INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – The Missouri Mavericks defeated the Wichita Thunder for the eleventh time this season on Friday night, edging their long-time Central Division rival 2-1 at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena.
The Mavericks took a 2-goal stand in the opening period, which would prove enough to skate away with another victory over the Thunder, who were held to just 1 goal through 60 minutes of regulation hockey with rookie net-minder, Stephon Williams, between the pipes for Missouri.
The Mavericks skated out to a quick start, with leading goal-scorer Jesse Root, notching the first mark of the game just 1:03 into the game with the help of teammates Rocco Carzo and Chris Owens.
Then Bryce Aneloski, back in his first game since his return a call-up to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers—the Mavericks American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate—doubled the home team’s lead over their long-time rival with a blast from the point past Thunder net-minder David Shantz.  David deKastrozza and defenseman Matt Finn assisted on the power-play goal.
The Mavs and Thunder battled through the second twenty-minute period without any movement on the scoreboard until the 16:44 mark of the frame when Michael Neal broke through the Mavs’ defense and cut into Missouri’s lead, 2-1.  Kale Kerbashian was credited with the lone assist on Neal’s goal.
Tempers flared in the third period, and both teams spent time in the penalty box, but the score remained 2-1 by the final horn of the game in favor of the Mavericks, who improve to an overall record of 33-5-1-1 with 68 points atop the ECHL standings.
The Missouri Mavericks play their next game on Saturday night against the Wichita Thunder, dropping the puck at 7:05p.m. at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena for their twelfth matchup of the season against their long-time rival.
With Missouri Mavericks release
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