Wichita, Kansas – The Allen Americans, ECHL affiliate of the Ottawa Senators (NHL), and Belleville Senators (AHL), swept a weekend series against the Wichita Thunder, battling back from a 2-0 deficit to shock the Thunder 3-2 on Saturday night at Intrust Bank Arena.
The Americans scored one goal in the second period, and two goals in the third period to erase a 2-0 Thunder lead. Jack Combs netted number 20 on the year late in the second frame to cut the Wichita lead in half. The game remained that way until five minutes left in the third period when Chad Butcher took a pass from Grant Hebert and fired a shot into the back of the Thunder net for his second goal of the season to tie the game at 2-2. Sixty-one seconds later Liam Finlay broke the tie with his 12th of the year to give the Americans their first lead.
The Americans held off a charging Thunder squad late in the final frame to win their season-high third in a row. Wichita outshot the Americans by one for the game 35-34, but were outshot in the final period 15-to-7 by the Americans.
The team traveled back to North Texas after the game. They will play two road games next weekend starting on Friday night in Wichita.
Postgame Sound:
Chad Costello: “I’m proud of my team. We never quit. We always believed we were coming back to win this one. Our big players stepped up their game in the third period.”
Liam Finlay: “This one was sweet. Scoring that goal after missing several games due to injury felt so good. We are starting to put it together at the right time. We will celebrate this one tonight and then it’s off to the All-Star Game in Norfolk tomorrow.”
Three Stars:1. ALN – C. Butcher2. ALN – J. Combs3. WIC – T. Ibragimov
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