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Saturday, October 17th

Sarsland Scores Game-Winner with 24 Seconds Left in Home Opener

Sarsland Scores Game-Winner with 24 Seconds Left in Home Opener

WICHITA, Kan. (Oct. 17) – Tristan Sarsland scored with 24 seconds left in regulation and Wichita came from behind to win its home opener on Saturday night over Tahoe, 3-2, at INTRUST Bank Arena. 

The Thunder didn't lead the contest until the rookie defenseman tallied his first goal as a pro. Wichita scored a pair of power play markers in a two-minute span for the victory.

Sarsland led the way with two points while Connor Lockhart and Tyler Preziuso tallied their first in a Thunder uniform. Connor Hasley was outstanding, stopping 30 shots to earn the win. 

Kooper Gizowski opened the scoring at 8:47 of the first. Cy LeClerc won a faceoff back to the line. Bronson Ride fired a shot from the left point and Gizowski redirected it past Hasley.

At 17:13, Connor Lockhart tied the game with his first in a Thunder uniform. Michal Stinil centered a pass to the front of the net. Lockhart battled through a check and slipped it past Pavel Moysevich. 

After a scoreless second, Cooper Jones re-gained the lead for the visitors at 9:16. He fired a long wrist shot from just inside the Thunder line and beat Hasley to make it 2-1. 

At 12:46, Cam Hausinger was pulled down from behind and drew a penalty shot. He tried to fire it through the five-hole of Hasley, but the Arizona State product denied him. 

Wichita started the comeback at 17:30 when Preziuso redirected a point-shot from Mack Oliphant on the power play to tie it at two. 

At 19:36, Sarsland went coast-to-coast up the left wing, stepped around a defender and tucked in a shot off the right post to make it 3-2. 

The Thunder held on for the final 24 seconds to earn the win.

Wichita held Tahoe to 16 shots in the final 40 minutes after giving up 16 in the opening frame. 

Stinil added an assist, putting him just three points shy of 300 for his pro career. Sarsland had a goal and an assist and led the Thunder with seven shots on net. Oliphant collected his first point as a pro. Hasley earned the number one star while also adding an assist. 

Wichita went 2-for-6 on the power play. Tahoe was 0-for-5 on the man advantage. 

The two teams close out the two-game set tomorrow afternoon at 3:05 p.m.

The schedule for the 2026-27 season is out, and we are counting down the days until Opening Night! Help us celebrate our 35th anniversary season. Tickets are on sale now. Click HERE to buy for all 36 games.

Season tickets are now on sale for the 2026-27 season. Lock in your seat for all of our 36 home games and catch all the action as we head into our 35th anniversary season. Click HERE to learn more and request a call.

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