Thunder Looks to Secure Playoff Berth Tonight at Tahoe

STATELINE, NV (April 11) – The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, AHL's San Jose Barracuda and powered by Toyota, continues its three-game road trip tonight at 9:30 p.m. CST at Tahoe. 

Tonight is the second-ever meeting between the two teams at Tahoe Blue Event Center. Wichita is 3-1-0 against Tahoe so far this season. 

On Wednesday, the Thunder claimed a 6-5 win in a shootout over the Knight Monsters. 

Wichita moved alone into third place with 85 points while Tahoe clinched its first-ever playoff spot. The Knight Monsters are in second with 88 points. 

The Thunder can clinch a playoff berth tonight with a win and an Idaho loss. Wichita can also clinch a playoff berth with an overtime or shootout loss and Idaho loses in regulation. The final scenario that would clinch the Thunder a playoff berth is a win and Tulsa losing in regulation. 

Wichita, Tulsa and Idaho are separated by two points. Tulsa is in Allen. Kansas City plays in Boise tonight against Idaho. 

The Thunder and the Knight Monsters have played some high-scoring games so far this season. The two teams combined for 11 goals on Wednesday night. In the season series, Wichita and Tahoe have combined for 43 tallies. The Knight Monsters lead the division with 252 goals scored. The Thunder have registered 242 this season. 

Michal Stinil recorded the shootout winner on Wednesday night. He leads the league with five shootout goals and is 5-for-5 in those situations. Stinil needs three points to equal his career high that he set in 2022-23 when he racked up 79 (31g, 48a).

Wichita had five different goal scorers on Wednesday night. 13 different players picked up points. The only player to register two or more points was Luke Grainger, who had a goal and an assist. Nolan Burke and Joe Carroll returned to the lineup and both tallied points.  

THUNDERBOLTS...Nolan Kneen has helpers in five-straight games and is tied for fourth among blueliners with 29 minor penalties...Dillon Boucher is second in the league with 10 major penalties...Wichita is second to last in penalty minutes per game (9.51)...Wichita is 28-7-2 when scoring first...Wichita is 18-4-2 when leading after one...Wichita is 26-3-2 when leading after two...Wichita is 16-7-0 in games decided by three or more goals...Wichita is 15-10-1-1 when tied after one...

TAHOE NOTES – Sloan Stanick is tied for second with 77 points and third in shots (245)...Simon Pinard is third with 32 goals...Jesper Vikman is second in the league with 24 wins, first in saves (1,130) and third in minutes played (2,445)...Tahoe is last in the league in average PIM (8.99)...Tahoe is 26-8-2-0 when scoring first...Tahoe is tied for fourth with nine shorthanded goals and has given up 10...Tahoe is outscoring its opponent 86-69 in the third period...

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