MOLINE, Ill. – Jared Walker recorded the game-winner five minutes into the third period and Wichita (21-17-2-4) held on late for a 2-1 victory over Quad City (21-16-4-2) on Friday night at the i-Wireless Center. With the win, the Thunder pull into a second-place tie with the Mallards with 48 points. The Thunder stops a two-game losing skid while ending the Flock’s three-game winning streak. Wichita improves to 5-2-1-0 against Quad City in the season-series with tomorrow’s game looming between the two teams.
Ian Lowe scored his 16th of the season while Jared Walker grabbed his 10th of the year to pace the Thunder. Tim Boron earned his 15th victory in between the pipes for Wichita.
After a scoreless first period, Wichita dominated the second 20 minutes and was rewarded with a power play goal. At 6:05, Ian Lowe put home a pass from across the crease to make it 1-0. The Thunder kept Quad City inside their defensive zone for minutes at a time, outshooting the Mallards 15-6 in the period, but Evan Mosher kept the Thunder off the board the rest of the way.
Wichita began the third with a two-man advantage as Jannik Christensen was sent off for a cross check at the 20 minute mark of the second. Monfredo was in the box for an elbow at 18:34. The Thunder failed to capitalize, but added to the lead a few minutes later. At 5:46, Travis Granbois caught an outlet pass in front of the benches, came down on a two-on-one break, fired a shot off of Mosher that Walker pounced on and fired it into the back of the net to make it 2-0. The Mallards answered at 9:07 as Justin Fox cut the Thunder lead to one with a wrist shot from the right circle. Wichita received two consecutive power plays in the final eight minutes, but couldn’t re-gain their two-goal advantage. The Mallards had one last chance with an offensive zone face-off and just two minutes to go in the game. They decided not to pull Mosher, but would eventually head to the bench with 40 seconds left. Wichita kept the play to the outside and hung on for the 2-1 victory.
Wichita improves to .500 on the road with the win. Lowe recorded his eighth power play goal of the year and moves into second place in that category. Walker set a new career-high with his 10th goal of the season and was named the game’s number one star. Lizon earned his seventh assist of the year and is three points shy of reaching his career-high (16 points, 2008-09, Laredo Bucks). Boron earns his third win against the Mallards, stopping 18 of 19 shots. Mosher remains winless against Wichita, stopping 34 of 36 shots he faced.
Wichita went 1-for-6 on the power play. Quad City was 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
With Wichita Thunder team release
Photos courtesy of Rich Guill (Sean Flynn Photography)
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