WICHITA, Kan. — The Wichita Thunder defeated the Missouri Mavericks 7-4 at the INTRUST Bank Arena on Sunday evening.
Trailing 3-1 heading into the third period, the Thunder erupted for six goals in the final frame to pull out the win. Jesse Bennefield finished the night with two goals and three points, including the Thunder's first penalty shot goal of the season.
Andrew Martens pulled Wichita within 3-2 just 65 seconds into the third, taking a pass off the boards from Bennefield and then shooting the puck over the right shoulder of Mavericks' goaltender Rob Nolan. Travis Wight tied the game at 5:04, using a wrap-around move from the left post.
Missouri regained the lead when Nathan O'Nabigon's scored 27 seconds after Wight, but Wichita rattled off four unanswered goals to close out the contest. Kory Scoran knotted the game at 4-4 with a shot from the point at 7:39. Bennefield swatted in A.J. Gale's cross-crease pass at 12:06 to make it 5-4 Thunder. After getting slashed on a breakaway at 16:31, Bennefield was awarded a penalty shot and beat Nolan with a forehand deke that saw the puck narrowly cross the goal line. Aaron Davis made it 7-4, scoring on an empty net with 1:12 left in the game.
