BOISE, ID (Feb. 28) – Tied heading into the third period, Idaho scored three times in just over three minutes and skated away with a 4-1 win over Wichita on Saturday night at Idaho Central Arena.
Jay Dickman had the lone Thunder tally. In his first game in a Thunder uniform since last February, Gabriel Carriere suffered the loss, stopping 33 shots.
Wichita took three minor penalties in the opening frame. Dickman connected at 5:18 with a shorthanded marker for his 15th to make it 1-0. Peter Bates found him up the left wing and he drove around the defenseman. As he came to the bottom of the left circle, he cut through the crease and slipped a backhand past Jake Barczewski.
In the second, Idaho evened the score just 52 seconds into the frame. Jordan Steinmetz found a long rebound from a Robbie Holmes chance and beat Carriere.
The pendulum swung the other way in the Thunder's favor in terms of the special teams. The Steelheads took four minor penalties in the second, including back-to-back infractions from Nick Portz and Jade Miller. Wichita was unsuccessful on the two-man advantage after Barczewski made some keys including one on Peter Bates at the left post.
Jade Miller scored his first of the night at 3:50 of the third period. Mason Nevers fired a shot from the right wing that hit off Carriere's leg into the slot. Miller outraced a defenseman and shoveled home his 13th of the year.
Just 49 seconds later, Kaleb Pearson got a piece of a shot from Jake Boltmann and increased the lead to 3-1.
Miller made it 4-1 at 6:59 when he outmuscled a man at the top of the blue paint and slipped in his 14th of the campaign.
Barczewski stopped all 10 shots he faced in the final frame and Idaho skated away with the win.
Wichita takes the season-series over Idaho, going 4-3-0-1.
Dickman has goals in three of his last four and points in seven of his last eight outings. Bates pulls into a tie for the team-lead in points with an assist, giving him 47 points.
The Thunder were 0-for-5 on the power play. The Steelheads were 0-for-3 on the man advantage.
Wichita continues its 12-game road swing next Wednesday night with a visit to the Hoosier State to face Indy.
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