Wichita Drops Regular Season Finale In A Shootout

ALLEN, TX (April 15) – In a wild game that saw Wichita come back from a three-goal deficit, the Thunder fell on Saturday night in Game 72 of the regular season to Allen, 5-4, in a shootout at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center. 

Wichita earned a point, but will fall just short of qualifying for the postseason.

Gavin Gould led the way for the Thunder while Cole MacDonald, Peter Bates and Brett Boeing also found the net. 

Boeing put the Thunder on the board first just 3:50 into the game. Brayden Watts found him through the high slot and he fired a wrist shot past Kevin Mandolese for his sixth of the season. 

Allen answered at 9:22 when Liam Finlay popped home a rebound near the blue paint for his 32nd of the year to tie the game. 

Jakov Novak gave the Americans a 2-1 lead at 12:19. Wichita turned the puck over off a rush in the offensive zone. Zachary Massicotte fed a long stretch-pass up to Jack Combs for an odd-man chance. Novak fired home a one-timer for his sixth of the season. 

In the second, Novak added another to increase the lead to 3-1. He came up the left wall and fired a shot to the slot. The puck hit a body in front and found its way past Trevor Gorsuch. 

At 11:49, Finlay added his second of the contest as he won a faceoff at the left circle. He walked through and fired a shot past Gorsuch to make it 4-1. 

MacDonald cut the lead to 4-2 as he centered a pass near the left post that found its way past Mandolese for his 11th of the season.

In the third, Wichita scored twice and forced overtime. Gould stripped the puck from a defenseman in the left corner, came around the net and wrapped it past Mandolese to make it 4-3.

Gorsuch was pulled for the extra attacker and the Thunder called their timeout with 49 seconds remaining. Jay Dickman found Bates across the goal-mouth and he beat Mandolese to tie the game at four. 

In the extra period, Allen had two breakaways just seconds apart, but Gorsuch stopped Hank Crone and Finlay. 

Colby McAuley was then whistled for a hook at 4:24 of the extra session to give Wichita a four-on-three power play. Mandolese stood tall, including a huge save on Dickman near the left post to keep the game going.

Neither team could find the go-ahead goal and the contest went into a shootout. 

Allen tallied two goals in the penalty-shot round from Combs and Crone. Dickman and Watts were denied and the Americans earned the extra point. 

Wichita was 0-for-3 on the power play. Allen was 0-for-5 with the man advantage and 0-for-10 over the last two days against the Thunder. 

MacDonald has points in back-to-back games. Dickman has four points in his last three contests. Preston extended his point-streak to five outings. 

Our final special jersey of the season is now live online. Fans can bid on the DASH Auction App, presented by J.P. Weigand & Sons Auction Division. Click here to bid. To see the jersey reveal, click here. 

Season tickets for the 2023-24 season are on sale now. Get our Tax Day Sale, which ends at the end of April. Click here to learn more and find out what you get for taking advantage of this great offer early.