Thunder Closes Trip In SD With Loss

RAPID CITY, SD (Jan. 26) - Wichita closed a three-game set on Sunday afternoon in the Black Hills, falling to Rapid City by the final of 5-2 at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

Stefan Fournier and Ostap Safin scored for the Thunder in the losing effort.

Stephane Legault got the scoring started early in the first as he beat Mitch Gillam with a wrist shot from behind the net to make it 1-0. Wichita appeared to tie it at the 12 minute mark as Sean Allen blasted a slap shot from the slot. The official blew the whistle and waived it off, determining that Spencer Dorowicz interfered with Alex Sakellaropoulus. Brennan Saulnier added his fourth in the last two games at 17:59 as he redirected a pass through Gillam.

Stefan Fournier put the Thunder on the board at 1:29 of the second with a power play goal. Spencer Dorowicz found him on the doorstep and he buried it through Sakellaropoulus to cut the lead to 2-1. Wichita had a two-man advantage at the five-minute mark, but the Rush penalty kill stood firm.

In the third, Tanner Karty extended the lead to 4-1 at 17:03 after Matt Ustaski tried a highlight reel move that Gillam initially stopped. Safin connected on a power play goal at 18:09 to cut the lead to 4-2. Keeghan Howdeshell closed the scoring with an empty-net goal to make it 5-2.

Fournier has three goals in his last two games. Safin has goals in back-to-back contests.

Wichita returns home for the first time since January 11 to host the Allen Americans on Friday night starting at 7:05 p.m.

Individual tickets for the rest of the season are on sale now. To learn more, click here or contact a Thunder representative at the office today!

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