Thunder Opens Road Trip with Shootout Win vs. Rush

RAPID CITY, SD (Dec. 12) – Wichita erased a two-goal deficit on Thursday night against Rapid City, winning in a shootout, 3-2, at The Monument. 

Joe Carroll scored with 1:29 left in regulation and Michal Stinil tallied the only goal in the shootout. 

Nolan Kneen led the way for the Thunder with a goal and an assist. Gabriel Carriere claimed his fifth victory of the season, stopping 28 shots. 

Ryan Wagner got the scoring started late in the first. After a Thunder turnover at the offensive blueline, Wagner raced back the other way and beat Gabriel Carriere through the five hole for his seventh of the year. 

In the second, Simon Boyko connected at 9:33 to make it 2-0. He came around the net, avoided some traffic near the left post and snuck a shot through Carriere. 

Kneen cut the lead to 2-1 at 17:21. Wichita had some good pressure in the Rush zone and capitalized. Kneen fired a seeing eye shot from the right point that beat Connor Murphy for his second of the year.

Wichita had a late power play when Dustin Manz was sent off for slashing with 6:25 left in the game but couldn't capitalize. 

Carroll scored the game-tying goal at 18:31. The Thunder broke out from behind their own net, got the puck through the middle of the ice to Nolan Burke. Carroll sped down the left wing and beat Murphy from the left faceoff dot for his eighth of the season.

For the second time in the season-series, both teams played past regulation.

Peter Bates nearly ended the contest in the extra period. With 28 seconds left, Stinil won a footrace to a loose puck and poked it into the middle of the ice. Bates found himself all alone against Murphy, but he was stopped.

In the shootout, Stinil scored the only goal at the bottom of round two. He skated into the zone on his strong side, went to the backhand and beat Murphy. Carriere stopped all three shooters for Rapid City to earn the win. 

Wichita appeared in its first shootout of the season. Kneen has goals in two of his last three games and points in four-straight (2g, 4a). Burke has points in six of his last seven games. Carroll has goals in two of his last three and points in six of his last eight. 

The Thunder went 0-for-3 on the power play. The Rush were 0-for-2 on the man advantage.

Wichita remains in the Black Hills tomorrow night at 8:05 p.m. to face Rapid City.

Our next home game is another QuikTrip Buy In on Saturday, December 21. Head over to any Wichita-area QT location to get your complimentary voucher that can be redeemed for an upper-level ticket. Fans can upgrade into the lower level for a small fee. Fans can also get their buy in vouchers online by clicking HERE.

The holidays are approaching and there's no better way than the spend time with family, friends or co-workers then coming to a Thunder game. Learn about our brand-new seating areas that you can rent out for a game. Click HERE to learn more and request information. Also, check out our 12 Days of Christmas sale by clicking HERE.

Season tickets for the 2024-25 season are still available. Save money by reserving your seats for all the fast-paced, hard-hitting action of every game. Click HERE to learn more.