WICHITA, Kan. (Jan. 17) – Wichita closed its season-series against Tahoe on Saturday night, losing 4-3 in a shootout at INTRUST Bank Arena.

Trailing by three with one minute to go in the second, the Thunder climbed all the way back to force the game past 60 minutes. The Knight Monsters prevailed in a five-round shootout to earn the extra point.

Peter Bates, Jay Dickman and Noah Beck each recorded a goal and an assist. Roddy Ross suffered the shootout loss, stopping 36 shots. 

Blake Wells scored a pair of goals to help the Knight Monsters to a 2-0 advantage. His first came with 4:10 to go in the opening frame. Wells tallied his first in the ECHL with a backhand from the low slot to make it 1-0.

His second came 2:26 into the second. Anthony Collins walked out of the corner and found Wells at the edge of the right circle and he beat Ross. 

Nate Kallen made it 3-0 at 14:43 of the second. Jake Durflinger threaded the needle to him at the back post, and he slipped it past Ross for his fifth of the year. 

At 18:59, Dickman created a turnover on the penalty kill near the left circle. Bates was all alone in front of Cameron Whitehead and scored his 12th of the year to make it 3-1.

The Thunder cut it to one at 6:40 of the third. Dickman redirected a shot from the blue line on the power play to make it 3-2. 

Wichita pulled Ross and was awarded a late power play when Luke Adam was whistled for hooking at 17:58. Beck tied the game at 19:19, firing a one-timer from the top of the right circle past Whitehead.

The two teams combined for eight shots in overtime. Tahoe had a power play in the extra session with Kyle Crnkovic in the box for a hook. Nico Somerville nearly ended the contest, but his wrist shot hit the post. Ross held strong and the game headed into a shootout. 

Devon Paliani scored at the bottom of round two to make it 1-0. Michal Stinil tied it at the bottom of round three. Dickman had a chance to win the game, but his shot hit the post at the bottom of round four. Mike O'Leary won it at the bottom of round five, waiting out Ross and putting home a backhand to end the contest. 

Wichita picks up three out of a possible four points and falls to 1-4 in shootout situations.

Nolan Kneen appeared in his 300th pro game. Bates has five points in his last three outings. Beck collected his fifth power play goal of the year. Crnkovic added an assist, giving him points in three of his last four. Stinil recorded a helper, giving him points in three of his last four as well. 

Wichita went 2-for-7 on the power play. Tahoe went 0-for-3 on the man advantage. 

The Thunder are off until after the All-Star break and will host Tulsa for a pair starting on Saturday, January 24.

Season tickets are still on sale for the 2025-26 season. Lock in your seats and catch all the high paced, hard-hitting action at INTRUST Bank Arena. Click HERE now to learn how you can get your seats reserved and start paying now.