Thunder Starts Road Trip Tonight In Iowa

CORALVILLE, IA (Nov. 15) – The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, AHL's San Jose Barracuda and powered by Toyota, heads on the road for the next three games starting tonight at 7 p.m. in Coralville against Iowa. 

Tonight is the first of a back-to-back between the two teams at Xtream Arena. This is the first meeting of the season between the Thunder and the Heartlanders. All-time, Wichita is 9-4-1 against Iowa and 4-4-1 on the road against the Heartlanders.

The Thunder concluded a six-game homestand on Wednesday morning, falling to Kansas City in overtime, 4-3. The Heartlanders last played on Tuesday morning, defeating the Mavericks at Cable Dahmer Arena, 5-3. 

Wichita sits in a tie for second place in the Mountain Division with 13 points. Iowa is in third place in the Central Division with 11 points. 

Michal Stinil is nearing two milestones. He is five away from 200 ECHL games and seven points from 200 ECHL points. The fourth-year forward has assists in three-straight games. Stinil is tied for second in the league with 17 points, tied for first with eight goals, tied for fourth with nine assists and tied for fourth with 42 shots.  

Kobe Walker tallied his third goal of the season on Wednesday morning. He recorded his first goal since October 26. Walker is tied for 13th in points with 12 and is tied for fourth with nine assists. 

Austin Heidemann scored his third goal of the season on Wednesday. The rookie forward has points in three of the last four games. Since coming to the Air Capital, Heidemann has five points (3g, 2a) in seven games. 

Wichita played in its fourth overtime game of the season on Wednesday, losing 4-3 to Kansas City. The loss is the first blemish for the Thunder past regulation this season. Wichita is now 3-1 in OT games and 4-1-1 in one-goal contests. 

THUNDERBOLTS...Peter Bates and Michal Stinil are tied for eighth in plus/minus (+9)...Gabriel Carriere is second in saves with 199...Wichita is 5-2-1 when scoring first...Wichita has outscored its opponent 19-13 in the second period...Wichita has outshot its opponent 147-131 in the second period...Wichita is 2-0-0 when leading after one...Wichita is 3-2-1 when outshot by its opponent...

IOWA NOTES – Iowa has won five of its last six games...Iowa is playing in its first three-in-three of the season this weekend...Matthew Sop is tied for first in rookie scoring with 13 points...TJ Walsh was in training camp with the Thunder and scored his first career goal on Tuesday night at Kansas City...Iowa is first in the league in power play percentage (33.3%)...

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