Thunder End Weekend with 5-2 Loss at Quad City

Moline, IL (October 25th) - Special teams proved to be the difference once again on Sunday afternoon as Wichita (2-3-0-0) fell at the hands of Quad City (3-1-0-1) by the final of 5-2 at the i-Wireless Center. The two teams combined for 13 power plays and 36 penalty minutes. The Mallards fended off a two-man advantage in the third and scored two power play goals to pull away late. The season-series is now tied at 1-1-0-0 with each team winning in their building.

Tanner Eberle had a pair of first-period goals to help the home team to a 2-1 lead through 20 minutes. His first came at 9:06, firing home a long rebound that came off the leg pad of David Shantz and gave the Mallards a 1-0 lead. Wichita answered at 12:42 as Ian Lowe redirected a Brandon Martell shot past Steve Michalek to tie the game. Eberle recorded his second after find a rebound in the slot and sliding it along the ice into the net for a 2-1 advantage.

Raphael Bussieres gave the Mallards a two-goal lead at 4:22 of the second period as he snuck home a rebound at the side of the net. Donnie Harris got the Thunder within one at 15:37, firing a wrist shot from the right circle past Steve Michalek.

In the third, the Mallards added to their lead with two power play goals. After Wichita failed to

capitalize on a five-on-three, Matt Neal re-gained a two-goal advantage with his second marker of the season at 12:08. The two teams continued to send players to the box, combining for six minor penalties in the frame. Zach Pochiro fired home a shot from along the goal line that hit the post, slid just behind Shantz to make it 5-2.

Lowe and Harris each record their first goals of the season. Martell and Sakaris picked up assists in the losing effort. Shantz takes the loss, stopping 26 of 31 shots. Michalek earns the win, stopping 31 of 33 shots he faced.

Wichita went 0-for-6 on the power play. Quad City was 2-for-7 on the man advantage.

The Thunder returns home for a pair of games against the Colorado Eagles, starting on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Friday is Pink at the Rink, presented by RA Ruud and Son and Machinist Union. Saturday afternoon is the Halloween Extravaganza. Starting 1:05 p.m., bring the kids out for a costume contest and trick-or-treating before the game.

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

Season tickets are on sale now. Don't delay! Call the Wichita Thunder office and visit with a season ticket rep today to learn more. Stay up-to-date on all the news during the season by visiting www.wichitathunder.com.

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.

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-