Lloyd Nets First Game Winner of his Career in OT Victory on Friday Night

WICHITA, Kan. (Dec. 27) – T.J. Lloyd scored at 4:36 of overtime to push Wichita past Idaho, 3-2, on Friday night at INTRUST Bank Arena. 

Peter Bates and Michal Stinil each finished with two points. Trevor Gorsuch earned his third win of the year, stopping 45 shots. 

For the second game in a row, the Thunder jumped out to a two-goal lead. Bates collected his eighth of the season just 1:27 into the first and made it 1-0. Kobe Walker won a battle below the goal line and found Stinil. He fired a pass into the slot to Bates, who was all alone in front of Ben Kraws. Bates initially hit the post but put back his own shot.

At 5:51, Jeremie Bucheler found Jay Dickman behind the Steelheads defense, and he scored on a breakaway to make it 2-0. 

In the second, Patrick Kudla scored at 7:13 and cut the lead in half. He caught a pass in the high slot, skated towards the middle of the ice and beat Gorsuch for his fourth of the year.

Lynden McCallum tied the game early in the third. Idaho won a faceoff in the Thunder zone. Nick Canade fired a shot that redirected off the end wall. McCallum outraced a Wichita blueliner to the loose puck and jammed in a rebound.

The Steelheads outshot the Thunder in the third, 14-3. Gorsuch stood tall and the game headed into overtime. 

In the extra session, Wichita outshot Idaho by a 5-1 margin. Lloyd ended the game with his second marker of the season. Stinil made a nice play near the Idaho line and got into the slot. He fed a pass to the right circle to Bates, who then dropped it into the slot. Lloyd stepped into a one-timer and beat Kraws for the game-winner. 

Lloyd tallied his first game-winner and overtime game-winning goal of his career. Bates finished with a goal and an assist. He has goals in three of his last four games. Stinil returned to the lineup after missing the last three and had two helpers. He has six points in his last three contests. Dickman tallied his 12th goal of the season. Gorsuch saw 45 shots for the second time in his last three starts. 

Wichita was 0-for-4 on the power play. Idaho went 0-for-3 on the man advantage.

The two teams play once again tomorrow night with the opening faceoff at 6:05 p.m.

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