Thunder Snaps Winless Skid Thursday In Rapid City

RAPID CITY, SD (March 9) – Wichita snapped a seven-game winless skid on Thursday night with a 6-4 win against Rapid City at The Monument. 

Peter Bates tallied the game-winner with less than nine minutes to go in the third and Jake Wahlin tacked on an empty-net shorthanded marker to seal the victory. 

Michal Stinil finished with three helpers while Roman Basran earned his first pro win with 37 saves. 

The Thunder jumped out to a 3-0 lead, scoring twice in the first. Cole MacDonald connected on the power play at 14:11 to make it 1-0. During a two-man advantage, he worked across the slot and fired a shot through traffic that beat Daniil Chechelev.

At 15:29, Kyle Rhodes fired a one-timer from the right circle for his third of the year to make it 2-0. 

In the second, Brett Van Os made it 3-0 at 9:10. Mark Liwiski chipped a puck up the right wing past the defender. He skated into the zone and found Van Os, who one-timed it past Chechelev for his seventh of the year.

Brett Gravelle cut the lead to 3-1 at 10:35 as he found a rebound near the left post and beat Basran. 

Quinn Preston pushed the lead back to three at 11:44 for his 20th of the season. He caught a nice pass off the rush from Stinil and beat Chechelev as he ran into him near the top of the crease to make it 4-1. Chechelev would exit the game and Adam Carlson came on in relief. 

Alex Carlson cut the lead to 4-2 at 15:42. He hammered a shot from the right point past Basran for his first of the season.

At 18:19, Logan Nelson tallied a power play goal to cut the lead to 4-3. He redirected a shot from Carter Robertson near the front of the net for his 17th of the year. 

In the third, Max Coatta tied the game with a wrap-around on the power play at 10:20 to even things up at four.  

Bates recorded the game-winner at 11:39. Stinil fed a pass from the left post to the slot and he slid on his stomach with a defender all over him. The puck rolled over the goal line past a diving Adam Carlson to make it 5-4. 

The Rush had a late power play with just over two minutes to go as Connor Walters was whistled for a delay of game. Jake Wahlin found an empty-net at 19:34 to make it 6-4.

Wichita went 1-for-3 on the power play. Rapid City was 2-for-7 with the man advantage. 

Bates and Preston each had a goal and an assist. Liwiski had two helpers. MacDonald has goals in back-to-back games. 

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

Nickelodeon Baby Shark's Big Show is coming on Saturday, March 18. Get the JAW-some family four pack, which is four goal-zone tickets and two mini sticks for just $60. Use the code NICK when you check out HERE. Meet Baby Shark on the concourse and get your picture taken.

We're honoring the big win by the Kansas City Chiefs with Celebration Night, presented by Whiskey Dicks Bar & Grill. Chiefs Legend Christian Okoye will be in attendance. Fans can buy a special VIP package for just $40, which includes tickets to the game, a postgame meet-and-greet, an autograph and pictures with him. Click HERE to learn more. Use the code CHAMPS at checkout HERE.

Single game tickets are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets online HERE, at the Select-A-Seat Box Office at INTRUST Bank Arena or by calling the Thunder office at 316-264-4625.

Several outstanding promotions remain on our schedule for the season. Click HERE to learn more.