on sale now. Don't delay! Tickets can be purchased at the INTRUST Arena Box office, by calling 755-SEAT or go online at www.selectaseat.com. Stay up-to-date on all the news during the season by visiting www.wichitathunder.com. About the ECHL The ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states and has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 20 states and one Canadian province for its 27th season in 2014-15. There have been 541 players who have started their career in the ECHL have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 29 who made their NHL debuts in the 2013-14 season. The ECHL had affiliations with 26 of the 30 NHL teams in 2013-14, marking the 17th consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com, as well as on Twitter and Facebook.
-Thunder-