Van Stralen Sends Series Back to Wichita

Loveland, CO (April 21st) - Ryan Van Stralen scored 21 seconds into overtime to lift Wichita to a 5-4 win over Colorado on Saturday night at Budweiser Events Center and force a Game 6 on Monday night.

Van Stralen had a pair while Mark MacMillan and Evan Polei each recorded their second of the series.

For the third game in the series, Wichita got on the board first. Polei caught up to a loose puck near the Eagles bench, went in all alone and beat Joe Cannata to make it 1-0. Ryan Harrison tied the game just over a minute later. He skated up the right wing, got past a defender and beat Shane Starrett across the crease to make it 2-1. Wichita re-gained the lead when Brayden Low baseball-batted a puck out of the air and past Cannata at 12:58.

Julien Nantel scored early in the second to tie the game at two. At 12:38, MacMillan scored a shorthanded tally as he toe-dragged around the defenseman and beat Cannata to make it 3-2. Four minutes later, Van Stralen caught a beautiful feed from Dyson Stevenson right off a face-off and slid it through Cannata to make it 4-2.

Early in the third, J.C. Beaudin scored his third of the playoffs to cut it to 4-3. The Eagles carried the play in the final frame and tied it after pulling Cannata for the extra attacker. Jake Marto fired a pass through the middle and Drayson Bowman re-directed it past Starrett to tie the game and force overtime.

Early in overtime, Van Stralen picked off a pass from Collin Bowman near the left circle, came through the low slot and beat Cannata under the bar for the game-winner.

Van Stralen recorded his first multi-goal game in the playoffs as a pro. MacMillan and Polei have goals in back-to-back games. Low netted his first playoff goal as a pro.

Wichita went 0-for-2 on the power play. Colorado was 0-for-4 on the man advantage.

Game 6 is Monday night at INTRUST Bank Arena with the puck drop at 7:05 p.m. The Thunder office will be open tomorrow from noon to 4 p.m. to help fans get tickets.

Season tickets for the 2018-19 campaign are on sale now. Get your seats for just $15 per month. All it takes is a $1 down per seat to reserve yours today. To learn more, click here or contact a Thunder representative at the office today!

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