Allen Holds Off Thunder Comeback Bid

WICHITA, Kan. (Dec. 10) - For the second night in a row, Wichita tried to climb out of a hole, but fell short to Allen, 5-4, on Friday night at INTRUST Bank Arena. 

Wichita battled back from a 2-0 deficit and then almost tied the game after trailing by three in the second. Allen held off the Thunder rally and swept the first two of the three-game set in Wichita.

Brayden Watts led the way with two points and four different players scored for the Thunder. 

Nolan Kneen gave Allen a 1-0 lead with a power play goal at 2:28 of the first. Luke Henman scored his first of three at 12:28 to make it 2-0. Jay Dickman cut the lead to 2-1 at 15:16, scoring a beautiful goal on a breakaway. Wichita outshot the Americans, 12-9, after the opening frame. 

Tyler Jeanson tied it at 3:22 of the second period. He made a nice play through the slot and beat former Thunder netminder Hayden Lavigne to the glove side for his second of the year. Allen scored just a minute later as Henman tallied his second of the night. He added his third at 5:53, putting home a shorthanded breakaway to record a hat trick. At 8:46, Jack Combs found the net to make it 5-2. His goal would bring a goalie change as Evan Buitenhuis was pulled and Jake Theut came on in relief. 

At 13:04, Carter Johnson recorded his sixth of the year on the power play to make it 5-3. Brendan van Riemsdyk tallied his first of the year with 15 seconds left in the frame to cut the Allen lead to one.

In the third, Wichita had several chances to tie the game. Lavigne made some tough saves on Peter Crinella. With three seconds remaining, Wichita had one last faceoff with an extra attacker on the ice. Crinella fired a wrist shot that just missed the right post and the final horn sounded, 

Wichita has power play goals in three-straight. Dickman extended his point-streak to 12 games and has goals in three-straight. Crinella added an assist, giving him four points in the last two games. Jeanson has goals in back-to-back games. van Riemsdyk tallied his first ECHL goal of his career and first in a Thunder uniform. Watts had two assists. 

The Thunder have the day off tomorrow and will finish their three-game series against Allen this week with an afternoon meeting in Texas on Sunday against Allen starting at 4:05 p.m.

Single game tickets are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at the Wichita Thunder office located at 505 W. Maple, Suite 100, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On weekday game days, the Thunder office closes at 4 p.m. Click here to purchase online!

Fans can also purchase tickets at the Select-A-Seat Box Office at INTRUST Bank Arena Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and starting at noon on weekend game days. 

Season tickets for the 2021-22 season are still available. Join Thunder Nation today and lock in your seat(s) for all 36 home games at INTRUST Bank Arena. For more information, click HERE.