Strong Third Period Lifts Wichita To Win

WICHITA, Kan. (Jan.10) - Wichita blew open a close game on Sunday afternoon, scoring three times in the third period and skated away with a 6-2 win against Kansas City at INTRUST Bank Arena.

Bobby McMann led all scorers with 4 points (1g, 3a) while Noel Hoefenmayer, Jeremy McKenna and Matteo Gennaro each had two. Evan Weninger made 37 saves to grab his second win of the season.

Fournier put the Thunder on the board with an early power play goal during the first period. McMann caught a pass across the face-off dots, fired a shot towards the net and Bonar couldn't hold onto the rebound. The referee reviewed the play to make sure Fournier didn't kick it in with his skate and the goal was allowed to count. Kansas City tied it up seven minutes later during a delayed penalty. Bryan Lemos put home a long rebound for his third of the year to pull even at one.

Jay Dickman broke the tie at 3:48 of the second. He redirected a pass from Sean Allen through Bonar to make it 2-1. McMann increased the lead to 3-1 as he stole the puck near the red line, raced up the left wing, got behind the defender and slid a backhand past Bonar. Kansas City answered on the power play at 11:38 as Willie Corrin cut the lead back to one with a shot from the slot. Towards the end of the frame, things started to get chippy as Jacob Graves threw a hit near the benches and Loren Ulett went after him. Both were sent off with an extra two minutes being given to Graves for tripping.

In the third, Wichita opened up the floodgates and skated away with a 6-2 win. Gennaro notched his sixth of the season at 4:53 from the slot. At 8:15, Hoefenmayer increased the lead to 5-2 with his second of the year. He caught a pass at the right circle and buried a shot past Bonar's glove. Brayden Watts netted his first goal as a pro at 13:32 as he slammed home a one-timer from the right dot and made it 6-2.

Wichita scored a power play goal for the first time in three games. The two teams combined for 52 penalty minutes. Kansas City had eight power plays, which ties a season-high for the opposition against the Thunder in a game this year.

McMann had four points, which is a new career-high and snapped a two-game scoreless streak. Gennaro and Hoefenmayer both had a goal and an assist. McKenna added two more helpers. Fournier has goals in back-to-back games and scored in three of the four contests this week.

The Thunder heads to Texas next week to face the Allen Americans for three-straight beginning on Friday night at 7:05 p.m.

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