Comeback Falls Short In Loss To Steelheads

WICHITA, Kan. (Jan. 4) – Quinn Preston recorded three points, including a late power play goal to battle back into the game on Wednesday night, but Idaho held on for a 5-3 victory over Wichita at INTRUST Bank Arena. 

Brayden Watts and Michal Stinil each had two helpers while Chris McKay tallied his first goal in a Thunder uniform. 

Early in the first, Ryan Dmowski gave the Steelheads a 1-0 lead. Owen Headrick circled around the Thunder zone and fed a nice pass over to Dmowski. 

Preston scored his first of two at 4:22 to tie the game. He buried a wrist shot from the right circle for his 11th of the season. 

Idaho re-captured the lead at 13:16 when A.J. White stole a loose puck near the front of the Thunder net and tallied a shorthanded marker past Evan Buitenhuis to make it 2-1. 

Jade Miller made it 3-1 at 9:49 of the second period after he put home a rebound near the left post. 

Jay Dickman appeared to score at 12:06 to make it 3-2. He came into the zone and put home a rebound near the left post. The goal was reviewed and was overturned due to contact made with Steelheads' goaltender Remi Poirer. 

White added his second of the game at 19:38 with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle to make it 4-1. 

McKay cut the lead to 4-2 at 3:31 as he pounced on a rebound near the crease. 

At 9:18, Preston added his second of the night with a wrist shot from the right faceoff dot to cut it to 4-3 advantage for Idaho. 

Buitenhuis was lifted for the extra attacker, but Will Knierim found an empty-net at 18:52 to end the scoring. 

Stinil has two points in seven-straight games. Preston extended his point-streak to 13 and has two points in four-straight. Watts has points in his last 10 and two points in four-straight. 

Wichita continued its success on the man advantage. The Thunder went 2-for-6 on the power play. Wichita has power play goals in seven-straight games and at least two on the man advantage in six of the last seven.

The Thunder returns to action at home on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. against Idaho.

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