Americans hand Wichita 5-4 loss

Photo: Ed Bailey

Americans Box Score

Wichita, Kansas -The Allen Americans, ECHL affiliate of the Ottawa Senators (NHL), won  their fourth straight game beating the Wichita Thunder 5-4 on Saturday night to move ahead of Rapid City into fourth place in the Mountain Division.

The Allen Americans jumped on the board first in the opening frame as Hank Crone scored on a breakaway at the 4:12 mark, his 12^th goal of the season and extended his point streak to 13 games. Joe Gatenby and Colby McAuley had the assists. Wichita tied it on a shot from an awkward angle as Ryan Finnegan scored his sixth of the year. The game was tied 1-1 after the first period.

The Americans scored four times in the second period. Mikael Robidoux 2:25 into the period as the Americans took a 2-1 lead. His second goal of the season. Four minutes later Jay Dickman with his 14^th to even the game at 2-2. The Americans responded two minutes later as Blake Murray on the doorstep knocked the puck over the line for his 11^th of the season. The Americans back on top 3-2. Wichita tied it four minutes later to even the game at 3-3 and the third tie game of the night. Then, two quick goals from the Americans. First, Easton Brodzinski with his 13^th of the season on a backdoor pass from Gavin Gould. Then Colby McAuley on the power play deflects one past Wichita goalie Beck Warm for his 16^th of the year to put Allen up 5-3. That’s the way the period ended with the shots 25-22 in favor of Wichita after two periods of play.

The third period saw just one goal. Jason Pineo made the Americans pay scoring shorthanded, his third goal of the season at the 4:48 mark of the final period to cut the lead to one goal. However, that would be it as far as the scoring would go. Wichita pulled the goaltender late in third period and put pressure on the Americans, but Allen held them off to win their fourth in a row.

The Americans and Thunder close out a three-game series on Sunday afternoon at 4:05 PM CST.

Three Stars:
1. ALN - C. McAuley
2. WIC - R. Kinal
3. ALN - B. Murray