Stinil Nets Game-Winner In Overtime Vs. Mavericks

WICHITA, Kan. (Mar. 10) – Michal Stinil scored at 4:45 of overtime to give Wichita a 5-4 victory over Kansas City on Sunday afternoon at INTRUST Bank Arena. 

Wichita has won four in a row and moves into a fourth-place tie with 54 points. 

Jay Dickman led the way with three points while Brayden Watts, Nick Nardella and Kobe Walker each had two. Trevor Gorsuch earned his 10th win of the season, stopping 28 shots.

Jake Jaremko opened the scoring at 11:39 of the first. He stole the puck from a Thunder blueliner just inside the zone and fired a shot past Gorsuch for his 13th of the year. 

Watts tied the game just over a minute later. He went to the front of the net and popped in a rebound past Jack LaFontaine for his 12th of the year.

Early in the second, Tyler Jette recorded his first pro goal and gave the Thunder their first lead. He took a pass from Dickman near the net and fired a backhand. LaFontaine made a save with his leg, but Jette found the rebound and slid it into the open net.

Jacob Hayhurst tied the game just three minutes later. He took a pass from David Cotton in the high slot and fired a shot past Gorsuch for his 27th of the season to make it 2-2.

At 13:46, Kobe Walker answered to make it 3-2. Nardella found him across the slot and he roofed it past LaFontaine for his sixth of the year. 

Marc-Olivier Duquette tied it at 16:49, firing a shot from the high slot through traffic for his seventh of the season. 

Bradley Marek gave the Thunder a 4-3 advantage late in the second. Dominic Dockery created a turnover in the left circle, fed it over to Marek and he fired a wrist shot past LaFontaine for his 10th of the year. 

In the third, Kansas City outshot the Thunder, 16-5. The Mavericks tied the game late in the frame. Cale Morris, who came on in relief of LaFontaine who was injured, went to the bench for the extra attacker. Cotton redirected a shot from the blueline at 18:15 and tied the game at four. 

In overtime, Wichita was assessed a penalty when Nolan Kneen was whistled for tripping. Gorsuch stopped all five shots he faced in the extra session. 

With time winding down, the Thunder were about to get an opportunity on the man advantage. Gorsuch got to the bench for the extra attacker and Wichita kept possession during a delayed call on the Mavericks. Stinil recorded the game-winner at 4:45. He teed up a shot from the left circle that Morris appeared to stop. The puck got through him and just crossed the goal line.

The official blew the whistle and had to go to the video review to determine whether or not it completely crossed the line. After a few minutes, he called it a good goal and the Thunder escaped with a 5-4 win. 

Wichita and Kansas City were both 0-for-2 on the power play. 

Watts extended his point-streak to 10 games, has goals in four-straight and at least two points in his last three outings. Dickman has points in his last four games (3g, 5a). Stinil has points in nine of his last 10 games. Walker has five points in his last two games and goals in back-to-back outings. Lleyton Moore collected an assist, giving him points in nine of his last 10 games. 

The Thunder finishes their five-game homestand on Wednesday night against Tulsa.

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