Thunder Drops Series Finale Vs. Idaho, 4-3

BOISE, ID (Nov. 4) – Wichita closed its regular-season series on Saturday night against Idaho, losing 4-3 at Idaho Central Arena. 

Brayden Watts led the way for the Thunder with two points while Lleyton Moore and Dillon Boucher also found the net. Trevor Gorsuch made a season-high 47 saves in the losing effort. 

Watts put the Thunder on the board at 9:16, firing a one-timer from the right faceoff dot past the blocker of Bryan Thomson for his third of the season.

Wade Murphy tied it at 18:34 as he caught a pass through the middle from Mark Rassell and beat Gorsuch with a backhand for his fifth of the year.

In the second, Zane Franklin scored a shorthanded tally during a delayed penalty. He found a rebound off a shot from Jack Becker and made it 2-1.

Just over a minute later, Boucher tied it at two. Jake Wahlin won a battle behind the net, fed it to the blue paint and Boucher slipped it through Thomson.

Rassell gave the Steelheads a 3-2 lead at 15:46 after a turnover by the Thunder led to a two-man breakaway. Rassell one-timed a pass from Wade Murphy for his seventh of the season.

In the third, Rassell tallied his second of the night at 4:17. He came in up the right wing, walked off the wall and used a defenseman as a screen to beat Gorsuch with a wrist shot to make it 4-2.

The Thunder were awarded a late power play when Murphy cross checked Watts into the boards by the penalty boxes. Moore fired a one-timer from the deep slot at 19:46 past Thomson to cut the lead to one.

Idaho held on for the win in the final seconds and finished off the three-game sweep.

Wichita went 2-for-8 on the power play. Idaho was 0-for-6 on the man advantage.

Watts has two points in five of his last six games. Dickman extended his point-streak to four games and points in five of his last six. Moore has points in three-straight and points in five of his last six. 

The Thunder continues their six-game road trip with the first of three-straight next Wednesday night against the Utah Grizzlies.

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