MOLINE, Ill. – The Wichita Thunder (20-15-6) jumped out to a 4-0 lead and got a sterling 38-save performance from Tim Boron on the way to a 4-2 win over the host Quad City Mallards (18-15-6) Wednesday night. With the victory, the second place Thunder opened a four-point lead over the third place Mallards in the ECHL’s Central Division.
After Danick Gauthier tipped in the opening goal just a minute and 13 seconds into the game, Wichita took control by scoring three times in the second period. Nikikta Kashirsky’s wrist shot from the right wing circle doubled the lead at 8:03. At 15:27 Todd Hosmer widened the gap to 3-0 by snapping the puck home from the top of the left wing circle. The Thunder was on the power play when Tulupov scored Wichita’s fourth from long range with just 4.7 seconds left in the second.
Joe Perry sparked the Mallards with back-to-back power play goals in the third period. Perry got the Mallards on the scoreboard for the first time by finishing off a give-and-go with Jeff Lee at 4:13 of the third. Perry trimmed the deficit to 4-2 from the slot at 7:29 but the Mallards would get no closer.
The Mallards return to action Friday night in Wichita. The Mallards next play at home Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. against the Brampton Beast. The Mallards will wear special edition jerseys against Brampton and those jerseys will go up for bid in a live auction immediately following the game to benefit the Genesis Health Services Foundation’s Flu-Free QC program.
With Quad City Mallards team release
Photos courtesy of Rich Guill (Sean Flynn Photography)
