Thunder Falls In SO To Cincy

Cincinnati, OH (Dec. 15th) - Wichita battled back from three separate one-goal deficits, but came up short in a shootout loss on Saturday night to Cincinnati by the final of 4-3 at US Bank Arena.

Steven Iacobellis, Nolan Vesey and Ralph Cuddemi each scored for the Thunder and Stuart Skinner stopped 22 shots in the losing effort.

Cincinnati got on the board first at 7:31 when Devante Stephens scored during a four-on-four situation to make it 1-0. Iacobellis tied the game on the power play at 9:46 with a one-timer from the slot. The Cyclones re-took the lead at 10:17 as Jesse Schultz re-directed a shot past Skinner from the blue line.

The only goal of the second came with 42 seconds left. Vesey stole the puck on the near wall, curled to the face-off circle and beat Jonas Johansson to tie it at two.

In the third, Arvin Atwal made it 3-2 with a backhand at 6:48. Cuddemi tied it at three at 11:22 as he was able to get to a loose puck near the right post.

The Cyclones appeared to re-take the lead when Nate Mitton grabbed a loose puck out of the air and fed it up ahead. The goal was waived off due to Mitton closing his hand on the puck. The final horn in regulation sounded and the contest headed to overtime.

Cincinnati had a carry-over power play as Keoni Texeira was called for holding at 18:41 of the third. Wichita killed off the opportunity and generated two shots in the extra session. Neither team could light the lamp and a shootout was needed.

The only goal in the shootout was scored by Mike Marnell at the bottom of round one. Iacobellis, MacMillan and Cuddemi were denied by Johansson and the Cyclones escaped with a 4-3 victory.

Wichita continued on its torrid December pace, netting another power play goal and going 1-for-4 on the man advantage. Cincinnati was 0-for-6 on the power play. Cuddemi extended his goal-scoring streak to seven games.

The Thunder closes a three-game road swing tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. central time against the Kalamazoo Wings.

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