Thunder Opens April With Win In Rapid City

RAPID CITY, SD (April 2) - Anthony Beauregard scored a power play goal early in the third period and Evan Buitenhuis stopped 25 shots to push Wichita to a 3-1 win past Rapid City on Friday night at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. 

Brayden Watts and Jay Dickman each added a goal as well while Beauregard finished with two points. 

After a scoreless first period, Watts put the Thunder up 1-0 at the eight-minute mark of the second. Jacob Graves made a great play to carry puck around the perimeter near the blue line and found him in front of the net. Watts fired a one-timer past Adam Carlson for his fourth of the year.

At 15:30, Cedric Montminy scored a controversial goal to tie the game He fed a pass to the slot for Andrew Sturtz. Hunter Garlent whacked at a rebound that went to the left post. As Montminy was getting to the loose puck, Buitenhuis was ran into by Sturtz. The goal was reviewed and allowed to count. 

Wichita started the third with a power play as Gabriel Chabot was whistled for slashing at the 20-minute mark of the second. Beauregard collected a pass at the top of the right circle and wired a wrist shot through traffic to give Wichita a 2-1 advantage. 

Rapid City had two late faceoffs in the Thunder defensive zone and pulled Carlson for the extra attacker. Beau Starrett found Dickman with an outlet pass and he fired a shot into the empty net to make it 3-1. 

Wichita scored a power play goal for the first time in its last 16 chances. Beauregard has points in four-straight (2g, 5a). Dickman has five points in his last four games. Starrett has points in back-to-back contests. 

The Thunder remains in the Black Hills tomorrow night to face Rapid City at 8:05 p.m.

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