WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita Thunder have done it again. For the second-straight game, the Thunder trailed the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees after the first period and managed to come from behind for a win. 
Wichita’s latest victory, a 2-1 win in front of 3,060 fans at Intrust Bank Arena on Sunday, came by way of two unanswered goals and gives the Thunder a 2-0 best-of-seven series lead over the Killer Bees.
Wichita’s latest victory, a 2-1 win in front of 3,060 fans at Intrust Bank Arena on Sunday, came by way of two unanswered goals and gives the Thunder a 2-0 best-of-seven series lead over the Killer Bees.
Chris Greene and Chris Chappell paced the Thunder with two points each, while Dustin Donaghy scored his first career playoff goal.
The opening period was heavy on penalties as both teams combined for 12 minors and 24 penalty minutes. Rio Grande Valley made the most of their third power play in the first period when Tomas Klempa scored to give the Bees the lead with 2:37 remaining. With Donaghy in the box for high sticking, Klempa somehow managed to get the puck past Thunder goalie Adam Russo during a mad rush in front of the Wichita net. Scott Balan and Brandon Campos were given assists on the marker.
Despite heading to the locker room trailing 1-0, the Thunder were slowly laying groundwork for the rest of the game. Wichita peppered Killer Bees goaltender John Murray, making his first playoff appearance of the year, with 14 shots but could not reach the net. Rio Grande Valley’s goal was one of just six shots they put on goal in the first.
Wichita would out-shoot the Killer Bees 20-6 in a second period filled with drama and close calls. The Killer Bees escaped with their lead intact at the 13:20 mark of the second period thanks to a reversal on call by referee Boone Bruggman. Matt Robinson released a shot from just inside the blue line that hit the cross-bar, but after consulting with linesmen Kyle DeMaggio and Randy Sappo, Bruggman disallowed the score.
Donaghy evened things up at 16:06 on assists from Greene and Chappell. Picking up a rebound, Donaghy released a wrist shot from an awkward angle to Murray’s right. The puck appeared to catch one of Murray’s leg pads and trickled into the near side of the net to make the score 1-1. 34 seconds later, Rio Grande Valley’s Brady Leavold was awarded a penalty shot after being taken down during a break away, but his shot sailed over the top of the net and the two squads went into the second intermission deadlocked.
Greene would net the eventual game-winner just 3:11 into the final frame. As Daniel Tetrault sent a slapper towards the net from near the left boards, the puck deflected through traffic in the slot and bounced off Chappell’s stick and to Greene who had no problem sending it into the gaping net to the right of Murray to make it 2-1.
Russo picked up his second-straight win of the series, allowing one goal on 20 shots. Despite allowing two goals, Murray performed well enough to be awarded the second star of the game as he turned back 41 Thunder shots.
The series now shifts to South Texas for Games Three and Four at the State Farm Arena on Wednesday and Thursday. Start times for both games is 7:00 pm CST. Game five, if necessary, will be played in Wichita on Saturday night.
Contact the writer at john.hall@prohockeynews.com
The opening period was heavy on penalties as both teams combined for 12 minors and 24 penalty minutes. Rio Grande Valley made the most of their third power play in the first period when Tomas Klempa scored to give the Bees the lead with 2:37 remaining. With Donaghy in the box for high sticking, Klempa somehow managed to get the puck past Thunder goalie Adam Russo during a mad rush in front of the Wichita net. Scott Balan and Brandon Campos were given assists on the marker.
Despite heading to the locker room trailing 1-0, the Thunder were slowly laying groundwork for the rest of the game. Wichita peppered Killer Bees goaltender John Murray, making his first playoff appearance of the year, with 14 shots but could not reach the net. Rio Grande Valley’s goal was one of just six shots they put on goal in the first.
Wichita would out-shoot the Killer Bees 20-6 in a second period filled with drama and close calls. The Killer Bees escaped with their lead intact at the 13:20 mark of the second period thanks to a reversal on call by referee Boone Bruggman. Matt Robinson released a shot from just inside the blue line that hit the cross-bar, but after consulting with linesmen Kyle DeMaggio and Randy Sappo, Bruggman disallowed the score.
Donaghy evened things up at 16:06 on assists from Greene and Chappell. Picking up a rebound, Donaghy released a wrist shot from an awkward angle to Murray’s right. The puck appeared to catch one of Murray’s leg pads and trickled into the near side of the net to make the score 1-1. 34 seconds later, Rio Grande Valley’s Brady Leavold was awarded a penalty shot after being taken down during a break away, but his shot sailed over the top of the net and the two squads went into the second intermission deadlocked.
Greene would net the eventual game-winner just 3:11 into the final frame. As Daniel Tetrault sent a slapper towards the net from near the left boards, the puck deflected through traffic in the slot and bounced off Chappell’s stick and to Greene who had no problem sending it into the gaping net to the right of Murray to make it 2-1.
Russo picked up his second-straight win of the series, allowing one goal on 20 shots. Despite allowing two goals, Murray performed well enough to be awarded the second star of the game as he turned back 41 Thunder shots.
The series now shifts to South Texas for Games Three and Four at the State Farm Arena on Wednesday and Thursday. Start times for both games is 7:00 pm CST. Game five, if necessary, will be played in Wichita on Saturday night.
Contact the writer at john.hall@prohockeynews.com
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