Burke Scores Late Power Play Goal to Lift Thunder Past Grizzlies

WICHITA, Kan. (Nov. 22) – Nolan Burke scored with less than five minutes left in regulation to help lift Wichita past Utah, 4-2, on Friday night at INTRUST Bank Arena. 

Aaron Dell was outstanding, stopping 31 shots to help the Thunder claim a three-game sweep over the Grizzlies. Joe Carroll potted two goals while Jay Dickman and Braden Hache collected two helpers.

Kabore Dunn gave the visitors a 1-0 lead with less than four minutes to go in the first. Cade Neilson created a turnover on the forecheck in the right corner. He fed a pass out to the slot and Dunn hammered a one-timer past Dell.

In the second, Carroll tied the game at 5:04 with his fifth of the season on the power play. He crashed the net after Dickman made a great play to get behind a defender and beat Adam Scheel. 

Kobe Walker made it 2-1 at 9:09, tallying his seventh of the year. Peter Bates made a nice play behind thet net and found Walker at the edge of the right circle.

Utah pulled even at 13:15 with a goal from Briley Wood. Derek Daschke fired a shot from the blueline on net. Dell made the initial save, but Wood chipped home a rebound for his second of the year. 

Wichita was awarded a late power play when Tyson Upper was called for a bench minor for playing the puck with his glove near the bench.

With two seconds left on the man advantage, Hache unloaded a shot from the line that Burke got a piece of and beat Scheel for his second of the season to make it 3-2. 

Scheel was lifted with two minutes left, but Carroll found an empty net at 18:31 and the Thunder claimed the victory. 

Burke connected on his first game-winner of the season. He also has four points in his last three. Carroll has four goals in his last three games and five points over that stretch. Dickman has five points in his last three and assists in back-to-back contests. Hache has five assists in his last three. Walker has points in his last three. 

Wichita went 2-for-3 on the power play. Utah was 0-for-2 on the man advantage.

The Thunder are off this weekend, but return to action on Wednesday, November 27 as the Worcester Railers come to the Air Capital for the first time in franchise history.

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