Thunder Blanks Steelheads to Close 2024 Home Schedule

WICHITA, Kan. (Dec. 28) – Wichita played its final home game of 2024, knocking off Idaho, 5-0, on Saturday night at INTRUST Bank Arena. 

Gabriel Carriere earned his second career shutout, stopping 23 shots. Kobe Walker led all scorers with three points while Peter Bates, Ryan Finnegan and Nolan Kneen each had two.

The Thunder took control of the game in the first period, scoring three times in a six-minute span. 

T.J. Lloyd picked up where he left off from last night, scoring at 11:25 of the first to make it 1-0. Walker left him a drop pass at the top of the right circle and he fired a wrist shot past Bryan Thomson. 

Finnegan made it 2-0 at 13:01. Artem Guryev was called for high sticking and gave the Steelheads a power play. Wichita won the next faceoff and Kneen started a rush back through the neutral zone. He found Jay Dickman through the slot, who fed a pass near the net. Finnegan redirected it on goal, which was initially stopped by Thomson. He stayed with the play and put home his own rebound for a shorthanded marker. 

At 17:44, Michal Stinil increased the lead to 3-0. He made a terrific play just inside the Idaho line where he lost his footing, got back to his skates and came in on an odd-man rush. Walker threw a pass across the crease that just missed Stinil. He walked out in front and slipped a shot through Thomson. The goal had to be reviewed, but stood and gave him his 14th of the year. 

In the second, Walker made it 4-0 at 14:24. He outworked Matt Register through the middle of the ice to a loose puck, skated down on a breakaway and fired a shot just under the bar for his eighth of the season.

Nolan Kneen tacked on a power play tally in the third period to close the scoring.

Wichita had one of its best defensive efforts of the season, giving up just 23 shots. The Thunder also recorded their first shorthanded goal of the year. 

Walker finished with a goal and two assists, giving him points in four-straight. Bates added two helpers, giving him points in seven-straight and two points in each of his last three outings. Stinil extended his point-streak to four games. Kneen and Finnegan finished with a goal and an assist. Lloyd has goals in back-to-back games and was a +3. 

The Thunder went 1-for-4 on the power play. The Steelheads were 0-for-2 on the man advantage. 

Wichita closes the 2024 portion of the schedule on Tuesday night with a meeting on New Year's Eve in Independence, Missouri against Kansas City.

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