Killer Bees fight hard but Wichita provides the first sting

WICHITA, Kan. – My hockey adventures led me to Wichita for the second time this season to watch the first playoff game between the Killer Bees and the Wichita Thunder.  
Although my original travel crew (Tulsa Oilers) was unable to attend, a dear friend was brave enough to take the drive with me and enter Thunder territory.  
It is a different experience entering the Instrust Bank Arena as a spectator instead of the Tulsa Oiler’s ultimate fan. There were no familiar jersey sightings, no police escorts, no odd looks given to me as I walked down the corridor. I blended in…with Wichita. Some will appreciate the irony of that statement.  

I must also express some appreciation for Jason Mals, Director of Broadcasting for the Wichita Thunder. I was covering the game on behalf of the Killer Bees and Jason did an excellent job of helping me get where I needed to go. He provided me with game notes and rosters for both teams and even had a sign reserving my spot on the visitor’s side press row. I felt very welcomed and I much appreciated his efforts.
Taking our seats on press row with camera and game notes in hand, we prepared for the battle.  
The Killer Bees played the first period against the Wichita Thunder like a true contender for the President’s Cup. The Killer Bees were aggressive with the puck, taking 12 shots on goal and protecting the net from the 13 shots taken by the Thunder.  
The Killer Bees withstood frequent and grueling body checks from the Thunder without any sign of fatigue. Their efforts were rewarded late in the first period with a goal by Brandon Campos (Dan Gendur, Mike Wilson). The first period ended with Killer Bees on the board at 1-0.  
In the second period, Wichita kicked things into high gear, scoring three goals to the Killer Bees’ one, from Mike Wilson (Scott Balan and Brady Leavold).
The poundings by the Thunder continued. Kevin Seibel checked Aaron Boogaard so hard the corner gate came open; Boogaard fell completely through. When he made it back upright he had to take a few seconds to shake off the hit. The Wichita crowd screamed and cheered.  
The Killer Bees did push back a little more this period, but the grueling hits were beginning to take effect on their game. Wichita outshot the Killer Bees in the period 15-12 with a period-ending score of 3-2 Wichita.
The final frame was scoreless for the Killer Bees; however Wichita earned another goal. RG Flath (Alex Bourret) scored at 17:48, leaving the rest of the third period scoreless. Shots on goal for both teams were limited to nine.  
Penalties for the game were fairly low considering the roughness of the game.   Wichita had four penalties and the Killer Bees had only three the entire game – one were from fighting. In fact, there were only two or three occasions where a fighting spark was ignited, but the officials were quick to separate the players.   The officials received a lot of flak from the Wichita crowd as they believed more penalties should have been called against the Killer Bees, yet were ignored.   
Overall, the Thunder simply outplayed the Killer Bees. Wichita hit harder and quicker and made them work hard for every goal they made. If the Killer Bees want to maintain a presence in this series, they are going to have to get a lot more aggressive with the puck and with their bodies.
Contact the writer at julie.harmon@prohockeynews.com