Thunder rally falls short in OT

February 23, 2011|By Jenn Bates | Eyewitness Sports

{WICHITA, Kan.) — The Wichita Thunder fell 8-7 to the Texas Brahmas in overtime at the INTRUST Bank Arena on Wednesday night.

The Thunder battled back from three separate four-goal deficits to force overtime, but Greg Hogeboom's hat trick goal 23 seconds into overtime allowed Texas to escape with the win.

Wichita's comeback began in the second period in which they entered trailing 5-2. Hogemboom scored a power play goal at 5:55 in the period to give Texas their third four-goal lead of the night. Wichita responded with three unanswered goals to pull within 6-5. Steven Kaunisto re-directed Jason Goulet's shot from the point past the right of Brahmas' goaltender Scott Reid at 6:07 to cut the lead to 6-3. At 13:05, Aaron Davis took a centering pass from Matt Robinson before poking the puck just inside the right post to make it 6-4 Texas.

The Thunder made it a one-goal game at 14:56 in the second when Lance Galbraith beat Reid on a breakaway, using a wristshot past his right. Galbraith grabbed the puck from Andrew Martens who made a clean pass through the neutral zone. Wayne Savage came in for Reid after Galbraith's goal. Texas inched forward to 7-5 with 16.5 seconds left in the period on a one-timer from Jason Krischuk who was fed off the right boards by Hogeboom.

Jesse Bennefield sliced the lead to 7-6 at 5:36 in the third. Robinson delivered his second of the night at 9:06 to finally tie the game, stickhandling his way through the zone and then beating Savage to his left with a backhander.

Texas came out firing in the first and built a four-goal just over halfway through the period. Darryl McArthur punched in on a wide-open backdoor 65 seconds into the game for the Brahmas first score. Chad Woollard potted back-to-back goals at 2:57 and 11:10 before Hogeboom ripped a shot from the high slot at 12:22 to make it 4-0. Marc-Antoine Gelinas relieved Kevin Beech after Texas scored their fourth goal.

Robinson put the Thunder on the board at the 13:23 mark in the first, cleaning up a rebound left from a shot by Aaron Davis. Brian Ihnacak made it 5-1 Brahmas at 13:38 before A.J. Gale connected with 1:04 left in the opening period.

Wichita recorded 60 shots on goal, tying a franchise single-game record set on March 8th, 1994. Texas had 29 shots. Savage earned the win in relief, saving 21 of 23. Reid was 32 of 37. Gelinas went 17 of 21 in the loss. Beech was 4 for 8. The Thunder was 1 for 3 on the power play while the Brahmas were 1 for 4.

The Thunder plays at Colorado on Saturday at 8:05 p.m.

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