Thunder Closes Utah Trip with Shootout Win

WEST VALLEY CITY, UT (Jan. 27) – Wichita finished its three-game series against Utah on Monday night, claiming a 4-3 shootout win at the Maverik Center.

Jay Dickman and Michal Stinil led the way with two points. Trevor Gorsuch made 42 saves to preserve the victory. 

The Grizzlies hopped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period. Cole Fonstad put the Grizzlies on the board just 57 seconds into the contest. He fired a shot from the right faceoff dot that beat Gorsuch to make it 1-0. 

Bryan Yoon recorded a power play goal at 7:13 to make it 2-0. He unloaded a shot from the blueline with six seconds to go on the man advantage for his seventh of the year. 

In the second, Wichita scored two goals in 18 seconds to pull even. Nolan Burke connected at 17:49 and cut the lead to one. He caught a stretch pass from Joe Carroll, came down the right wing and fired a shot past Vinny Duplessis.

Aaron Aragon was whistled for tripping after the next faceoff and the Thunder made him pay. Just eight seconds into the man advantage, Peter Bates put a one-timer past Duplessis from the edge of the left circle and tied the game. 

T.J. Lloyd scored at 11:21 of the third and gave the Thunder their first lead of the night. Stinil created a turnover at the right boards. He found Dickman at the right circle, who threaded a pass to the left post for Lloyd and he registered his fifth of the season.

Stinil was called for a late penalty after clipping Cole Gallant in the face. Wichita killed off the power play, but Neil Shea tied the game one second after his minor expired. He came down the right wing and scored from the same spot that Fonstad did in the first period and evened things up at three.

For the first time in the season-series, the two teams needed more than 60 minutes to decide the outcome. 

Utah had the puck during most of the overtime and outshot the Thunder, 4-1. Jake Wahlin and Stinil created the best chances for the visitors, but Duplessis was up to the task. Gorsuch was just as strong on the other end and the game went to a shootout. 

Stinil was the only goal scorer in the bottom of round two. Gorsuch stopped all three shooters and earned his seventh win of the season. 

Dickman has at least two points in three-straight games and seven over that span (3g, 4a). Stinil collected two helpers, giving him three assists since returning from San Diego. Bates has points in back-to-back games. Carroll has seven points in his last four outings (5g, 2a). 

Wichita went 1-for-2 on the power play. Utah was 1-for-4 with the man advantage. 

The Thunder continues their seven-game road trip on Friday night with a trip to the BOK Center to face Tulsa.

Our next home game is Tuesday, February 11 as we return to INTRUST Bank Arena after a seven-game road trip. Join us for another Ollie's Bargain Outlet Winning Weeknight and get four tickets and a $20 gift card to Ollie's for just $80. Click HERE to purchase today!

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