Late Goal Dooms Thunder on New Year's Eve

Tulsa, OK (Dec. 31st) - Danick Gauthier scored with under two minutes left in the third period and Wichita was unable to find the equalizer, losing 5-3 to Tulsa on New Year's Eve at the BOK Center. Vincent Arseneau had two goals while Landon Oslanski finished with a goal and an assist. Matt DeBlouw had two helpers in his return to the line-up.Arseneau started the scoring at 13:50 after a Matt DeBlouw scoring chance was stopped and he knocked home a rebound to make it 1-0. The Oilers answered three minutes later when Phil Brewer put a wrist shot through Peter Di Salvo from the left circle. Tulsa took its first lead with 10 seconds left. Jacob Poe, who was whistled for a penalty, came out of the box and was hauled down near the Thunder net. He was awarded a penalty shot and scored with a wrist shot over Di Salvo's glove to make it 2-1.Oslanski recorded his second of the season and tied the game at two just five minutes into the second. At 9:27, Arseneau fired a shot from the right boards during a delayed penalty call and re-gained the lead for Wichita. Tulsa came back and tied it before the end of the period as Shawn Bates caught a pass in the slot and beat Di Salvo to the glove side and the two teams headed into the dressing room tied at three. In the third, Gauthier stole a puck near the Thunder blue line and ripped a shot past Di Salvo at 18:17 to give the Oilers the lead for good. Emerson Clark tacked on an empty-netter for a 5-3 victory. Arseneau pulls into a tie for the league-lead with three shorthanded goals and recorded the Thunder's eighth shortie of the season. Di Salvo took the loss, stopping 34 of 38 shots. Phillips claimed the win, stopping 36 of 39 shots he faced. Wichita went 0-for-2 on the power play. Tulsa was 0-for-3 on the man advantage. The Thunder hits the road for a pair of games against the Tulsa Oilers starting tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. on New Year's Eve. 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!Follow along with us on our social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter (@wichita_thunder), Snapchat (wichthunder), Instagram (Wichita_Thunder) and LinkedIn, presented by Wichita Brewing Company.-Thunder-