Wichita, KS (Jan. 20th) – Ralph Cuddemi scored a pair of goals and Shane Starrett stopped 32 shots en route to a 3-1 win against Colorado on Saturday night at INTRUST Bank Arena.
Cuddemi takes over the team-lead with his 14th and 15th markers of the year. Shaquille Merasty recorded his first pro goal while Lane Bauer added a pair of assists.
Wichita got on the board first just seven minutes into the game. Merasty took a feed from Chad Butcher and fired a wrist shot past Joe Cannata’s glove to make it 1-0.
Jake Marchment tied the game at 6:51 of the second period as he found a rebound near the crease and beat Starrett. With 12 seconds remaining, Cuddemi skated into the zone, came around the net and wrapped it just inside the right post to re-gain the lead.
In the third, Cuddemi added his second of the game at the five-minute mark to increase the lead to 3-1. He caught a long-lead pass from Bauer, almost got tripped from behind and put a one-handed backhand through Cannata. The Eagles pulled him with four minutes to go in regulation in an attempt to get back in the game. Wichita missed an empty-net twice, but held on for the victory.
The win snaps a four-game home losing skid and stops the Eagles’ win streak at eight. Cuddemi collected his second two-goal output of the season. Bauer netted his 20th and 21st assists of the season and his second two-assist game of the year. Starrett collected his first pro assist and grabbed his 13th win.
Wichita went 0-for-1 on the power play. Colorado was 0-for-4 on the man advantage.
The Thunder heads south to Texas next weekend for a pair of games against the Allen Americans starting Friday night at 7:05 p.m.
With Wichita Thunder release
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