Big First Period Lifts Thunder Past Americans

ALLEN, TX (Feb. 7) – Wichita raced out to a five-goal cushion on Friday night and skated away with a 7-3 win over Allen at Credit Union of Texas Event Center. 

Declan Smith led the way with three points. Michal Stinil and Luke Grainger each tallied a goal and an assist. Gabriel Carriere earned the win, stopping 42 shots. 

The Thunder found the net four times in the opening frame. Stinil made it 1-0 just 3:59 into the game. Nolan Burke found him through the slot and he beat Dylan Wells with a backhand for his 17th of the year. 

At 7:06, Jake Wahlin made it 2-0 with his fifth of the year. Alex Gritz made a nice play near the top the crease, giving it back to Wahlin at the right post and he roofed it in the net. 

Joe Carroll and Smith scored goals just 45 seconds apart to close the scoring in the first. 

Grainger recorded his third of the season at 5:34 of the second. He found a loose puck in the slot and beat Wells to make it 5-0. 

Mark Duarte put the Americans on the board two minutes later. He walked off the goal line to the right of Carriere and slipped it just inside the post to make it 5-1.

Kobe Walker answered less than two minutes later to make it 6-1. Stinil broke up the ice on an odd-man chance, fed it over to the weak side and Walker buried a one-timer past Wells. 

Harrison Blaisdell scored at 10:52 to make it 6-2. He found a rebound in the slot and beat Carriere for his second of the year. 

In the third, Smith recorded his second of the game. He intercepted a clearing attempt in the slot and roofed a shot past Wells. 

Late in the contest, Spencer Asuchak potted home his 18th of the season to close the scoring. 

Smith netted his first two-goal game of his career. Stinil extended his point-streak to six games. Bates has assists in back-to-back games. Grainger recorded his first multi-point game of the season. 

Wichita went 0-for-4 on the power play. Allen was 1-for-6 on the man advantage.

The two teams finish their weekend series tomorrow at 7:10 at Credit Union of Texas Event Center, which is also the final game of the Thunder's seven-game road swing.

Our next home game is Tuesday, February 11 as we return to INTRUST Bank Arena. 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!

Suiteheart Date Night is approaching fast. Take your significant other to a Thunder game and watch the fast-paced action while enjoying Valentine's Day. Click HERE to request a call.

Scout Night is coming fast as well. Come join us for Star Wars Night on Saturday, February 15 and get a special Scout ticket package. This includes a ticket to the game and a special Scout patch. Click HERE to purchase.

Our first-ever Pilates on Ice is coming on Saturday, February 15. Enjoy a pre-game Pilates class on the same ice that the Thunder play later that night. Click HERE to join us in this wonderful experience.

Faith and Family Night is coming on Sunday, February 16. Come watch us host the Tahoe Knight Monsters and meet two members of the cast from the critically acclaimed TV show, The Chosen. Click HERE to bring out your church, youth group or business.