Press Releases

WICHITA, KS - The Wichita Thunder will host efforts at their remaining home games to raise money for the Ryan Christian Fund.  Ryan Christian is the daughter of Missouri Mavericks’ forward Jeff Christian, a long time player in the CHL. Ryan Christian has been diagnosed with Pediatric Adrenalcortical Carcinoma, a rare disease that affects one in a million. The Missouri Mavericks are hoping to raise funds through the support of their fans and by out reaching to member teams of the CHL.

The Thunder will be collecting donations throughout the INTRUST Bank Arena area during the games with pink bags.  To make a donation visit the Thunder Merchandise table, Fan Relations table, the Booster Club Table, or look for our Booster Club Members roaming the concourse with the Pink Bags.  Thunder Dog will also be roaming the different seating sections throughout the game collecting donations as well.

The Thunder Players will participate in a one-of-a-kind photoshoot striking various poses off ice.  The pictures from the photoshoot will be auctioned off at the End of Season Thunder Party at America's Pub in Old Town on March 23rd.  The proceeds from this auction will be donated to the Ryan Christian Fund.

For those who are unable to attend the game but would like to donate, please make checks payable to “The Ryan Christian Love Fund.”

Fans can send donations to: Missouri Mavericks 19100 E. Valley View Parkway Independence, MO 64055

For more information contact the Thunder office at 264-GOAL.

The Thunder return to home Saturday, March 13th and Sunday, March 14th.  March 14th is the 2009-2010 regular season home finale for the Wichita Thunder.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 8-1 to the Colorado Eagles on Wednesday night at the INTRUST Bank Arena.

Trailing 1-0 in the first, Joel Hanson extended his point streak to six games, scoring a power play goal at 14:47 on a backdoor pass from Jason Reese that originated from the left corner of the Eagles' zone.  The assist extended Reese's point streak to four games.  Colorado regained the lead at 16:06 on a fadeaway shot to the long side of the net by Ryan McLeod.

McLeod's goal sparked a run of seven unanswered goals for Colorado, five of which came in the second period.  The Eagles scored three times in the span of 32 seconds midway through the second.  McLeod and Lutes each finished the night with two goals.

Scott Campbell took the loss, saving 25 of 30 before being relieved by Ian Keserich in the second who went 17 of 20.  Andrew Penner took the win stopping 21 of 22.  Wichita was 1 for 5 on the power play while Colorado was 0 for 2.

The Thunder heads to Amarillo Friday night at 7:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder hosts the Gorillas on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at the INTRUST Bank Arena.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder captured three awards and placed in five overall categories in the Central Hockey League's annual 'Best of the Best' poll.

The brand new INTRUST Bank Arena took home honors for 'Best Arena' and 'Best Locker Rooms'.  The state-of-the-art facility opened early in the new year and hosted its first Thunder game on January 23rd in front of a franchise-record crowd of 13,412.

The new arena has drawn two other crowds in excess of 9,000, leading to a meteoric rise in the CHL attendance standings.  The Thunder ranked second in the league late last week after 9,074 fans watched the Thunder battle Arizona on March 1st.

The INTRUST Bank Arena also ranked third in the 'Best Press Box' category.  Wichita's new press area features a unique two-level design that provides visiting broadcasters an eagle-eye view of the action.

Local Dondlinger Construction teamed with Scottsdale, AZ-based Hunt Construction Group, Inc. in late 2007 to build the arena which is currently managed by SMG.

Thunder fans were voted the 'Most Annoying' for a seventh consecutive year, while Sonic Thunderdog finished a close second to Rio Grande Valley's Sir-Sting-A-Lot for the league's 'Best Mascot'.  Thunderdog fell short by just two total points, and tied for the most first place votes.

Votes were compiled by league coaches, players, and media representatives.  You can read the full story on this year's poll, written by Odessa Jackalopes' beat writer Lee Scheide at www.centralhockeyleague.com

The Thunder is back in action on Wednesday when they host the Colorado Eagles at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Hangs With Northern Foes During Long Road Trip- The Wichita Thunder went 0-4-0 last week, dropping each game by only two goals.  The Thunder lost 6-4 to the Rapid City Rush on Tuesday night.  Wichita battled back from deficits of 4-0 and 5-1 to pull within one goal, but an empty netter by the Rush sealed the game.  Tomas Klempa, Joel Hanson, and Chris McAllister all had three points in the game.  Ian Keserich made 33 saves on 35 shots in a relief appearance.

The Rush topped the Thunder with an identical 6-4 decision on Wednesday night.  Wichita led 1-0 and 2-1, but Rapid City rallied for five goals over the final two periods for the win.  Reese and Klempa each had two points, while McAllister added his fourth point in his last two games.  Keserich saved 44 of 50 in the loss.

The Thunder lost a close 4-2 battle to the Colorado Eagles on Saturday.  Tomas Klempa and Joel Hanson wiped out a 2-0 deficit, but Riley Nelson scored late in the third to put the Eagles in front for good.  Campbell saved 41 of the 44 shots he faced in the loss.  Reese and Klempa each had multi-point nights.  Nelson had two goals for the Eagles.

The Eagles topped the Thunder the following night 5-3.  Wichita twice held leads in the second period, but entered the third trailing 3-2.  Hanson, Klempa, and Reese each collected another point.  Campbell made 40-plus saves for a second straight night, stopping 44 of 49.  Ed McGrane scored a hat trick for Colorado, while Kevin Ulanski had two goals.

Young Linemates on Fire- Second-year forward Joel Hanson, and rookies Tomas Klempa and Jason Reese powered the Thunder offense last week, scoring nine of the team's 13 goals.  Hanson is riding a five-game point streak with a total of nine points.  Hanson is also +7 in his last six games.  Klempa is on a six-game point streak, which also included a four-game goal scoring streak.  Klempa has 12 points during the streak in which he is +7.  Reese is on a three-game point streak with five total points while finishing +4.

McAllister Chipping in on Offense- Though he has been scratched the last two games, Chris McAllister is on a four-game point streak with six assists during the stretch.  McAllister had a season-high three points on Tuesday at Rapid City.

Thunder Signs Ferrara- Wichita signed defenseman Nello Ferrara prior to Sunday's game at Colorado.  Ferrara is in his seventh professional season, and spent time with Dayton and South Carolina of the ECHL earlier in the year.

Shorthanded 'D'- The Thunder defensive corps has battled several injuries recently.  Chris McAllister, Mark Adamek, JR Bria, Brett Beauchamp, Steve Makway, and most recently AJ Bozoian have all missed time in the last month.  Forwards Brad Thompson and Kevin Cooper were full-time defensemen during last week's road trip.  Wichita has not had six natural defensemen in their lineup since February 12th, a span of 15 games.

Shots Allowed- The Thunder has allowed 40 or more shots in seven of its last eight games.  In three of their four games last week, Wichita allowed 48, 50, and 49 shots respectively.  All three totals were higher than any single-game prior to the road trip.

Thunder Iron Men- Joel Hanson is the Thunder's only player to have appeared in all 58 games this season.  With the exception of 1998-99, the Thunder has had at least one player appear in every regular season game in each year of its history.  Brent Ottmann ranks second with 57.

Makway Out for Season- Early last week, the CHL finalized its suspension of Steve Makway, charging him with 12 games for an altercation in Mississippi on February 27th.  The suspension effectively prevents Makway from playing again this year.

Injury Report- Brett Beauchamp returned to the lineup two Sundays ago after missing three games due to a concussion, but has been scratched each of the last four and is now on the 14-Day IR retroactive to March 1st.  Bobby Hughes was a scratch due to injury on Sunday at Colorado.  Chris McAllister was scratched in both games in Colorado due to a hamstring injury.  Mark Adamek (shoulder) and AJ Bozoian (knee) remain on the 14-Day IR.  JR Bria was moved to the Season Ending IR with a groin injury.  The Thunder has dressed just 13 skaters in each of their last two games.

Thunder Moves Front Office- The Thunder has moved their business office from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium across the street to the Wichita Ice Center.  The new business address is 505 W. Maple Wichita, KS 67213, and is in full operation.

Up Next- The Thunder has another stretch of four games in five nights this week.  Colorado visits the INTRUST Bank Arena on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.  Wichita travels to Amarillo on Friday and then hosts the Gorillas the following night at 7:05 p.m.  The Thunder's final home game of the season is on Sunday versus Missouri with a 5:05 p.m. start.  For tickets to any of Wichita's three remaining home games, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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LOVELAND, CO- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-2 to the Colorado Eagles at the Budweiser Events Center on Saturday night.

The Eagles grabbed a 1-0 lead late in the first period on a power play goal from Riley Nelson at 17:57.  Nelson carried the puck to the high slot before connecting on a high slap shot.  Scott Campbell saved 12 of 13 in the period.

Colorado extended their lead to 2-0 at 7:36 in the second when Kevin Ulanski slipped a loose puck through Campbell's five-hole.  The Thunder cut the lead in half at 12:37 on a goal from Jason Reese.  Tomas Klempa made a centering pass from the corner that reese banged in from point-blank range.

Joel Hanson tied the game at 5:12 in the thrid, cleaning up a rebound left by Jason Reese.  Reese and Klempa finished the game with two points.  Riley Nelson scored his second goal of the night at 12:36 to give the Eagles a 3-2 lead.  Kevin Cooper was bumped into Scott Campbell, which allowed Nelson to jam the puck in around the left post.  Ed McGrane scored an empty net goal with 1.4 seconds left to seal the game.

Campbell saved 41 of 44 in the loss, while Andrew Penners was 21 of 23 for the win.  Wichita went 0 for 3 on the power play while Colorado went 1 for 2.  Hanson has seven points in his last four games.  Klempa has 11 in his last five.

The Thunder finishes its series with Colorado Sunday night at 8:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder next plays at home on Wednesday, March 10th when they host the Eagles.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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RAPID CITY, SD- The Wichita Thunder lost 6-4 to the Rapid City Rush at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center on Wednesday night.

Wichita grabbed an early lead with a power play goal at 5:57 in the first.  Jason Reese popped a rebound over Miguel Beaudry's right shoulder after a shot from the point by Chris McAllister.  The Rush tied it at 12:23 when Brendan Hodge cut around the crease and beat Ian Keserich with a backhander to the right.

Tomas Klempa gave Wichita its second lead of the night at 5:18 in the second.  Klempa's close range shot managed its way through Beaudry's five-hole and just crossed the goal line.  It marked the fourth consecutive game that Klempa has scored a goal.  Rapid City moved in front on a pair of power play goals from Jamie Vanderveeken.  At 8:07 on a two-man advantage, Vanderveeken connected on a one-timer to the left of Keserich.  52 seconds later on a five-on-four power play, Vanderveeken lifted a shot from the left halfboards that cleared the long side of the net.  Joel Hanson tied the game at 4-4 at 12:40, deking Beaudry to the front of the crease before backhanding the puck behind him.  The Rush regained the lead at 16:56 when Rich Hansen's shot took a bad bounce off of Keserich inside the right post.

Rapid City broke the game open with two goals in the third.  Scott Wray knocked in a loose puck on the backdoor on a power play at 2:08 to make it 5-3 Rapid city.  Dave Grimson ripped a shot past Keserich from the left circle at 9:18.  Neil Clark pulled the Thunder within two at 13:11, battling for a rebound in front of the crease before chipping it over Beaudry's back, but the Thunder could not move any closer.

Keserich stopped 44 of 50 in the loss, while Beaudry was 35 of 39 in the win.  The Thunder went 2 for 7 on the power play.  Rapid City was 3 for 5.

The Thunder heads to Colorado to take on the Eagles Saturday night at 8:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder's next home game is Wednesday, March 10th when the Eagles visit the INTRUST Bank Arena.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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RAPID CITY, SD- The Wichita Thunder lost 6-4 to the Rapid City Rush at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center on Tuesday night.

Derek LeBlanc's wrist shot at 5:20 in the first cleared just under the crossbar to give the Rush a 1-0 lead.  Les Reaney scored at 8:20 to make it 2-0.  Jamie Vanderveeken took a shot from the slot that squeezed through Scott Campbell's five-hole.  Reaney came in from behind and tipped the puck over the goal line just before Campbell had a chance to knock the puck away.  Derek Campbell scored on a one-timer on a feed from the corner by Colt King at 16:10 to give the Rush a 3-0 lead.  Ian Keserich relieved Campbell after the Rush's third goal.

After the Rush took a 4-0 lead on Colt King's goal at 11:38 in the second, Wichita finally got on the board when Neil Clark used a backhand shot to beat Danny Battochio at 11:54.  The Rush took a 5-1 lead shortly after Clark's goal, but Tomas Klempa potted a goal for a third straight game at 15:38 that triggered a run of three unanswered Thunder scores.  Joel Hanson re-directed Chris McAllister's shot from the point at 17:51 in the second to cut the lead to 5-3.

Klempa scored his second of the night at 7:46 in the third, ripping a shot to the short side corner, and pulled the Thunder within one.  Wichita had 38 seconds of a two-man advantage late in the period, but could not convert.  Rapid City put the game away on an empty net goal from Rich Hansen with less than 30 seconds left.

Keserich stopped 33 of 35 in relief of Campbell.  Battochio saved 14 of 18 in the win.  Wichita was 0 for 5 on the power play while going 1 for 1 on the penalty kill.  Prior to the game, the Thunder signed defenseman Joe Debello who made his debut.  Klempa now has five goals in his last three games.

The Thunder and Rush finish their series tomorrow night at 8:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Wednesday, March 10th when they host the Colorado Eagles.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Wichita, KS- Effective today the Wichita Thunder has moved offices back to the Wichita Ice Center, located at 505 W. Maple, Suite 100. 

For the next couple of days the Thunder may be without phone, fax and email as we make this switch.  We are also temproarily without ticket computers.  If you need to purchase tickets for the remaining three Thunder home games, please go the box office at INTRUST Bank Arena.  Thank you for your patience.  The Thunder return home on Wednesday, March 10 versus the Colorado Eagles.

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Thunder Has Tough Week- The Wichita Thunder went 0-3-1 last week, beginning with a 5-1 loss against the Tulsa Oilers on Wednesday at home.  The teams played a scoreless first, but Tulsa surged ahead with three in the second.  Jake Riddle scored a hat trick for Tulsa, while Tyler Butler had three assists.  Ian Keserich stopped 37 of 42 in the loss.

The Thunder fell 7-1 to the Mississippi RiverKings on Friday night at the DeSoto Civic Center.  Again, the contest featured a scorless first period.  Mississippi however, rattled off seven straight goals, including six in the second period alone.  Darrell Stoddard and Ryan Held each had four points.  Keserich saved 29 of 34 before being relieved by Scott Campbell who was four of six.  Former Thunder goaltender Tim Boron stopped 35 of 36 for the win.

Wichita earned their lone point last week in a 4-3 overtime loss at Missouri.  Wichita scored twice in the first and held a 2-0 advantage until late in the second when the Mavericks netted two goals to tie the game.  Missouri took a 3-2 lead early in the third, but Tomas Klempa delivered a clutch game-tying goal with 2:28 left in regulation.  Jared Lavender scored the game-winner 27 seconds into overtime.  It was the Thunder's sixth game beyond regulation this season, but their first decided in sudden death.  Klempa scored three points and finished +3.

The Thunder lost 5-3 to the Arizona Sundogs back at home on Sunday evening.  Bobby Hughes scored for a second straight night, but his tally was bookended by two pairs of Sundogs goals.  Trailing 4-1 after the first, the Thunder clawed within one on a last minute goal from Ryan Campbell in the second and an early score from Tomas Klempa in the third.  Steve Potvin's power play goal later in the third gave the Sundogs enough insurance to hold on.  Scott Campbell gave the Thunder a chance to comeback, saving 20 of 21 in relief of Ian Keserich.

Hughes Has Hot Start- Newly signed center Bobby Hughes is off to a terrific start with the Thunder.  The former Carolina Hurricanes' fourth round draft pick scored a goal in his Thunder debut on Saturday and followed that up with a multi-point performance on Sunday versus Arizona.  Hughes was assigned by the New York Islanders.

Shorthanded 'D'- The Thunder defensive corps has battled several injuries recently.  Chris McAllister, Mark Adamek, JR Bria, Brett Beauchamp, Steve Makway, and most recently AJ Bozoian have all missed time in the last month.  Forwards Brad Thompson and Kevin Cooper saw significant action at the blue line last week.  Wichita has not had six natural defensemen in their lineup since February 12th, a span of 11 games.

Thunder Iron Men- Joel Hanson is the Thunder's only player to have appeared in all 54 games this season.  The Thunder has had at least one player appear in every regular season game in each year of its history, with the exception of 1998-99.  Brent Ottmann ranks second with 53.

Player Notes- Rookie left wing Tomas Klempa has three goals and four points in his last two games.  Second-year right wing Joel Hanson has six points in his last eight games and is +3 over his last two.

Penalty Kill Rebounding- After allowing three power play goals against Mississippi two weeks ago, Wichita is 35 for 39 (89.7%) in their last seven games while shorthanded.  The Thunder ranks sixth in the league at 83.7%.

Makway Out- Steve Makway has been suspended indefinitely by the CHL due to an altercation in Mississippi last Friday.  Makway has currently served two games.

Injury Report- Brett Beauchamp returned to the lineup on Sunday after missing three games due to a concussion.  Mark Adamek (upper body) and JR Bria (lower body) remain on the 14-Day IR.  AJ Bozoian left Sunday's game with a lower body injury and is out indefinitely.

Thunder Moves Front Office- The Thunder has moved their business office from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium across the street to the Wichita Ice Center.  The new business address is 505 W. Maple Wichita, KS 67213, and is in full operation.

Up Next- The Thunder plays four road games this week against the top two teams in the Northern Conference.  Wichita faces first place Rapid City on Tuesday and Wednesday before heading to Colorado to take on the second place Eagles on Saturday and Sunday.  All four games start at 8:05 p.m. and can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Wednesday, March 10th when they host the Colorado Eagles at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 5-3 to the Arizona Sundogs at the INTRUST Bank Arena on Sunday evening.

The Sundogs took a 2-0 lead on goals 20 seconds apart from Kevin Jarman and Joey Sides.  Bobby Hughes scored for a second straight night at 10:12 to cut the lead in half, but Arizona added two more of their own by the end of the first to hold a 4-1 lead.

The Thunder narrowed the gap to 4-2 in the closing minute of the second.  Paul Kelly tipped in Chris McAllister's shot from the point with 31 seconds left for his 20th goal of the season.  Earlier in the period, the Thunder killed off four consecutive minutes of power play, including a full two minutes of a two-man Sundogs' advantage.  The penalties were in large part due to a double minor handed to Neil Clark, who also received 10-minute and game miscounduct penalties.  Clark challenged an unwilling Adam Smyth, who leads the league in major penalties, before being sent back to the locker room for the rest of the night.

The Thunder pulled within one goal at 4:16 in the third.  Tomas Klempa scored for the third time in the last two games, unleashing a laser from the right circle that reached the net after hitting off of Doug Groenestege's left shoulder.  The Sundogs extended their lead at 6:02 on a power play goal from Steve Potvin.

Scott Campbell stopped 20 of 21 after relieving Keserich after the first period.  Keserich took the loss, saving 11 of 15.  Groenestege saved 33 of 36 to improve to 12-0 lifetime against the Thunder.  Wichita was 0 for 6 on the power play while going 8 for 9 on the penalty kill.

A crowd of 9,074 attended the game, marking the second straight home contest the Thunder has had 9,000 or more fans at the INTRUST Bank Arena.

Wichita heads to Rapid City to open a two-game series against the Rush on Tuesday night at 8:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Wednesday, March 10th when they host the Colorado Eagles at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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INDEPENDENCE, MO- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-3 in overtime to the Missouri Mavericks at the Independence Event Center on Saturday night.

Newcomer Bobby Hughes deflected a puck in front of the crease that fluttered over the shoulder of Mavericks' goaltender Charlie Effinger at 6:14.  Leading 1-0, Paul Kelly passed the puck from the left corner into the slot, allowing Tomas Klempa to bury a shot under the right corner of the net at 10:40.  Scott Campbell stopped all 11 shots he faced in the first.

Missouri scored two goals late in the second to tie the game.  At 15:19, former Thunder defenseman Todd Paul lifted a long shot from the blue line that hit the back of the net from just under the crossbar.  Jeff Christian tied the game on the power play at 17:39, shooting a puck that clipped Campbell's left arm before bouncing over the goal line.

The Mavericks completed a run of three unanswered goals at 4:14 in the third to take their first lead of the night.  Kyle Bochek's shot from behind the goal line deflected off the back of Scott Campbell's right leg and into the net.  The Thunder re-tied the game with just 2:28 left in regulation on the second goal of the night from Tomas Klempa.  Klempa took the puck from the right corner towards the crease and slipped it through Charlie Effinger's legs for his second goal of the night.  Missouri scored just 27 seconds into overtime on a shot from the high slot by Jared Lavender that initially tipped off of Campbell's glove.

Campbell stopped 38 of 42 in the loss.  Effinger was 14 of 17 for the win.  The Thunder went 0 for 3 on the power play while going 6 for 7 on the penalty kill.

The Thunder heads home on Sunday to host the Arizona Sundogs at 5:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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SOUTHAVEN, MS- The Wichita Thunder lost 7-1 to the Mississippi RiverKings at the DeSoto Civic Center on Friday night.

Wichita played a scoreless first period for a third straight game.  Ian Keserich made a huge save late in the period, kicking away Steve Margeson's breakaway attempt to the left side of the net.  The stop came about a minute after Tomas Klempa was denied on a similar play by Kings' goaltender Tim Boron.

Mississippi exploded for six goals in the second period to take control of the game.  Three players crashed the net at 1:31 with Ryan Held earning credit for a goal.  While it appeared Ian Keserich was interfered with, the call stood to give Mississippi a 1-0 lead.  Tyler Doherty, Darrell Stoddard, Ken Davis, Elias Godoy, and Louis Dumont all added goals in the second.  The six goals allowed were the most in one period by the Thunder this season.

Mississippi added another goal in the third before Ryan Campbell broke up the shutout at 11:40 with a power play goal.  Keserich stopped 29 of 34 before being relieved by Scott Campbell after the RiverKings' fifth goal.  Campbell was four of six.  Boron stopped 35 of 36 to earn his third win against Wichita this season.  Wichtia was 1 for 4 on the power play while 5 for 5 on the penalty kill.

The Thunder takes on the Missouri Mavericks Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Sunday to host the Arizona Sundogs at 5:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 5-1 to the Tulsa Oilers at the INTRUST Bank Arena on Wednesday night.

After a scoreless first period, the Oilers moved in front 3-1 by the end of the second.  Tulsa received power play goals less than one minute apart from Dan Reidel at 9:31 and Tyler Butler at 10:03.  Wichita cut the lead in half on their first power play of the game at 16:47.  Kevin Cooper cut deep in the slot and beat Marty Magers with a backhand shot to the long side of the net.  The Oilers went up by two for the second time in the period at 19:51 on a goal from Jake Riddle.

The Oilers broke the game open with two more scores in the third.  Jake Riddle netted his second of the night at 3:55 while Tyler Butler popped his second at 13:03.

Ian Keserich took the loss, stopping 37 of 42.  Marty Magers earned the win, saving 30 of 31.  Wichita converted its lone power play chance while going 3 for 5 on the penalty kill.

The Thunder hits the road, taking on the Mississippi RiverKings on Friday night at 7:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Sunday when they host the Arizona Sundogs at 5:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- Ian Keserich's shutout over Texas on February 21st has been nominated for the CHL's Performance of the Week for February 15th-21st.

Keserich stopped 27 shots, helping the Thunder defeat defending champion Texas 1-0 and claim their first victory at the INTRUST Bank Arena.  It was the third shutout of Keserich's three-year professional career, and the Thunder's first shutout victory in over three seasons.  The Parma, OH native is currently tied for the league lead with a .922 save percentage.

Fans can vote on the award at the Central Hockey League's official website http://centralhockeyleague.com/

The Thunder next plays on Wednesday when they host the Tulsa Oilers at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Grabs First Win at INTRUST Bank Arena
The Wichita Thunder went 1-3-0 last week, beginning with a 5-2 loss to the Mississippi RiverKings on Wednesday night at home.  Paul Kelly scored two goals, including the first of the game to give Wichita an early 1-0 lead.  The RiverKings though, scored five times in between Kelly's pair to take control of the game.  Wichita allowed three power play goals, marking the first time since December 31st they had allowed more than one in a single game.  Scott Campbell saved 14 of 14 in relief of Ian Keserich who was removed in the second period.

The Thunder lost 4-1 to the Texas Brahmas on Friday night in North Richland Hills.  Texas scored single goals in each of the first two periods before breaking the game open with two more in the third.  Neil Clark scored the Thunder's lone goal.  Scott Campbell made 41 saves, including 21 in the first period.

Wichita fell 5-1 to the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs on Saturday night in Bossier City.  The Mudbugs took control of the game early, staking themselves to a 3-0 lead by the end of the first.  For a second straight night, the Thunder broke up a shutout in the third period.  Tomas Klempa put Wichita on the board with help from Jason Woll and Taylor Guay.  It was Guay's first professional point.  Scott Campbell saved 29 of 34 in the loss.

The Thunder bounced back on Sunday evening at home, shutting out the Brahmas 1-0 for their first win at the INTRUST Bank Arena.  Brent Ottmann scored the game's only goal, which came on a long shot midway through the second period.  Ian Keserich stopped all 27 shots he faced to earn his third career shutout and the Thunder's first since November of 2007.  The win broke the Thunder's seven-game losing streak and also snapped Texas' eight-game winning streak.

Keserich Back to the Top
Ian Keserich bounced back from a rough start last Wednesday and shutout the Texas Brahmas 1-0 on Sunday at home.  It was the third shutout of his professional career.  Keserich is tied for the league lead with a .923 save percentage and ranks tied for seventh with a 2.64 goals against average.

Penalty Kill Rebounds
After allowing three power play goals on Wednesday versus Mississippi, the Thunder is 13 for its last 13 when shorthanded.  Over the last 20 games, the Thunder penalty kill unit is 101 for its last 110 (91.8%) and has risen to sixth in the CHL at 83.6% for the season.

Point-a-Game Players
Forwards Paul Kelly and Neil Clark, both acquired in midseason trades, have been the catalysts for the Thunder offense of late.  Kelly has 16 points in his last 16 games, and currently ranks third on the Thunder scoring chart this year.  Clark seven points in eight games since joining the Thunder earlier in the month.

Shutout Notes
Wichita's 1-0 win versus Texas on Sunday was their first credited shutout since December 13th, 2008 when Tim Boron lost a 1-0 shootout decision to the Rocky Mountain Rage.  It was the Thunder's first shutout win since November 3rd, 2007 when Sebastien Laplante defeated the Oklahoma City Blazers 3-0.  Prior to Sunday, the Thunder's last 1-0 win came on March 26th, 2005 with Jason Flick beating Bossier-Shreveport in the playoffs.  The Thunder's last 1-0 regular season win was February 7th, 2004.  Nathan Grobins beat the New Mexico Scorpions.

Injury Report
Mark Adamek (shoulder) was placed on the 14-Day IR last week and is eligible to return as early as Saturday.  JR Bria (lower body) and Steve Makway (upper body) were scratches through last week.  Ryan Campbell remains on the 14-Day IR (shoulder), but is eligible to return.  Bria, Makway, and Campbell could all see the ice before the end of the week.

Up Next
Wichita prepares for another stretch of four games in five nights.  Wichita hosts Tulsa on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.  The Thunder is at Mississippi on Friday and at Missouri on Saturday.  The team returns to Wichita on Sunday to host Arizona at 5:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder shutout the Texas Brahmas 1-0 at the INTRUST Bank Arena on Sunday evening.

Ian Keserich earned the Thunder's first shutout victory since November 2007, and their first 1-0 regular season win since February 2006.

After both teams played air-tight defense in the first period, the Thunder broke the deadlock at 12:16 in the second.  Brent Ottmann fired a long shot from behind the blue line that Texas goaltender Joe Palmer stopped with his stick.  The puck bounced over Palmer's right shoulder and rolled over the goal line to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead.  Just prior to Ottmann's goal, Ian Keserich helped keep the game scoreless by cutting down two Texas breakaways.  Later in the period, Keserich denied Tyler Skworchinski on a point blank slapshot after a pass from behind the net.  Wichita outshot the Brahmas 22 to 6 in the second period, giving the Thunder a new single period season-high.

Wichita made the lead stand up in the third, with Keserich stopping 11 more shots to finish off the 27-save shutout.  Wichita killed off two penalties late in the frame and prevented the Brahmas from gaining any quality chances with an extra attacker in the final minute.

The win snapped the Thunder's seven-game losing streak and also halted an eight-game winning streak for Texas.  Wichita went 4 for 4 on the penalty kill and is now 13 for its last 13 since allowing three power play goals on Wednesday night.  Joe Palmer was 39 of 40 in the loss.  The win was the first for Keserich as a member of the Thunder and his third career shutout.

The Thunder takes on the Tulsa Oilers on Wednesday night at home at 7:05 p.m.  It is American Family Insurance Buy-In Night.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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BOSSIER CITY, LA- The Wichita Thunder lost 5-1 to the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs at the Century Tel Center on Saturday night.

The Mudbugs carved out a 3-0 lead before the end of the first period.  At 3:08, James DeLory re-directed Mark Johnson's shot from the point past the right of Scott Campbell for the first goal of the game.  Joe Blaznek connected on a one-on-one play at 9:30, using a wrist shot through Campbell's five-hole.  Bossier made it 3-0 at 12:28 on a one-timer from the blue line by Chris St. Croix.  Travis Clayton made the pass to St. Croix at the point.

The Thunder stayed within three through the second period, helped by two key plays by Thunder defensemen.  Brad Thompson, who has played back each of the last three games, broke up a straight pass through the slot on a clear two-on-one for the Mudbugs.  Later in the period, new defenseman AJ Bozoian stripped a puck from a Mudbugs' shooter on what appeared to be a sure rebound attempt.

Bossier broke open the game with two goals in the third.  Tyrel Lucas scored on a shot from the outside at 2:34.  Just over four minutes later, Jeff Kyrzakos made it 5-0.  Scott Campbell poke checked the puck off of Kyrzakos' stick as he was driving to the net.  The puck bounced straight into the air and landed over Campbell's right shoulder.  Tomas Klempa broke up the shutout with a goal at 9:18.  Klempa deflected Jason Woll's shot from the point past Bugs' goaltender Ken Carroll.

Campbell stopped 29 of 34 in the loss.  Carroll was 22 of 23 in the win.  Wichita was 0 for 6 on the power play while going 3 for 3 on the penalty kill.

The Thunder returns home on Sunday for a 5:05 p.m. match against the Texas Brahmas.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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TEMPE, AZ- The CHL is pleased to announce the launch of GAME LIVE: a fan-friendly, interactive application that provides game scores and stats in real-time.

GAME LIVE is an online Flash application that provides fans of the CHL and the Wichita Thunder with a real-time display of a game’s score and stats in a graphically pleasing, interactive format.  There is no need to refresh your browser during live games to see updates.  All goals and penalties will appear automatically as they happen.  To view GAME LIVE in action, go to www.wichitathunder.com and click on the Scores/Scoreboard link.  On the Scoreboard page, you will see a “GAME LIVE” link beside each game that you can click on to launch the application.

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NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-1 at the NYTEX Sports Centre on Friday night.

Each team created offensive chances early in the game, but it was Texas who opened a 1-0 lead at the 11:48 mark in the first period.  Tyrell Mason made a lateral pass the length of the Thunder zone to Scott Thauwald who ripped a shot from the right boards that made it past Scott Campbell.  Campbell faced 22 shots in the first period.

Wichita outshot Texas 11 to 8 in the second, but Texas extended its lead at 5:29 on a goal from Kevin McLeod.  McLeod broke up a Thunder odd-man Rush with a poke check and then raced up the ice to lead a Texas two-on-one.  McLeoed then fired a shot that hopped into the net.

Texas utilized a shorthanded goal early in the third to take a 3-0 advantage.  Thauwald led a two-on-one and made a cross-slot pass to Ross Rouleau who punched in the goal at 4:48.  Wichita scored its lone goal at 10:51 in the third on the power play.  Joel Hanson setup Neil Clark outside of the crease who tipped the puck beyond Brett Jaeger to break up the shutout.  Clark now has seven points in six games with the Thunder.  Paul Kelly also assisted on the goal, and has 16 points in his last 14 games.  Texas put the game away at 18:17 in the third.  Jason Deitsch walked into a loose puck in the slot and shot it past the left of a defenseless Campbell for a 4-1 Brahmas lead.

Campbell saved 41 of 45 in the loss, while Jaeger was 26 of 27 in the win.  Wichita went 1 for 7 on the power play and was a perfect 6 for 6 on the penalty kill.  The 45 shots allowed by the Thunder tie a season-high.

Wichita heads to Bossier City Saturday night to take on the Mudbugs at 7:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns to the INTRUST Bank Arena on Sunday to host the Brahmas.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 5-2 to the Mississippi RiverKings at the INTRUST Bank Arena on Wednesday night.

Paul Kelly put Wichita ahead at 7:40 in the first on the power play.  After a rebound opportunity from Joel Hanson, Kelly located a loose puck on top of the left hashmark and ripped it past the left side of Tim Boron.  The RiverKings tied the game 57 seconds later on a power play goal of their own.  Ryan Held crashed the net and was able to control a backdoor pass across the slot from Darrell Stoddard and tip it beyond the left of Ian Keserich.  At 9:55, another Kings' power play goal gave Mississippi a 2-1 lead.  Matt Summers redirected Elias Godoy's pass into the crease for the score.

Mississippi broke the game open with three more goals in the second.  Derek Landmesser scored on a high slapshot just under the crossbar at 2:42.  On a two-man advantage, Ryan Held slipped in his second goal of the night at 8:47, cashing in a backdoor pass from Louis Dumont.  Matt Summers deflected Nate Schwartzbauer's slapshot past Ian Keserich at 15:01 to give the Kings a 5-1 lead.

Kelly scored his second goal of the game on a point-blank shot at 5:51 in the third.

Wichita managed the game very shorthanded at the blue line with Steve Makway, Mark Adamek, and JR Bria all scratched due to injury.  Keserich was relieved in the second by Scott Campbelll after the RiverKings scored their fifth goal.  Keserich saved 23 of 28 in the loss.  Campbell saved 14 of 14.  Tim Boron earned the win, saving 16 of 18.  Joel Hanson had two assists.

The Thunder heads south to take on the Texas Brahmas Friday at 7:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  Wichita returns to the INTRUST Bank Arena on Sunday when they host the Brahmas.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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The Wichita Thunder has several great promotions planned for its match on Sunday, February 21st versus the Texas Brahmas.

The first 1,000 youth 12 and under receive a free youth jersey, courtesy of Red Wing Shoe Stores and Cricket Communications.

It is also 'Kids Night Out', presented by the Midian Shriners and 105.3 The Buzz.  The Thunder will wear special Shriner jerseys during the game.  Fans can bid on the jerseys that night and the winners will be announced when the game is over.  During the first intermission, the Shriners will feature a parade of vehicles on the ICE at the INTRUST Bank Arena.

For tickets to Sunday's game, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Drops Four in Tough Week- The Wichita Thunder went 0-3-1 last week, beginning with a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Eagles at home on Wednesday.  The Eagles scored three times in the first 3:11 of the game and eventually led 5-0 into the second period.  Wichita showed heart and battled to within 5-3 before the Eagles scored the second of two shorthanded goals in the third to put the game away.  Neil Clark scored a goal and two assists in his Thunder debut.

Wichita continued its homestand on Friday and suffered a 4-1 loss to the Missouri Mavericks.  Neil Clark scored for a second straight game, using a third period goal to bring the Thunder within one goal.  Missouri scored twice more later in the frame to take control of the game.  Ian Keserich stopped 37 of 41 in the loss and also earned a fighting major when he took on Mavericks' goaltender Charlie Effinger in the final minute of the game.

Wichita earned its first point of the week on Saturday, falling 2-1 in a shootout to the Arizona Sundogs at home.  Down 1-0 in the third, Brad Thompson tied the game with a power play goal.  Thompson almost won the game outright in overtime, hitting the left post on a slapshot during a power play.  Arizona's Kyle Hood scored the lone goal in the shootout, handing the Thunder their fourth shootout loss of the season.  Ian Keserich had another terrific start, going 29 of 30 through regulation and overtime.  Paul Kelly had his point streak snapped at five games.

The Thunder lost 4-2 to the Mississippi RiverKings on Sunday afternoon in their lone road match of the week.  Anders Strome netted his first goal in his return to the Thunder early in the first, but Mississippi scored twice in the same period and never relinquished their lead.  JR Bria added his first goal of the season, but Wichita's offense was held in check over the game's final 38:45.  Scott Campbell saved 36 of 40 in the loss and had his four-game road winning streak come to an end.

Penalties Killed- The Thunder had another great week tackling opposing power play units.  The Thunder was 25 of 27, including an 8 for 8 performance on Sunday at Mississippi.  Wichita's penalty kill corps is 85 for 91 (93.4) during the last 16 games and has not allowed more than one power play goal in a game since December 31st.  The Thunder now ranks fifth in the league.

Clark Having Early Impact- Forward Neil Clark was acquired from the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs at the trade deadline last Monday in exchange for Jim Jorgensen.  Clark already has points in three of four games with the Thunder.

Reese Steady Rookie- Rookie center Jason Reese has four points in his last eight games and currently ranks 11th among CHL rookies with 17 points.

Keserich Stellar- Ian Keserich fell to 0-11-1 in a Thunder sweater after Saturday's 2-1 shootout loss versus Arizona.  Keserich is tied for fourth in the league with a 2.59 goals against average and tied for first with a .924 save percentage.  In Keserich's 11 starts, the Thunder has scored one goal nine times, while scoring zero and two goals once each.

Player Notes- Center Brad Thompson has four points in his last five games.  Defenseman Mark Adamek is on a three-game point streak and has seven points in his last 12 games.

Busy Schedule Continues- The Thunder recently finished a stretch of four games in five nights, including consecutive games Friday-Sunday.  Wichita repeats that exact same process over the next two weeks before heading on a week-long road trip in early March that includes stops in Rapid City and Colorado.  Eight of the Thunder's next 11 games are away from the INTRUST Bank Arena.

Injury Report- Steve Makway has been scratched three of the last four games with a shoulder injury and is considered day-to-day.  Mark Adamek was scratched Sunday, battling the effects of being checked from behind by Arizona's Linus Fagemo late in Saturday's contest, and is also day-to-day.  Ryan Campbell remains on the 14-Day IR with a shoulder injury.

Up Next- The Thunder gets a rematch against the RiverKings this Wednesday at home at 7:05 p.m.  Wichtia hits the road later in the week, battling Texas on Friday and Bossier-Shreveport on Saturday.  The Thunder hosts Texas on Sunday at 5:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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SOUTHAVEN, MS- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-2 to the Mississippi RiverKings at the DeSoto Civic Center on Sunday afternoon.

Anders Strome ripped a power play goal from the top of the right faceoff circle at 2:54 to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead.  The RiverKings answered back 37 seconds later on a goal from Ryan Held.  Held picked up a rebound during a scramble in front of the Thunder's net and slipped it past Scott Campbell's left pad.  Mississippi took its first lead of the night at 8:03 on a two-on-one.  Glenn Detulleo made a left pass to Tyler Doherty who capped off the odd-man rush with a shot past Campbell's right.

Wichita potted an early goal in the second as well, this one a game-tying score from JR Bria.  Kevin Cooper drove to the net and had a point-blank range shot poke checked by Tim Boron, leaving the puck sitting on the crease for Bria to punch into the left side of the net.  Mississippi re-gained the lead at 7:21 on a goal by Detulleo.  A turnover underneath the hashmarks left the puck wide open for Detulleo who turned and then fired past Campbell's right to make it 3-2.  The RiverKings extended the lead to 4-2 with less than 35 seconds left in the period.  On a three-on-two, Louis Dumont chipped the puck to his right for Darrell Stoddard who used a slapshot from the right circle to score to the long side of the net.

Mississippi kept Wichita off the board through the third period to hold for the win.  Scott Campbell faced 40 shots, stopping 36 in the loss.  Boron was 23 of 25 for the win.  Bria's goal was his first of the year.

The Thunder heads home for a rematch against the RiverKings on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 2-1 in a shootout to the Arizona Sundogs at the INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday night.

Arizona's Kyle Hood scored the lone goal in the shootout, while Doug Gronestege saved 40 of 41 in overtime and regulation for the win.

The Sundogs struck first with a power play goal at 7:31 in the first period.  Mike Nesdill ripped a shot from the top of the right faceoff circle that bounced past the stick side of Ian Keserich.  Wichita came within inches of scoring a goal early in the game.  Groenestege, who is now 11-0-0 all-time against the Thunder, had to dive in front of a vacated crease to stick check a shot from Brent Ottmann that appeared headed for the back of the net.

After a scoreless second, the Thunder tied the game at 2:44 in the third on a power play goal from Brad Thompson.  Mark Adamek took a slapshot from the blue line that Thompson redirected under the crossbar.  Thompson nearly won the game in overtime, ripping a shot from the point of his own that got past Groenestege and clanked off the left post.  Just seconds later, Joel Hanson appeared to beat Groenestege as well, but his shot also missed to the left by several inches.

Each team went 1 for 5 on the power play.  The 41 shots for the Thunder were a new season-high.  The game was the first overtime/shootout contest in the history of the INTRUST Bank Arena.

The Thunder heads to Mississippi to take on the RiverKings on Sunday at 3:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Wednesday when the RiverKings make another visit to the INTRUST Bank Arena.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-1 to the Missouri Mavericks at the INTRUST Bank Arena on Friday night.

Jeff Christian scored two goals for Missouri, but Thunder goaltender Ian Keserich helped energize the crowd late in the game when he fought Mavericks' goaltender Charlie Effinger.

Missouri took a 1-0 lead late in the first period on an unassisted goal from Jordan Foreman at 17:24.  Foreman started the play after a turnover near his own blue line and was initially denied by Keserich on a shot from the left faceoff circle.  Foreman got to his own rebound though, and took an extra step to the net before backhanding the puck behind Keserich.  Effinger made a key save on a one-timer from Anders Strome early in the period to keep Wichita off the board.

The Mavericks took advantage of a series of penalties charged to the Thunder in the second to open a 2-0 lead.  Shortly after Chris McAllister was given a double minor, referee TJ Nua called a hooking penalty on Joel Hanson that provided the Mavericks with a full two minutes of five-on-three.  Jeff MacDermid made a cross-crease pass that Jeff Christian banged in to the left of Keserich at 5:56 for the power play goal.

Wichita pulled within one at 3:51 in the third on a power play goal from Neil Clark.  Clark grabbed a pass from Paul Kelly near the crease and jammed it under the crossbar, giving him four points in two games with the Thunder.  Missouri re-gained a two-goal advantage at 6:45 when Karl Sellan nailed a shot from the outside into the left corner of the net.  The Mavericks scored again at 16:33 on another backdoor tip from Jeff Christian.

With 34.8 seconds left in the game, Neil Clark led a scrum in front of the Mavericks' net that eventually led to Tomas Klempa and Brett Beauchamp also grabbing partners.  Keserich dropped his equipment from 200 feet away and took on a reluctant Effinger.  Though Effinger was able to pull Keserich's sweater off, the Thunder goaltender landed several rights before taking Effinger to the ice.

Keserich finished 37 of 41 in the loss, while Effinger saved 25 of 26 in the win.  The Thunder was 1 for 6 on the power play.  Missouri went 1 for 8.  Paul Kelly extended his point streak to five games.

The Thunder wraps up their three-game homestand on Saturday against the Arizona Sundogs at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder fell 6-3 to the Colorado Eagles at the INTRUST Bank Arena on Wednesday night.

After falling behind 5-0, Wichita pulled within two goals, but Colorado was able to hold on for the win.

The Eagles powered in front with three goals just 3:11 into the game.  50 seconds in, Kevin Ulanski threaded a shot past Scott Campbell from the bottom of the right faceoff circle after receiving a pass from Ryan Tobler behind the net.  Jay Birnie stole a pass at his own blue line and turned it into a breakaway goal at 2:26 to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.  Colorado scored their third goal at 3:11 on Aaron Schneekloth's shot from the left side of the Thunder blue line.  The goal chased Scott Campbell who was relieved by Ian Keserich.  Keserich helped stabilize the period, but the Eagles scored again at 17:01 when Riley Nelson gained enough ground on the Thunder defense to score shorthanded from the right half-boards.

Wichita crawled back into the game in the second, but not before Colorado added another goal.  Brett Lutes buried a one-timer on a two-on-one low in the Thunder zone at 5:21 to make it 5-0.  Wichita finally got on the board at 7:42 in the second.  Brett Beauchamp fired a slapshot from the left point, raising the puck over the left shoulder of Eagles' goaltender Mike Mole.  Wichita earned its second goal of the period at 13:36 when Neil Clark tipped in Mark Adamek's shot from the point on a delayed Colorado penalty.  Tomas Klempa helped keep the play alive by battling in the corner with Colorado big man Jay Birnie before feeding the puck to Adamek.

The Thunder continued to fight back early in the third, scoring their third unanswered goal at 3:49.  Paul Kelly grabbed a pass in the slot from Neil Clark and finished off a backhander from a tough angle to make it a two-goal game.  Colorado stopped the Thunder's run though, potting their second shorthanded goal of the night at 10:32 in the period.  Steve Haddon, who appeared to have been offsides, raced into the slot on a breakaway and beat Ian Keserich on a backhander.

Keserich stopped 17 of 20 in a de facto loss.  Mole was 34 of 37 in the win.  Wichit went 5 for 5 on the penalty kill while going 0 for 5 on the power play.  Wichita is now 65 for its last 69 while shorthanded.  Clark scored three points in his Thunder debut.

The Thunder next plays on Friday when they host the Missouri Mavericks at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- Wichita Thunder goaltender Scott Campbell has been named the Oakley CHL Goaltender of the week for February 1st-7th.

Campbell led the Thunder to three road wins last week, going 3-0-0 with a 2.59 goals against average and a .931 save percentage.  On Saturday, Campbell stopped 39 of 43 in regulation and overtime before going a perfect five for five to help the Thunder defeat Mississippi in a shootout.  It was Campbell's first shootout victory of his career.  Campbell currently has a 3.36 goals against average and an .894 save percentage.

The Bloomfield, Ontario native has won four consecutive starts, all on the road, and has made 31 or more saves in all of them.  The rookie has appeared in 21 games this season, shattering his college-high of 16 during his junior year at Lake Forest College.

It marks the first league honor for a Thunder player this season.  Campbell will receive a free gift from Oakley for earning the award.

The Thunder next plays on Wednesday when they host the Colorado Eagles at the INTRUST Bank Arena at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Sweeps Road Trip- The Wichita Thunder went 3-0-0 last week, winning all three of their games on the road.  The Thunder defeated the Tulsa Oilers 4-2 on Tuesday at the BOK Center.  Kevin Cooper scored twice on the power play, while Paul Kelly contributed a goal and two assists.  Scott Campbell saved 31 of 33 in the win.  Steve Makway had two points.

Wichita headed south to Bossier City on Friday and earned a 4-2 win over the Mudbugs.  The win snapped a 13-game regular season losing streak against the Bugs that dated back to December 16th, 2006.  It was also the Thunder's first regular season win at the Century Tel Center since March 17th, 2006.  Paul Kelly and Steve Makway each had multi-point nights for a second consecutive game, while rookie Tomas Klempa added a goal and assist.  Scott Campbell picked up the win, saving 38 of 40.  The win gave the Thunder back-to-back victories for the first time this season.

The Thunder won their third straight on Saturday, edging the Mississippi RiverKings 5-4 in a shootout.  Again it was Campbell at the forefront, saving 39 of 43 during regulation and overtime and then going a perfect five for five in his first career shootout win.  Paul Kelly scored the shootout game-winner and notched his third straight multi-point game.  Kevin Cooper and Steve Makway both scored against their former club.

Campbell Has Outstanding Week- Rookie goaltender Scott Campbell had an electric week in net, leading the Thunder to three straight road wins.  Campbell saved 108 of 116 shots (.931) while posting a 2.59 goals against average.  The 24-year old has won four consecutive starts, all on the road, in which he has made 38 or more saves three times.

Multi-Point Kelly- Center Paul Kelly had a terrific week in his own right, scoring seven points in three games.  Kelly had at least two points in all three of the Thunder's road wins, including the lone shootout goal scored in Saturday's win at Mississippi.  Overall, Kelly has 11 points in his last eight games in which he is +3.

Makway On Fire- Defenseman Steve Makway had five points in three games last week and is currently riding a five-game point streak.  Makway ranks third in the CHL among defensemen with 34 points and second with 27 assists.  It is the third time in the last four years that Makway has scored at least 30 points in a season.

Leading the Way- During Wichita's current three-game winning streak, the Thunder has never trailed during 185 minutes of play.

Penalty Kill- The Thunder penalty kill unit continued to excel, going a perfect 12 for 12 last week.  Over their last 12 games, the Thunder is 60 for 64 (93.8).  Wichita has not allowed more than one power play goal in a game since December 31.

Defense Strong- Excluding empty netters, the Thunder has allowed just 37 goals in their last 15 games for a goals against average of 2.47.

Injury Report- Chris McAllister returned to the lineup Friday after being scratched three games due to a hamstring injury.  Ryan Campbell remains on the 14-Day IR with a shoulder injury.

Busy Schedule- Wichita has 20 games scheduled over the next 33 days.  The Thunder has games on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for the next three weeks before a long four-game, seven-day road trip in early March.

Up Next- Wichita plays three straight home games this week, hosting Colorado on Wednesday, Missouri on Friday, and Arizona on Saturday.  The Thunder heads back to Mississippi for a match on Sunday afternoon.  For tickets to this week's games, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder pulled off a deadline deal with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs on Monday, acquiring left wing Neil Clark in exchange for defenseman Jim Jorgensen.

Clark is in his fourth season of professional hockey and joins Wichita with 77 points and 507 PIM in 186 career games.  The Burnaby, British Columbia native racked up at least 123 PIM in each of his first three professional seasons.

The 28-year old Clark had three goals, three assists, and 67 PIM in 26 games for the Mudbugs this year.  Clark enjoyed his best season to date last year, setting career-bests with 21 goals, 36 points, and 160 PIM.  During his rookie season with the Laredo Bucks in 2006-07, Clark scored 12 points in 21 playoff games to help Laredo win the Southern Conference championship.

Clark has been called up to the AHL in each of the last two years and also attended training camp with the Detroit Red Wings prior to the 2007 season.

Jorgensen had 16 points in 42 games, and was the Thunder's representative in the All-Star Game.  In addition to Jorgensen, the Mudbugs received the rights to Jason Deleurme, who left the Thunder in December to pursue hockey opportunities overseas.

The Thunder next plays on Wednesday when they host the Colorado Eagles at the INTRUST Bank Arena at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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SOUTHAVEN, MS- The Wichita Thunder defeated the Mississippi RiverKings 5-4 in a shootout at the DeSoto Civic Center on Saturday night.

Scott Campbell stopped 39 of 43 through regulation and overtime and then went a perfect five for five in the shootout to help the Thunder to their third consecutive win.

Wichita grabbed an early lead on Steve Makway's goal at 3:55 in the first.  Shane Foster passed from the hashmarks to the right corner where Paul Kelly sent the puck back to Makway in the high slot.  The defenseman scored on a low shot past the right of RiverKings' goaltender Tim Boron.  Bobby Chaumont knocked in Kevin Truelson's backdoor pass to the left of Scott Campbell at 6:11 in the first to tie the game.

The second period opened much the way the first did, with a former RiverKings scoring early.  This time Kevin Cooper picked up a shorthanded breakaway and beat Boron with a backhander on a deke to the left side of the crease.  The Thunder went up 3-1 at 11:02 in the second on a goal from Jason Reese.  After sustained pressure in the offensive zone, Reese popped a loose puck into the net during a scramble in the low slot.  The RiverKings moved within one near the end of the period on a snapshot from Darrell Stoddard at 16:07.

The back-and-forth battle continued into the third when Mississippi tied it on Stephen Margeson's goal at 6:58.  The Thunder took the lead for a third time shortly after on a goal from Jim Jorgensen at 8:25.  Brent Ottmann carried the puck into the zone and left a drop pass at the blue line that Jorgensen powered past the right of Boron.  The RiverKings tied it yet again with just 3:40 left in regulation on a goal from Matt  Pierce.

The Thunder survived an early Kings' power play to start overtime and the two teams remained tied at four after five minutes of extra hockey.  Paul Kelly beat Boron on the very first shot, which proved to be the only goal scored by either side.  The shootout win is the first in the career of Campbell, who turned aside Bobby Chaumont, Derek Landmesser, Louis Dumont, Matt Pierce, and Matt Summers.  Wichtia was 0 for 2 on the power play while 3 for on the penalty kill.

The Thunder returns home on Wednesday to take on the Colorado Eagles at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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BOSSIER CITY, LA- The Wichita Thunder defeated the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs 4-2 at the Century Tel Center on Friday night.

After a high-octane, but scoreless first period, the Thunder potted the first goal of the night at 14:32 in the second.  Utilizing several sharp lateral passes, Steve Makway found Joel Hanson positioned to the right of the crease who redirected the puck past John DeCaro to give Wichita a 1-0 lead.  At 17:07 in the second, Tomas Klempa tossed the puck from the left corner towards the crease, allowing Shane Foster to tip it into the net.

Travis Clayton cut the lead in half, deflecting Dave Pszenyczny's shot from the left faceoff circlepast the right of Scott Campbell at 5:56.  The Thunder though, regained a two-goal advantage at 11:18 on a goal from Jim Jorgensen.  The All-Star defenseman grabbed a loose puck down the left boards after just being let free from the penalty box and fired on DeCaro.  A bouncing rebound came right back to Jorgensen who forced it through DeCaro's five-hole for the score.  The Mudbugs again trimmed the lead, this time with an extra attacker, when Tyrel Lucas played several screens in front of Campbell from the slot with just 76 seconds left in the game.  Wichita took it's third two-goal lead of the night with 2.1 seconds to go on an empty net goal from Tomas Klempa.

Campbell earned the win, saving 38 of 40.  DeCaro was 30 of 33 in the loss.  Wichita went 1 for 2 on the power play while going 3 for 3 on the penalty kill.  Kelly and Makway each had two assists.  The win snapped a 13-game regular season losing streak to the Mudbugs that dated back to December 16th, 2006.  It also broke a seven-game losing streak at the Century Tel Center, dating back to March 17th, 2006.  It also marked the first time this season that Wichita has won consecutive games.

The Thunder heads to Mississippi on Saturday night to take on the RiverKings at 7:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Wednesday, February 10th for a match against the Colorado Eagles.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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TULSA, OK- The Wichita Thunder defeated the Tulsa Oilers 4-2 at the BOK Center on Tuesday night.

Steve Makway and Paul Kelly helped the Thunder take a 1-0 lead at 8:05 in the first.  Goaltender Trevor Cann saved Makway's shot from the point but provided a rebound for Kelly whose initial shot was again saved.  Kelly got to the second rebound and took a backhand shot from over the goal line that banked off the back of Cann's left pad and into the net.  It marked the third straight game Kelly scored head-to-head against his former team.

Wichita retained its lead through the second, with the two teams trading goals.  Tulsa tied it on a shot from the right point by Troy Riddle that hit Scott Campbell's pads before bouncing into the net at 10:15.  The Thunder regained the lead at 15:40 in the period on a power play goal from Kevin Cooper.  Paul Kelly took a shot from the right half wall that Cooper, positioned at the top of the crease, was able to redirect past Cann's left.  Scott Campbell rescued the Thunder late in the period, making a clean glove save on Dan Reidel's open slap shot from point blank range with just 19 seconds left in the frame.

The teams yet again traded goals in the third, this time scoring just eight seconds apart.  Kevin Cooper skated along the perimeter of the crease and beat Trevor Cann with a backhand shot to his left on a five-on-three power play to make it 3-1 at 2:03.  The Oilers trimmed the lead though eight seconds later when Troy Riddle took advantage of a misplayed puck outside the Thunder net and popped it in for a shorthanded goal.  Wichita's defense stepped up through the thick of the third, keeping the Oilers scoreless the rest of the way during the only period in which the Thunder was outshot.  Steve Makway iced the game with an empty net goal, shot from deep inside his own end to make it 4-2 with 16 seconds left.

Campbell saved 31 of 33 to earn the win, while Cann allowed three goals on 36 shots in the loss.  Cooper was joined by Paul Kelly, who had a goal and two assists, and Steve Makway, who had a goal and an assist as Thunder players who finished with multiple points.  Wichita went 2 for 12 on the power play and 5 for 5 on the penalty kill.  Wichita is 15 for its last 15 on the penalty kill versus Tulsa.

The Thunder heads to Bossier City on Friday to take on the Mudbugs at 7:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  Wichita's next home game is Wednesday, February 12th versus Colorado.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Closes January With Close Losses- Wichita lost 2-1 to the Mississippi RiverKings on Friday night at home.  After the teams traded power play goals early in the first, the RiverKings scored the decisive goal on a lucky bounce in the second.  Nate Schwartzbauer's shot was blocked by Jason Reese and then deflected off the back of Ian Keserich and into the net.  Keserich saved 26 of 28 in the loss.  Ryan Campbell had Wichita's lone goal.

The Thunder lost 4-1 to the Rapid City Rush on Saturday night.  Wichita battled the first place Rush to a 1-1 tie into the third, but the Rapid City scored three times  in the final frame to pull out the win.  Keserich took the loss, saving 26 of 29.  Brent Ottmann scored the Thunder goal, redirecting a shot from Steve Makway on the power play in the second.  Four different Rush players scored a goal.

Keserich Best in the CHL- Goaltender Ian Keserich has played in tough luck this season, posting an 0-9-0 record with Wichita.  However, the third-year pro officially leads the league with a .926 save percentage and ranks fourth with a 2.57 goals against average.  Keserich has allowed three or fewer goals in all nine of his starts in a Wichita sweater.

Can't Score on the Thunder- Excluding empty netters, the Thunder has allowed the fewest goals (24) in the CHL over their last 10 games.  However, Wichita's 12 goals scored are also the fewest in the league during that same stretch.  Rio Grande Valley and Tulsa are tied for the second fewest in their last 10 games with 27.

Penalty Kill In Control- Aiding the Thunder's recent defensive surge has been their penalty kill unit.  During their last nine games, the Thunder is 48 for its last 52 (92.3) when the opposition is on the power play and has not allowed more than one power play goal in a game since December 31st.

Klempa Signed- The Thunder signed left wing Tomas Klempa on Saturday to replace the injured Ryan Campbell.  This season, Klempa played in the IHL with Fort Wayne and in the ECHL with Johnstown, totaling eight points in 30 games.  The Prestany, Slovakia native played four seasons of college hockey in the CCHA with the University of Nebraska at Omaha.  Klempa scored 98 points in 150 career games with the Mavericks.

New Faces- Wichita has made a number of roster moves recently.  11 of the Thunder's current players were acquired within the last five weeks, beginning with the late-December trade that brought in Kevin Cooper, Steve Makway, and Ian Keserich.

Injury Notes- Chris McAllister has been scratched the last two games with an injury and is hoping to return this weekend at Bossier-Shreveport and Mississippi.  Ryan Campbell suffered an upper body injury on Friday and will be re-evaluated this week.

Up Next- The Thunder plays three road games this week, beginning with a match at Tulsa on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.  The Thunder heads to Bossier-Shreveport on Friday and finishes their weekend at Mississippi on Saturday night.  Wichita's next home game is on Wednesday, February 10th versus the Colorado Eagles and is the first of three straight at the INTRUST Bank Arena.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost to the Rapid City Rush 4-1 at the INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday night.

Rapid City used a lengthy drive inside the Thunder zone to open up a 1-0 lead in the first.  After working the puck around the net for nearly a full minute, Scott Wray wrapped around the left post and slid a puck behind Ian Keserich at 13:02.

The Thunder used a power play goal to tie the game for a second straight night at 13:00 in the second period.  Brent Ottmann scored after redirecting a shot from the point by Steve Makway over the left shoulder of Danny Battochio.  Earlier on the same power play, Ian Keserich squelched two Rapid City odd-man rushes while the Rush were shorthanded.

The Rush regained the lead at 7:32 in the third period.  Jon Pelle cut through the Thunder defense to create an open chance in front of the crease, scoring on the power play to make it 2-1.  The took their first two-goal lead of the night at 18:15 when Les Reaney's backhand shot from the right circle clanked off of Keserich's right pad and into the net.  Rich Hansen scored an empty net goal in the final minute to put the game away.

Keserich went 27 for 30, suffering his ninth loss despite beginning the day as the league's leader in save percentage.  Battochio saved 26 of 27 in the win.  The Thunder was 1 for 8 on the power play while Rapid City was 1 for 5.

The Thunder next plays on Tuesday at Tulsa in the makeup of the game originally scheduled for Christmas Day.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  Wichita returns home on Wednesday, February 10th when they host the Colorado Eagles at the INTRUST Bank Arena.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 2-1 to the Mississippi RiverKings on Friday night at the INTRUST Bank Arena.

Former Thunder defenseman Kevin Truelson gave the RiverKings a 1-0 lead with a power play goal at 4:15 in the first period.  Truelson played a screen in front of Thunder goaltender Ian Keserich to rip a slapshot past his right.  Wichita responded on their own power play when former RiverKing Ryan Campbell lifted a shot past Mark Sibbald from the right hashmark at 7:36.

Mississippi regained the lead early in the second at the 3:45 mark.  Jason Reese blocked a slapshot from Nate Schwartzbauer, but the puck deflected in the air off the back of Keserisch and then bounced into the net.
  A defensive battle ensued in the third with neither team finding the back of the net.

Keserich stopped 26 of 28, while Sibbald earned the win saving 23 of 24.  Wichita was 1 for 7 on the power play and 4 for 5 on the penalty kill.

The Thunder takes on the Rapid City Rush tomorrow night at the INTRUST Bank Arena.  It is Sonic Thunderdog's 17th birthday, presented by Sonic Drive-In and Clear Channel.  Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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CLEVELAND, OH – There is something for all hockey fans on this week’s edition of Puska on Pucks, The Original Internet Hockey Show.

Join host Denis J. Puska as he speaks with Joel T. Lomurno, General Manager of the Wichita Thunder to discuss memories of the team’s former home Kansas Coliseum, and their new rink ‘The Intrust Bank Arena.’

A two-part feature begins called ‘Hockey In The UK’ with Neil Chiplen, a writer for Skysports.com. In the first part of the feature Chiplen talks about the state of hockey in the UK and examines some of top teams in the Elite League.

Hockey Weekend Across America will take place from January 29 to 31 and Puska will spend time with Senior Director of Communications for USA Hockey Dave Fisher who will fill everyone in on the national event.

There will also be a review of the ECHL All-Star Game in Ontario, California and the American Hockey League All-Star Classic in Portland, Maine. Fans won’t want to miss a special feature looking at the second half of the professional hockey season called ‘The Second Half, Race to the Playoffs.’

Fans can listen to the new show at www.puskaonpucks.com or www.oursportscentral.com under the OSC Radio Link page. Eight other fan websites now carry a link to the show.

Puska on Pucks is brought to you by Puska Media Services, a communication, production and website content service for sports teams and leagues. Puska Media Services can also develop a specialty concept show for your particular league or team. For inquiries about Puska Media Services concept shows or sponsorship for Puska on Pucks, please contact Denis J. Puska at puskamediasvc@gmail.com.

Thunder Earns Win at Tulsa During Three-Game Stretch- The Wichita Thunder went 1-2-0 during a three-in-three last weekend, beginning with a 2-1 loss at Bossier-Shreveport on Thursday night.  Wichita erased an early 1-0 lead on a goal from Brandon Kaleniecki, but Tyrel Lucas scored a power play goal midway through the third to help the Mudbugs win.  Ian Keserich saved 28 of 30 in the loss.

The following night, the Thunder broke their 22-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Tulsa Oilers at the BOK Center.  Wichita fell behind in the first for a second straight night, but this time rallied past their opponent with four unanswered goals.  Rookie right wing Shane Foster scored a Gordie Howe Hat Trick, which included the first goal of his professional career.  Kevin Cooper notched two points, while Scott Campbell saved 38 of 39 for the win.

The Thunder opened the INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday, falling 2-1 to Tulsa.  Paul Kelly scored the first goal in the history of the building to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead in the second, but Tulsa scored two third period goals for the eventual win.  Keserich faced 41 shots, saving 39 of them in another tough loss.  The Thunder went 3 for 3 on the penalty kill and finished 16 for 17 over the weekend.

Keserich Locked In- Despite falling to 0-7-0 on Saturday, Ian Keserich allowed just two goals in the Thunder's 2-1 loss and made 39 saves.  Keserich has started seven of eight games since joining the Thunder and has allowed three or fewer goals in all of them.  The third-year pro already has four games of 35 or more saves and owns a staggering .931 save percentage with Wichita.  Keserich is now less than 30 minutes shy of qualifying for the league leaders.  Keserich's overall .928 save percentage would rank first in the CHL, while his 2.58 goals against average would rank third.

Kelly In Form- Center Paul Kelly scored the first goal in the history of the INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday, and is currently riding a three-game point streak.  Kelly also earned two points in the Thunder's win at Tulsa on Friday.

Foster Stepping Forward- Rookie right wing Shane Foster battled injuries earlier this season with Colorado and has taken advantage of significant playing time with the Thunder.  In just three games for Wichita, Foster already has three points and two fights, and also scored a Gordie Howe Hat Trick on Friday at Tulsa.

Penalty Kill Hot- The Thunder went 16 for 17 on the penalty kill over the weekend, and is now 38 for its last 40 (.950) during its last seven games.  Wichita has risen from 15th to 13th in the CHL at 81.8%.

Roster Notes- Defenseman Chris Kovalick and left wing Brandon Kaleniecki left the team on Monday for personal reasons.

Up Next- The Thunder returns to the INTRUST Bank Arena this weekend, hosting the Mississippi RiverKings on Friday and the Rapid City Rush on Saturday.  Both games begin at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 2-1 to the Tulsa Oilers on Saturday night in the inaugural game at the INTRUST Bank Arena.

The arena hosted a Thunder-record 13,412 fans in the team's first sellout at their new home.  Ian Keserich stopped 39 of 41 shots, but the Oilers came from behind with two third period goals for the win.

The arena opened with a bang when Shane Foster bouted with Tulsa's Thomas Harrison.  Less than three minutes later, JR Bria and Tyler Fleck engaged in a rematch from Friday night.  Harrison dropped the gloves a second time, taking on Brett Beauchamp inside the 12-minute mark.

Wichita finally broke the scoreless tie at 9:13 into the second.  Shane Foster was robbed of a goal on a one-timer that Trevor Cann kicked behind the net.  Foster picked up his own rebound, wrapped around the left side of the crease and took a backhander that Cann left in front of the net.  Paul Kelly walked into the loose puck and slid it underneath a sprawled out Cann to earn the first goal in the history of the building.  Ian Keserich picked up where Scott Campbell left off on Friday night, stopping all 16 of Tulsa's shots in the second.  The most impressive came with just over 13 minutes left in the period.  Keserich deflected a shot in the air and was forced to stop the rebound by falling back and closing his legs on the puck before it ever hit the ground.

Tulsa raillied in the third to tie it on a wrist shot from TJ Caig at 5:21.  Caig fanned on his attempt from the right circle, but had enough on the shot to take a bounce past the right of Keserich.  Thomas Harrison deflected a rebound past the left of the Thunder goaltender at 12:51 to give Tulsa the lead.  The go-ahead score came seconds after Travis Banga had a goal waved off that rang under the crossbar.  Keserich faced another 17 shots in the third, and denied Caig on a breakaway while the game was still tied.  Wichita had a couple of chances with an extra attacker, including a last second shot by Brandon Kaleniecki that sailed just over the crossbar.

Cann saved 25 of 26 to earn the victory.  Wichita went 3 for 3 on the penalty kill, and 10 for 10 in their two games against the Oilers.  The Thunder was 0 for 4 on the power play.  JR Bria picked up his second fighting major of the game in the second period, taking on Jake Riddle.

The Thunder next plays on Friday, January 29th when they host the Mississippi RiverKings at the INTRUST Bank Arena.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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TULSA, OK- The Wichita Thunder ended their 22-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Tulsa Oilers at the BOK Center on Friday night.

Rookie right wing Shane Foster scored his first professional goal as well as a Gordie Howe Hat Trick, while Scott Campbell earned the Thunder's first win since November 20th, saving 38 of 39.

The teams engaged in a scoreless deadlock for nearly the entire first period, but Tulsa stole an early lead with 24 seconds left.  Aaron Davis made a circle-to-circle pass that Dan Riedel slipped through the backdoor to the left of Scott Campbell on the Oilers' 18th shot of the period.  Campbell had already made two terrific saves earlier to keep the game scoreless, stopping a shorthanded breakaway by Troy Riddle and later diffusing a three-on-one led by Rick Kozak.

Several new acquisitions helped the Thunder gain a 2-1 lead in the second period.  At 7:54, Shane Foster tapped a pass across the edge of the crease allowing Paul Kelly to score past the right of Oilers' goaltender Trevor Cann to tie the game.  A power play goal from Ryan Campbell at 11:46 gave the Thunder their first lead of the night.  Campbell grabbed a rebound from Joel Hanson just underneath the left hashmark and buried it in the left corner of the net with Cann still recovering from Hanson's initial shot.  Scott Campbell made his third miraculous save of the night midway through the second.  While falling backward, the rookie goaltender used his left arm to swat down a rebound from TJ Caig on an exposed net.

Foster gave the Thunder some breathing room, backhanding a rebound past Cann at 10:43 in the third for his first professional goal.  With a two-goal lead, Kevin Cooper raced into the Oilers' zone one-on-one and hit an empty net with 60 seconds left in the game.  With a large crowd on hand, the teams engaged in four fights in the span of 11 game seconds.  Chris McAllister, JR Bria, Shane Foster, and Steve Makway all picked up fighting majors.  Campbell faced 14 more shots in the third, stopping all of them, to pick up his third win this season.

Wichita was a perfect 7 for 7 on the penalty kill while going 1 for 5 on the power play.  Cann saved 22 of 25 in the loss.

The Thunder heads home tomorrow night in a rematch against the Oilers.  The two teams open the brand new INTRUST Bank Arena at 7:05 p.m.  The Thunder office will be open from 10:00-4:00 on Saturday.  For tickets, call (316) 264-GOAL.

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BOSSIER CITY, LA- The Wichita Thunder fell 2-1 to the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs at the Century Tel Center on Thursday night.

The Mudbugs took a 1-0 lead 4:30 into the first on a goal from Tyrel Lucas.  Lucas forced a turnover at the Thunder blue line before playing a screen from the right hash mark, bouncing a shot under the five-hole of Ian Keserich.  Brandon Kaleniecki collected a wide shot off the endboards from Paul Kelly and snuck a close-range backhander behind the left pad of Bugs' goaltender John DeCaro at 12:04 to tie the game.

After a scoreless second period Bossier went back in front on the second goal of the night from Tyrel Lucas.  Seconds after Ian Keserich made a brilliant save on a backdoor slapshot that allowed Wichita to clear the zone on a power play, the Mudbugs drove back inside and scored on a cross-slot pass from Dave Rutherford that Lucas tipped in.  The Thunder successfully killed off over 1:40 of two-man advantage as well as close to four straight minutes of Bossier power play but could not tie the game once they returned to even strength.

Keserich, who started his sixth consecutive game, saved 28 of 30 shots.  John DeCaro stopped 30 of 31 for the win.  Wichita was 0 for 2 on the power play, while the Mudbugs were given seven total chances, converting on Lucas's second goal.

Wichita heads to Tulsa to take on the Oilers at the BOK Center on Friday night.  The Thunder and Oilers then open the INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.  Well over 10,000 seats have already been sold.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder made several roster moves on Tuesday, led by the acquisition of center Ryan Campbell from the Mississippi RiverKings.

Campbell joins the Thunder with 140 goals scored and 317 total points in 315 career professional games.  The 30-year old center had 14 goals and 33 points in 36 games for the RiverKings this season, his fourth in a Memphis/Mississippi sweater in the last five years.  Campbell experienced remarkable production while playing in Italy last season, scoring 34 goals and 66 points in just 32 games for Vipiteno.  The Edmonton, Alberta native was a CHL All-Star in 2008 and enters this season with four consecutive years of 20-plus goals and 60 -plus points.  Campbell comes to Wichita via trade in exchange for veteran center Glenn Detulleo.  Detulleo had four goals and 19 assists in 34 games.

Wichita also signed rookie forward Shane Foster and re-signed defenseman Brett Beauchamp.  Foster appeared in 14 games for the Colorado Eagles this season, tallying two assists.  Beauchamp appeared in five games for the Thunder earlier this season.

The Thunder waived forward Jay Henderson who plans to travel overseas to play in England.  Campbell, Foster, and Beauchamp are expected to be in the lineup Thursday when the Thunder battles the Mudbugs.

The Thunder plays three times in three nights beginning Thursday night at Bossier-Shreveport.  Wichita heads to the BOK Center on Friday to face the Oilers before both Wichita and Tulsa travel back north for the opening of the INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.  Over 8,000 seats have already been sold.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Americans Comeback on Thunder- The Thunder lost 4-2 to the Allen Americans at the Allen Event Center on Saturday in their only game last week.  Wichita had leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but Allen scored three unanswered goals to steal the win.  Both of Wichita's goals came on the power play, snapping a nine-game drought on the man advantage.  It was also the first time since November 21st that the Thunder had multiple power play goals in one game.  Ian Keserich played well in goal, saving 40 of 43 shots. 

Keserich Owning the Crease- Ian Keserich has started five consecutive games since being acquired in a trade with Mississippi in late December.  The Parma, OH native's 0-5-0 record belies how good he has been for Wichita.  In five games, Keserich has stopped 176 of 190 shots for a terrific .926 save percentage.  The 24-year old has allowed three or fewer goals in all five of his starts, and has already had two games of 40 or more saves.  Keserich is less than two games shy of qualifying for the CHL league leaders in which his current .925 save percentage and 2.69 goals against average would rank first and seventh respectively.

Makway Among League's Best- Defenseman Steve Makway, who was acquired in the December trade that also brought in Ian Keserich, has three points in five games with the Thunder.  Makway is fifth in the league in points among defensemen with 27, while his 22 assists rank second.

Reese Notches Point in Debut- Rookie center Jason Reese made his Thunder debut on Saturday at Allen, assisting on Brad Thompson's power play goal in the second period.  Reese was acquired last week in exchange for Marc Belanger.

Thunder Ready for New Home- The Thunder opens the INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday night when they host the Tulsa Oilers at 7:05 p.m.  Wichita closed out the Kansas Coliseum two Saturdays ago in a tough 3-1 loss to the Odessa Jackalopes.  The Thunder has a total of 13 games scheduled at their new home, with the last set for Sunday, March 14th versus Missouri.

Close Calls- The Thunder has lost their last seven games by three goals or less.  Additionally, the opposition has scored an empty net goal against the Thunder in four consecutive games and five total times during the seven-game stretch.

Injury Update- Brad Thompson returned from the 14-Day IR on Saturday at Allen, scoring a goal.  Kyle Bruce was placed on the Season-Ending IR last week with a knee injury.

Up Next- The Thunder plays three games in three nights this week, beginning with a road match against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs on Thursday.  Wichita looks to snap a 12-game regular season losing streak to the Bugs that dates back to December 16, 2006.  Wichita heads to the BOK Center on Friday to face the Tulsa.  The Thunder and Oilers both head to Wichita the following night to open the INTRUST Bank Arena.  For tickets to Saturday's inaugural game, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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ALLEN, TX- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-2 to the Allen Americans at the Allen Event Center on Saturday night.

Wichita twice built one-goal leads, but the Americans scored three unanswered goals in the come-from-behind win.

The Thunder snapped a nine-game drought on the power play at 7:13 in the first period to take a 1-0 lead.  Joel Hanson collected a pass from Steve Makway and snapped a shot from the left hash mark that bounced off the right pad of Americans' goaltender Charlie Effinger before hitting the back of the net.  Wichita carried the lead deep into the period until Jarret Lukin took a breakaway into the Thunder zone.  Ian Keserich made a terrific kick save on Lukin's shot that bounced behind the net, but Colton Yellow Horn came in from Keserich's left and tied the game on a backhand shot from along the goal line at 15:41.

Late in the second, Wichita connected on the power play for a second time to move back in front.  Newly acquired center Jason Reese worked into the low slot and forced a shot that deflected behind Effinger.  Brad Thompson, who returned from the 14-Day IR on Saturday, came in from Effinger's left and tipped in the rebound at the 15:06 mark.  Allen answered right back, scoring just 26 seconds later to tie the game.  Lukin streaked down the left boards on a two-on-one before throwing a backdoor pass across the slot to Kurtis Dulle who punched it by Keserich at 15:32.  During the second period, Wichita killed off a four-minute Americans' power play.

Allen took its first lead of the game just 2:46 into the third.  With Nino Musitelli waiting at the Thunder blue line having just returned from the penalty box, Justin Bowers found Musitelli on a headlong pass from deep inside the Allen zone.  Musitelli created a three-step breakaway and beat Keserich on a backhander under the right corner of the net.  Wichita had several good shots with an extra attacker in the game's final minute, but Allen prevented the Thunder from tying the game.  With 1.1 seconds left, Bowers mimicked his pass earlier in the period and scored on an empty net from his own slot.

Wichita went a perfect 9 for 9 on the penalty kill, while scoring two power play goals for the first time since November 21st.  Keserich suffered another tough loss, saving 40 of 43, with two of the three goals created from breakaways.  Effinger stopped 22 of 24 to earn the win.

The Thunder continues action on the road, heading to Bossier City on Thursdya night to take on the Mudbugs at 7:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder opens the INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday, January 23rd when they host the Tulsa Oilers at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Drops Two to Close Coliseum- The Wichita Thunder dropped a 4-1 decision to the Tulsa Oilers on Friday night.  The Oilers scored two goals midway through the first period and never looked back.  Down 3-0 in the second, Steve Makway scored to cut into the lead, but it would be all the offense Wichita produced.  Ian Keserich saved 28 of 31 in the loss.  Marty Standish, Aaron Davis, and Troy Riddle all had multi-point nights for Tulsa.

The Thunder closed out the Kansas Coliseum on Saturday, losing 3-1 to the Odessa Jackalopes.  Brent Ottmann scored just 2:05 into the game, and the Thunder held a 1-0 advantage into the third.  However, Odessa rallied for three goals, two by Mike Ramsay, and took control of the game.  Ramsay and Kenny Bernard each had three points.  Keserich starred again in the loss, saving 32 of 34.

Keserich Doing His Part- Despite an 0-4-0 start with the Thunder, recently acquired goaltender Ian Keserich has been outstanding.  Keserich, who turned 24 last week, has stopped 136 of 147 shots for a .925 save percentage.  Keserich has also been a workhorse, starting four consecutive games and allowing three or fewer goals in all four.

Makway Among League Leaders- Steve Makway ranks fourth in the CHL among defensemen with 26 points and is tied for first with 21 assists.  Makway has two points in four games with the Thunder.

Thunder Makes Deal With Jackalopes- Wichita acquired center Paul Kelly and defenseman JR Bria from the Odessa Jackalopes early last week in exchange for Troy Ofukany.  Kelly scored 53 points in 62 games two seasons ago for the Tulsa Oilers and brings four years of ECHL experience.  Bria finished +15 with 16 points in 62 games as a member of the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs last season.

Thunder Aqcuires WHL Star- The Thunder made its second trade of the week, and third in 11 days on Saturday, acquiring rookie center Jason Reese from the Arizona Sundogs in exchamge for Marc Belanger.  Reese spent six seasons playing at the Major Junior level in the WHL, scoring 273 points in 317 games.  The 21-year old posted 31 goals and 51 assists with a +20 rating in 69 games for the Tri-City Americans last year.

Injury Update- Brad Thompson remains on the 14-Day IR with a concussion.  Head Coach Jason Duda will undergo back surgery on Monday and will not be present in Allen on Saturday.  Assistant Coach Rob Boyle is expected to handle the team in Duda's absence.

INTRUST Bank Arena Notes- The Thunder moves into their new home on Saturday, January 23rd when they host the Tulsa Oilers at 7:05 p.m.  Former Wichita resident and American Idol finalist Phil Stacey will be on hand to perform the National Anthem.  The Thunder's first practice at the new arena is tentatively set for January 18th. 

Up Next- With the All-Star Game scheduled for Wednesday in Laredo, the Thunder has just one contest this week, heading to Allen on Saturday night to take on the Americans at 7:30 p.m.  Wichita has three games in three nights next week, playing at Bossier-Shreveport on Thursday and Tulsa on Friday before opening the INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 3-1 to the Odessa Jackalopes on Saturday night in the final game at the Kansas Coliseum.

The Thunder took an early 1-0 lead at the 2:05 mark in the first period.  Brent Ottmann collected a cross-ice pass from Kyle Bruce and backhanded it past the right of Jackalopes' goaltender Juha Toivonen.  Wichita's penalty kill survived several Odessa power play chances, including nearly half a minute of five-on-three in the closing minute of the period.

Wichita staved off 3:28 worth of penalties to start the second that carried over from the opening frame.  Later in the second, Ian Keserich preserved the 1-0 lead, stopping a two-on-one with less than five minutes
left.

Kenny Bernard made a centering pass in front of the crease that Mike Ramsay chipped into the net at 3:41 to tie the game.  At 16:08, Ramsay struck shorhanded, nailing the backdoor after Keserich had made two more spectacular saves on an Odessa odd-man rush.  Wichita pulled Kerseich in the final minute but could not tie the game, with Ramsay assisting on Bernard's empty net goal to make it 3-1.

Keserich stopped 32 of 34 in the loss, his fourth straight in a Thunder uniform.  Juha Toivonen picked up the win, saving 23 of 24.  Both teams were 0 for 6 on the power play.

The Thunder next plays on Saturday when they take on the Allen Americans in Allen, TX.  Wichita's first game at the INTRUST Bank Arena is Saturday, January 23rd versus the Tulsa Oilers.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder announced its "All-Kansas Coliseum Team" prior to the building's final game on Saturday night.

The six-player squad is composed of forwards Jason Duda, Travis Clayton, and Tom Roulston, defensemen Sean O'Reilly and Brad Knelson, and goaltender Bobby Desjardins.

Duda is in his 14th consecutive season with the Thunder and is the franchise's all-time leader in games played (730), goals (337), assists (533), and points (870), records that were all broken last season.  Duda also ranks second all-time in CHL history in games played, and third in goals, assists, and points.  Born in Sexsmith, Alberta, Duda produced one of the Coliseum's most memorable moments when he scored in overtime in Game Four of the 1997 CHL Quarterfinals to eliminate rival Oklahoma City.  Earlier this season, Duda took over as Head Coach of the Thunder.

Clayton spent 11 seasons in Wichita, and still ranks second in Thunder history in games played, goals, assists, and points.  Last season, the Paradise Hill, Saskatchewan native broke the CHL's record for games played and is currently second in CHL history in goals, assists, and points.

Roulston was a member of the Thunder's second championship team, scoring 30 points in 23 games down the stretch of 1995.  Roulston added 24 more points in just 11 playoff contests helping the Thunder capture back-to-back league titles.  Drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the third round in 1977, Roulston spent five seasons in the NHL, appearing in 195 games for the Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Winnipeg, Manitoba native was also a member of the original Central Hockey League, playing two seasons for the Wichita Wind from 1980-1982.

O'Reilly spent five seasons in a Thunder sweater from 1997-2002, averaging over 185 penalty minutes per season, and twice finishing with more than 200.  The London, Ontario native's 926 PIM rank fourth in Thunder history, while his 169 points are first among Thunder blue liners.  Nicknamed "The Junkyard Dog", O'Reilly helped the Thunder to three consecutive playoff berths from 1998-2000.

Knelson (pronounced kuh-NELL-son) played three seasons for the Wichita Wind from 1980-1983, teaming with Roulston to help the Wind reach the playoffs in both 1981 and 1982.  Drafted by the Boston Bruins in the third round in 1978, Knelson averaged 24 points and 163 penalty minutes per season during his time in Wichita.  The native of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan also played two seasons in the AHL.

Desjardins manned the crease during the Thunder's first two seasons, winning the CHL's inaugural Rookie of the Year award in 1993, and helping the Thunder win their first championship the following season.  Born in Verdun, Quebec, Desjardins went 38-12-5 during the 1993-94 season and won the CHL's Bill Levins Most Valuable Player award before posting an 8-2 mark in the postseason.  To this day, Desjardins still ranks first in Thunder history in wins, minutes played, and saves.  He is also one of only three players to have his number (#35) retired by the Thunder.

The Thunder leaves the Coliseum with a composite record of 337-224-52 (.600) record in the regular season and playoffs.  The Thunder's first game was played on November 4th, 1992 when Wichita defeated the Fort Worth Fire 6-4.  The Thunder clinched its second championship on April 18th, 1995 at the Coliseum, beating the San Antonio Iguanas 9-4 in Game Six of the CHL Finals.

Wichita's first game at the INTRUST Bank Arena is Saturday, January 23rd versus the Tulsa Oilers.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder acquired rookie center Jason Reese from the Arizona Sundogs in exchange for right wing Marc Belanger on Saturday morning.

Reese began the season with the Texas Brahmas scoring 10 points in 16 games before getting traded to Arizona on December 2nd.  The Gresham, OR native scored one goal and one assist in 10 games for the Sundogs before this morning's trade.

The 21-year old Reese is a true rookie, having spent the previous six years playing Major Juniors in the prestigious WHL.  Last season, Reese scored 31 goals and 50 assists in 69 games while finishing +20 for the Tri-City Americans.  For his junior career, Reese scored 273 points in 317 games with a remarkable +72 rating.  Reese scored 24 or more goals and 70 or more points in each of his final three seasons in the WHL.

Belanger had nine goals and six assists in 31 games for the Thunder this season.  Wichita acquired Belanger as a rookie from the Texas Brahmas in January of 2009, during which he scored 20 goals and nine assists in 62 games.

The trade is the third made by the Thunder in the last 10 days.  Reese is expected to join the Thunder for their road game at Allen next Saturday.  The Thunder play tonight at 7:05 p.m., hosting the Odessa Jackalopes at the Kansas Coliseum.  It is the Thunder's final game in the history of the building.  A pre-game ceremony unveiling the All-Kansas Coliseum Team will take place with several former Thunder and Wind players on hand.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-1 to the Tulsa Oilers at the Kansas Coliseum on Friday night.

Tulsa took a 1-0 lead at 11:12 in the first when Thomas Harrison snuck a bouncing puck through the five-hole of Ian Keserich.  Derek Eastman made it 2-0 with a power play goal at 16:41, setup by Aaron Davis.  Davis slid the puck to the right of the crease from behind the Thunder net, allowing Eastment to punch it past the backdoor of Keserich.

Tulsa crashed three players to the net, eventually setting up a wide open chance that Jeff Gumaer finished off at 12:20 in the second period to make it 3-0.  Wichita cracked Oilers' goaltender at 14:57 in the second on Steve Makway's first Thunder goal.  Jay Henderson entered the zone one-on-one down the right boards before making a cross-slot drop pass to Makway.  Cann committed just enough to his right for Makway to snap a shot under the left corner of the net.

The Oilers put the game away with an empty net goal from Troy Riddle in the final minute.  Ian Keserich saved 28 of 31 in the loss.  Trevor Cann stopped 27 of 28 for the victory.  Wichita was 0 for 4 on the power play, while Tulsa was 1 for 5.

The Thunder next plays on Saturday when they host the Odessa Jackalopes at 7:05 p.m. in the final game in the history of the Kansas Coliseum.  Prior to the game, the All-Kansas Coliseum Team will be unveiled.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder made their second trade in the last eight days, acquiring center Paul Kelly and defenseman JR Bria from the Odessa Jackalopes in exchange for Troy Ofukany.

Kelly had 12 goals and nine assists in 31 games for the Jackalopes this season and has 188 points in 291 games for his career.  The Peabody, MA native's best season came two years ago when he scored 26 goals and 53 total points in 62 games for the Tulsa Oilers.  Now in his fifth professional season, Kelly spent four seasons in the ECHL, including a portion of last year with the South Carolina Stingrays.  The 29-year old center played two seasons of college hockey at SUNY-Plattsburgh in New York as well as one season at Boston College.

Bria (pronounced BREE-uh) played in five games for the Jackalopes before heading on the 30-Day IR in late October.  The fourth-year professional played air-tight defense for the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs last season, finishing with a +15 rating in 62 games while contributing two goals and 14 assists.  The 27-year old spent two years in the ECHL, most recently with Pensacola in 2007-08.  Bria split his college career, playing two years each at Colgate University and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

Ofukany had five goals, four assists, and 37 PIM in 31 games with a -24 rating.  As a true rookie last season, Ofukany had 36 points and 122 PIM in 62 games.  Kelly and Bria are expected to arrive in Wichita tomorrow and will be available for Wichita's match versus Tulsa on Friday.

The Thunder returns to the ice on Friday when they host the Tulsa Oilers.  The following night, Wichita faces Ofukany and the Jackalopes in the final game at the Kansas Coliseum.  Both contests begin at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Drops Three Close Games
Wichita lost three games last week, all decided by three goals or less, beginning with a 4-2 loss to the Rapid City Rush on Tuesday at the Kansas Coliseum.  Brandon Kaleniecki scored two third period goals, including a shorthanded score in the game's final minute.  The Thunder outshot the Rush 32 to 26.

The Thunder closed out 2009 with a 3-0 loss to the expansion Allen Americans on Thursday night.  It marked the second time in three games and fifth time overall this season that Wichita was shutout.  Allen scored a single goal in each period to build their lead.  Ian Keserich, Kevin Cooper, and Steve Makway made their Thunder debuts with Keserich saving 34 of 37 in the loss.

Wichita fell 4-1 to the Rush on Saturday night in Rapid City.  The Rush broke a scoreless tie late in the second period and added their second goal early in the third to take command of the game.  Keserich stopped 41 of 44 in the loss.  The 41 saves were a season-high for a Thunder goaltender this year.  Kevin Cooper scored the Thunder's lone goal late in the third while Steve Makway picked up his first Thunder assist.

Keserich Strong In Debut
New goaltender Ian Keserich has made an immediate impact for the Thunder.  Keserich saved 75 of 81 (.926) shots in his first two games with the Thunder.

Jorgensen Headed to All-Star Game
Thunder defenseman Jim Jorgensen was selected to the CHL All-Star team last week.  Jorgensen has 12 points in 31 games, tops among Thunder defensemen.  The All-Star Game is scheduled for January 13th in Laredo, in which a team formed from the Bucks, IceRays, and Killer Bees will take on the CHL All-Stars.

Coliseum Countdown
Just two games remain in the history of the Kansas Coliseum.  Wichita hosts the Tulsa Oilers on Friday night before playing their final game at Britt Brown Arena on Saturday when they take on the Odessa Jackalopes.

IBA on the Horizon
After this weekend, the Thunder next plays at home on Saturday, January 23rd when they host the Tulsa Oilers in the inaugural game at the INTRUST Bank Arena downtown.

Thunder Makes Trade With RiverKings
Last week the Thunder acquired goaltender Ian Keserich, defenseman Steve Makway, and left wing Kevin Cooper from the Mississippi RiverKings in exchange for Tim Boron and Kevin Truelson.  Keserich posted a 3.14 goals against average and .902 save percentage with the ECHL's Johnstown Chiefs last season.  In his first stint with Mississippi two years ago, the Parma, OH native won seven of his final 10 decisions at the end of 2008 to help the Kings grab the Northern Conference's final playoff spot.  Cooper spent the last two seasons with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, scoring 89 points in 93 games.  Makway ranked first in the CHL among defensemen with 20 assists at the time of the trade.  Makway scored 84 points in 126 games for the Thunder from 2006-2008. 

Injury Update
Brad Thompson was scratched from Saturday's game at Rapid City with a concussion and is considered day-to-day.  Head Coach Jason Duda was placed on the Season Ending IR last week with a back injury and will undergo surgery later this month.

Up Next
Wichita plays two home games this week, hosting Tulsa on Friday and Odessa on Saturday in the final two games at the Kansas Coliseum.  Both contests begin at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets to this weekend's game, as well as all games at the INTRUST Bank Arena, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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RAPID CITY, SD- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-1 to the Rapid City Rush at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center on Saturday night.

Ian Keserich saved 41 of 44 in this second Wichita start and Kevin Cooper scored his first Thunder goal, but the Thunder was unable to find anymore offense.

Neither team scored in a hard-hitting first period.  Ian Keserich stopped all 14 of the Rush's shots, while the Thunder defense killed two Rapid City power plays.

At 13:47 in the second period, Brendan Cook took a wrist shot from the half-board that bounced end-over-end several times before sneaking under Keserich's five hole to give the Rush a 1-0 lead.

Luke Erickson scored from the slot on a three-on-one at 2:28 in the second to give Rapid City a 2-0 lead.  After a Thunder turnover in the slot, Derek LeBlanc rifled a shot past Keserich at 13:40 to make it 3-0.  Wichita finally got on the board with just over a minute left to cut into the lead.  Steve Makway made a diagnol pass through the slot that Kevin Cooper nailed under the crossbar from the right circle at 18:44.  With Keserich pulled in the final minute, Jon Pelle collected a loose puck on the empty net, skating into the offensive zone by himself.  Pelle then skated beyond the halfway point of the zone before shooting directly to the middle of the vacated goal at with less than five seconds left in the game and a two-goal lead to ice the 4-1 win.

Keserich took the tough loss, while Danny Battochio saved 27 of 28 for the win.  Wichita went 0 for 1 on the power play while going a perfect 5 for 5 on the penalty kill.

The Thunder returns home this weekend for their final games at the Kansas Coliseum.  Tulsa visits on Friday, while the arena's final game is scheduled for Saturday versus Odessa.  Tickets are on sale for both games, as well as all games at the new INTRUST Bank Arena.  For more information, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 3-0 to the Allen Americans on Thursday night at the Kansas Coliseum.

Americans' goaltender Charlie Effinger earned a 31-save shutout, marking the second time in three games Wichita has not scored.

Allen scored first, with the help from Effinger who threw a breakout pass down the left side of the neutral zone that was picked up by Nathan O'Nabigon.  O'Nabigon crossed the Thunder's blue line and ripped a long shot to the long side of the net that landed just under the corner.

In the second, the Americans opened a 2-0 lead on a power play goal from Christian Gaudet.  Jarret Lukin shot into traffic in front of the net and referee Dan Dreger ruled that Thunder goaltender Ian Keserich did not have full control of the puck when Gaudet slipped it underneath his pads at 16:27.

A two-man advantage power play goal from Tyler Woodisse iced the game for Allen, coming with less than 27 seconds left in the game.  Late in the third, Kyle Bruce was up-ended by Americans' forward Justin Bowers.  Bruce came after Bowers who shied away before Bruce Graham intervened.  A fight ensued between Bruce and Graham with Graham's helmet not coming off until deep into the bout when Bruce was able to knock it free.  Now with equal equipment on the ice, Bruce landed several jabs to the face of Graham, who stood six inches taller, before the lineseman broke up the scrum.  Later in the period, Brandon Kaleniecki was hit in the face by Chris Kaufman, out of referee Dan Dreger's sightline, while waiting for a backdoor rebound.  Kaleniecki was charged with a penalty several seconds later however, and sent to the penalty box.  On one of the last faceoffs of the period, Jay Henderson took down Bowers who again failed to drop the gloves.

In his Thunder debut, Ian Keserich saved 34 of 37, including several impressive stops on backdoor shots early in the game.  Wichita was 0 for 2 on the power play, while the Americans were 2 for 6.

The Thunder heads to Rapid City on Saturday, taking on the Rush at 8:05 p.m.  Wichita returns home for its final weekend at the Kansas Coliseum when they host Tulsa on January 8th and Odessa on January 9th.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder learned Thursday that veteran left wing and current Head Coach Jason Duda has been named to the Central Hockey League's All-Decade Second Team as a forward.

Duda, now in his 14th season as a member of the Thunder, is the franchise's all-time leader in games played (730), goals (337), assists (533), and points (870).  The 34-year old Duda broke each of those records last season, eclipsing former teammate and fellow All-Decade Team member Travis Clayton.

In one of the most memorable moments in Thunder history, Duda scored the series-clinching overtime goal against the Oklahoma City Blazers, the team that traded him to Wichita, in Game Four of the first round of the 1997 playoffs.

The Sexsmith, Alberta native has been named the Thunder's Most Valuable Player three times, including last season.  Duda is second all-time in the CHL in games played, third in goals and assists, and fourth in points.

Duda got off to a hot start this season, scoring five points in five games before landing on the IR with a back injury.  Duda has served as the Thunder's Head Coach since mid-November.  He and his wife Deah recently welcomed their second child, a baby boy Jackson.  Duda was placed on the Season-Ending IR earlier this week and is expected to undergo back surgery in 2010.

It was also announced today that Thunder defenseman Jim Jorgensen has been selected to the CHL All-Star Game as a reserve.  Jorgensen's 12 points are best on the team among blue liners.  The Sault Ste Marie, MI native scored a goal and two assists in a win versus Tulsa on October 23rd.  This year's All-Star Game is scheduled for January 13th at the Laredo Entertainment Center in Laredo, TX.  The format is similar to last season's game in that the host Laredo Bucks will team with the Corpus Christi IceRays and Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees to form a squad that will take on Jorgensen and the rest of the CHL's All-Stars.

The Thunder wraps up 2009 tonight at 5:05 p.m. when they host the expansion Allen Americans in the first ever meeting between the two teams.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder dropped a 4-2 decision to the Rapid City Rush on Tuesday night.

Brandon Kaleniecki scored two goals, but the Rush made use of single scores in each of the first two periods.

The Thunder fell behind midway through the first.  Rush forward Rich Hansen scored on a long wrist shot from just inside the blue line at 10:31 in the first.  Hansen was setup by a drop pass in neutral ice from Scott Wray.

Rapid City extended its lead to 2-0 in the second.  Blaine Jarvis streaked down the left side of the slot and tipped in a backdoor pass from Scott Bartlett at 7:29.  Marc Belanger picked up his first fighting major of the season at the 10:30 marker.  After Belanger checked Reaney, Derek LeBlanc grabbed the Thunder right wing to start the bout.

Down 2-0 in the third, Kaleniecki took a shot from the left side of the net that deflected off of goaltender Miguel Beaudry and ricocheted behind the goal.  Kaleniecki collected the rebound and wrapped around to the right side of the crease and scored on a backhander at 11:43 to cut into the lead.  50 seconds later, Jon Pelle collected a loose puck inside the Thunder zone and sprinted to the net on a short breakaway before netting a high backhand shot that got over the shoulder of Scott Campbell.

Kaleniecki made it a one-goal game for a second time in the period in the final minute, wristing a shorthanded goal just under the crossbar with 25.4 seconds left in the game.  On the ensuing faceoff, Wichita pulled Campbell to even the attack.  Rapid City won the draw and eventually iced the game on an empty net goal from Pelle at 19:43.

The Thunder outshot the Rush 32 to 26.  Wichita was 0 for 4 on the power play while going 4 for 5 on the penalty kill.

Earlier today, the Thunder acquired defenseman Steve Makway, left wing Kevin Cooper, and goaltender Ian Keserich from the Mississippi RiverKings in exchange for Kevin Truelson and Tim Boron.

The Thunder resumes action on Thursday when they host the Allen Americans at 5:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder bolstered their roster in a trade with the Mississippi RiverKings on Tuesday, acquiring defenseman Steve Makway, forward Kevin Cooper, and goaltender Ian Keserich.

Makway currently ranks third in the CHL among defensemen with 24 points, and first with 20 assists.  After spending two seasons with the RiverKings from 2005-2007 in which he notched 84 points in 126 games, Makway split time in the ECHL last year with Las Vegas and Cincinnati.   The Trail, British Columbia native has posted at least 147 PIM in each of the first five seasons of his career, including a career-best 182 with the RiverKings in 2006-07.

Cooper scored four goals and four assists in 11 games with the RiverKings after starting the year with the Texas Brahmas.  Cooper played for the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs each of the last two years, totaling 89 points in 93 games.  The 28-year old Toronto native has 220 points in 288 career games.

Keserich was 3-1-1 for Mississippi with a 2.55 goals against average and .923 save percentage.  A seventh round draft pick by the Colorado Avalanche in 2004, Keserich went 13-14-2 for the ECHL's Johnstown Chiefs last season with a 3.14 goals against average and a .902 save percentage.  Keserich shared time with the RiverKings and Colorado Eagles in 2007-08 going 15-9-3.

All three players will arrive in Wichita on Wednesday and are expected to be in the lineup when Wichita hosts the Allen Americans on Thursday night.  In exchange for the trio, Wichita sent defenseman Kevin Truelson and goaltender Tim Boron to Mississippi.

The Thunder also announced the makeup date for their postponed game at Tulsa from Christmas Day.  The Thunder and Oilers have scheduled a game for Tuesday, February 2nd at the BOK Center.  The Thunder resumes action tonight against the Rapid City Rush at the Kansas Coliseum at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Downed Twice- The Wichita Thunder lost two games over the weekend, beginning with a 6-2 loss to the Missouri Mavericks on Friday night at the Kansas Coliseum.  Missouri scored two late first period goals just 19 seconds apart, but second period tallies from Brandon Kaleniecki and Chris McAllister kept the Thunder within one goal.  Wichita missed an opportunity to do further damage when Missouri killed off a five-minute continuous power play.  The Mavericks then scored three times in the third to break the game open.  Scott Campbell, who entered the game in relief of Jon Horrell, took the loss allowing four goals on 23 shots.  Kaleniecki and Glenn Detulleo each had two points.

Wichita suffered a 2-0 shutout against the Texas Brahmas on Sunday evening in North Richland Hills.  Texas scored an early goal in each of the first two periods, which proved enough support for goaltender Joe Palmer who earned a 39-save shutout.  Wichita notched 17 shots on goal in the second period of the game, tying their season-high.  Campbell took a tough loss, saving 24 of 26.  Chris Kovalcik and Jay Henderson collected fighting majors.  The loss dropped the Thunder to 0-6-1 against the Mavericks this season.

Christmas Game Postponed- The Thunder and Tulsa Oilers' scheduled match on Christmas was postponed due to inclement weather that forced the closing of major highways in between Kansas and Oklahoma.  A makeup date at the BOK Center has not been announced yet.

Coliseum Countdown- The Thunder is rapidly approaching its final game at the Kansas Coliseum, host to every Thunder home game since the franchise began play in 1992-93.  Just four games remain at the Britt Brown Arena, including two this week.  The venue's final game is scheduled for Saturday, January 9th versus the Odessa Jackalopes.  Wichita opens the new INTRUST Bank Arena on January 23rd when they host Tulsa.

Teddy Bears Delivered- The Thunder collected almost 1,300 teddy bears during their annual teddy bear toss on December 19th.  The bears were delivered to various children's hospitals across Wichita.

Thunder Roughing Things Up- After the Thunder's two fighting majors on Sunday night at Texas, Wichita now has 39 major penalties on the season, second only to the Missouri Mavericks' 40.  The Thunder also ranks third with four 10-minute misconducts and seven game misconducts.  Chris McAllister's 31 minors and 102 PIM rank first among CHL defensemen.  Chris Kovalcik is second among defensemen with 89 PIM and third with nine majors.

Campbell Working Hard- Rookie goaltender Scott Campbell saved 24 of 26 in the Thunder's 2-0 loss on Sunday.  It marked Campbell's 17th appearance of the season.  Campbell's career-high in college in games played was 16 set during his junior season at Lake Forest College.

Jorgensen's 100th- Defenseman Jim Jorgensen appeared in his 100th career game on Saturday versus Missouri.  Jorgensen spent the first two seasons of his career in the ECHL, scoring a career-high 23 points with three teams last season.

Truelson Approaching Milestone- Defenseman Kevin Truelson is one point shy of 200 for his professional career.  The New England native spent six seasons in the ECHL, including three straight seasons of 40 or more points from 2006-2008.

Injury Update- Jason Duda remains on the 30-Day IR with a back injury.

Up Next- The Thunder has a busy week ahead, taking on Rapid City at the Coliseum on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m.  The Thunder also plays on New Year's Eve at home at 5:05 p.m. in their first ever meeting with the expansion Allen Americans.  After Thursday's game, the Thunder travels north to face the Rush in Rapid City on Saturday night.  For tickets to this week's games, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX- The Wichita Thunder lost 2-0 to the Texas Brahmas at the NYTEX Sports Centre on Sunday evening.

Texas took a 1-0 lead at the 4:28 mark in the first period on a power play goal from Tyler Skworchinski.  Skworchinski scored on a one-timer in the slot after receiving a centering pass from Elias Godoy that came from behind the net.  The Brahmas increased their lead to 2-0 when Mark Kolanos fired a puck that squeezed under the left corner of the net at 5:24.

Brahmas' netminder Joe Palmer earned a 39-save shutout in the win.  Scott Campbell saved 24 of 26 in the tough loss.  Wichita was 0 for 6 on the power play, while Texas was 1 for 8.  Wichita's 17 second period shots tied a season-high.  Chris Kovalcik and Jay Henderson both picked up fighting majors.

The Thunder next plays on Tuesday, December 29th when they host the Rapid City Rush at the Kansas Coliseum.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 6-2 to the Missouri Mavericks at the Kansas Coliseum on Saturday night.

The Mavericks broke a scoreless tie late in the first period when Simon Watson tipped in Jared LAvender's soft shot from the point at 16:05.  Just 19 seconds later, Jeff Christian swooped in behind the net and snuck a backhand shot on a wrap around past the right of Jon Horrell to make it 2-0.  Horrell was then lifted in favor of Scott Campbell.

Brandon Kaleniecki finished off a three-on-one at the 4:36 mark in the second period to get Wichita on the board.  Kaleniecki potted a last second pass at the top of the crease from Jay Henderson.  1:09 later, the Mavericks re-extended their lead.  Karl Sellan worked a half-step breakaway and connected on a wrist shot over the right shoulder of Campbell.  The Thunder cut into the lead for a second time at 16:15 when Chris McAllister took a shot from the left point that snuck through Alexandre Vincent's five hole.  In the closing minutes of the period, Chris Kovalcik executed a clean body check on Jeff Christian near the Missouri penalty box.  After targeting him near the Thunder's net, the NHL veteran elbowed Kovalcik in the head and hurried away, leaving the Thunder defenseman down on the ice.  Christian was handed a five-minute major for elbowing.

Wichita could not capitalize on the continuous power play, which extended into the third period, and the Mavericks upped their lead to 4-2 shortly after it expired.  Simon Watson poked one beyond Campbell from close range at 4:36 in the third, marking the third time in the game Missouri led by two goals.  Christian sniped his second goal of the game, just clearing the top corner of the net from the left faceoff circle at 15:04 to make it 5-2.  Derek Pallardy worked a shothanded breakaway in the game's final minute and scored on a wristshot for a 6-2 Mavericks' lead.

Horrell took the loss, saving nine of 11 shots.  Campbell stopped 17 of 21 in the relief appearance.  Vincent took the win, saving 23 of 25.  Kaleniecki and Glenn Detulleo had multi point games.  Wichita was 0 for 5 on the power play while Missouri was 0 for 2.  The Mavericks improved to 7-0 against the Thunder this season.

The Thunder head to Texas for a Sunday evening game against the defending champion Texas Brahmas at 4:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard live worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  Wichita returns home on Tuesday when they host the Rapid City Rush at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder's Christmas Day game against the Tulsa Oilers has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date.

Inclement weather forced the closing of several main roads between Kansas and Oklahoma.  The makeup date for Friday's game has not yet been determined.  The Thunder is expected to continue play on Saturday versus Missouri as scheduled.

The Thunder and Mavericks drop the puck at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Drops Two to Mudbugs- The Wichita Thunder lost two games to the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs last weekend.  The Thunder fell 6-2 on Friday night.  Bossier powered in front with three first period goals.  The Thunder received scores from Jason Woll and Jay Henderson, twice pulling within two, but could not get any closer.  The Mudbugs scored two more in the third to put the game away.  Chris McAllister earned a season-high 21 PIM.  Tim Boron saved 25 of 31 in the loss.

Wichita lost a tight 3-2 battle on Saturday night.  This time it was the Thunder who took the early lead when Brent Ottmann delivered the game's first goal in the first period.  Bossier rallied for two goals just 42 seconds apart late in the second to take a 2-1 lead.  Glenn Detulleo tied the game at 6:09 in the third with a shot along the boards, but the Mudbugs took the lead for good on Joe Ori's goal at 10:18.  Jon Horrell saved 20 of 23 in the loss.

Kaleniecki Consistent- Left wing Brandon Kaleniecki returned from the 14-Day IR on Friday night.  Kaleniecki has finished "even" or in the "plus" in 11 of 12 games this season.

Killing the Opposition- The Thunder has played a strong physical game this season.  Thunder Captain Chris McAllister ranks fifth in the CHL and first among defensemen with 98 PIM.  Chris Kovalcik is fifth among defensemen with eight fighting majors and also fifth with 70 PIM.  Jason Woll's 39 PIM are fifth among CHL rookies.  As a team, the Thunder's 37 majors ranks second only to Missouri's 39.  The Thunder is also tied for third in 10-minute Misconducts and Game Misconducts.

Belanger Cleaning Up- Second-year right wing Marc Belanger has five goals and two assists in his last six games.  Belanger scored a hat trick on December 12th at Rapid City, the first by a Thunder player this year.

Henderson Notches First Points- Left wing Jay Henderson scored his first Thunder goal on Friday night vs. Bossier-Shreveport and then picked up his first Thunder assist the following night.

Truelson Racking Up Points- Defenseman Kevin Truelson had an assist on Saturday night and now has four points in his last six games.

Rookie Heating Up- Rookie center Brent Ottmann scored his second goal of the season on Saturday night.  Ottmann has three points in his last four games and is +2 in his last six.

Injury Update- The Thunder returned Tim Boron and Brandon Kaleniecki from the IR on Friday night.  Chris Kovalcik was scratched on Saturday due to an ankle injury and is day-to-day.  Jason Duda remains on the 30-Day IR with a back injury.

Up Next- The Thunder has a busy holiday weekend, heading to Tulsa on Christmas.  The Thunder returns home Saturday to host the Missouri Mavericks at 7:05 p.m.  Wichita then heads to Texas on Sunday evening to take on the defending champion Brahmas for the first time this year.  For tickets to Saturday's game, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 3-2 to the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs at the Kansas Coliseum on Saturday night.

The Thunder took a 1-0 lead at 8:37 in the first period when Brent Ottmann's wrist shot from the left hashmark beat Ken Carroll to the right.  Ottmann grabbed a rebound from Jay Henderson who had just stripped the puck from a Bugs' defender.  Inside the six-minute marker, Jon Horrell made a clutch save on a two-on-one, kicking his right pad out to protect the backdoor and preserve the lead.

Bossier tied the game at 1-1 on a power play goal at the 16:54 mark in the second.  Tyrel Lucas took a snap shot from the left hash mark that Jon Horrell tipped with his glove, causing it to dribble behind him.  Dave Pszenyczny skated in from the left side of the crease and tipped the glove into the net before Horrell had a chance to reach back.  42 seconds later, Mark Johnson connected on a one-timer on a pass from the corner by Joe Ori.

Glenn Detulleo's shot from the right half-wall at 6:09 in the third period bounced past Carroll on the long side of the net to tie the game.  The Mudbugs regained the lead at 10:18 when a falling Joe Ori buried a pass from the corner by Joe Blaznek over the shoulder of Horrell.

Horrell saved 20 of 23 in the loss, while Carroll earned the win saving 13 of 15.  Wichita went 0 for 5 on the power play.  The Mudbugs were 1 for 6.

The Thunder heads to Tulsa on Christmas evening at 7:35 p.m.  Wichita's next home game is Saturday, December 26th when they host the Missouri Mavericks at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder fell 6-2 to the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs at the Kansas Coliseum on Friday night.

The Mudbugs got off to a quick start, scoring three times within the game's first 12 minutes.  Brett Smith's clean faceoff win went right into the hands of Simon Mangos who launched a shot that rang under the crossbar at 5:34 to give the Mudbugs a 1-0 lead.  Less than a minute later, Dave Pszenyczny converted a power play chance when he scored on a backdoor slapshot on a pass from Travis Clayton at 6:20.  Shortly after the Mudbugs' second goal, Chris Kovalcik dropped the gloves with Bossier-Shreveport's James DeLory.  Tyrel Lucas made it 3-0 at the 11:28 marker in the first, also scoring on a backdoor pass.

The Thunder cut into the lead at 6:19 in the second period.  Brent Ottmann slid the puck across the slot for defenseman Jason Woll who jumped into the offensive play near the crease.  Woll then buried the puck to the left of John DeCaro.  Bossier-Shreveport re-extended its lead 30 seconds later when DeLory scored on Mark Johnson's pass to the right side of the crease.

The Thunder scored its second goal of the night at 9:35 to pull within 4-2.  Jay Henderson collected a loose puck down the right boards, beat his defender, and then snapped a shot past DeCaro's right.  The Thunder survived a five-minute Mudbugs' power play at the end of the period following an altercation between Chris McAllister and Mark Johnson.  Despite both players dropping their gloves, referee Ryan Hersey only charged McAllister with a fighting major which resulted in the long power play.

The Mudbugs put the game away with two scores in the third period.  Jeff Kyrzakos found the back of the net at 10:29 for Bossier's fifth goal of the game.  Joe Ori tapped in a rebound on the right of the net after Tim Boron made an acrobatic save on the left.

Boron, playing for the first time since October 30th, was touched for six goals while facing 31 total shots.  John DeCaro saved 18 of 20 for the win.  Wichita was 0 for 5 on the power play while the Mudbugs were 1 for 4.

The Thunder and Mudbugs finish their weekend series Saturday night.  Opening faceoff at the Coliseum is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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LOVELAND, CO- The Wichita Thunder lost 8-2 to the Colorado Eagles at the Budweiser Events Center on Wednesday night.

Marc Belanger scored twice and the Thunder took a 2-1 lead into the second period, but the Eagles scored seven unanswered goals over the second and third to come away with the win.

Ryan McLeod snuck a backhand shot past Scott Campbell at 2:11 on the power play in the first period to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.  At 14:43 and with the Thunder on their own man advantage, Marc Belanger skated in front of the crease and knocked in a pass from Joel Hanson to tie the game.  Just over five minutes later, Belanger, who had just stepped onto the ice after a line change, walked into an open puck and ripped it past Mike Mole to give the Thunder their first lead of the night at 2-1.

Colorado powered back in front with four second period goals, beginning with two from Aaron Schneekloth just 10 seconds apart.  The defenseman knocked one past Campbell from close range at 3:48 and then scored on a wrist shot at 3:58 to put the Eagles back in front at 3-2.  At 5:11 on the power play, Ryan Tobler scored on a wrister from the slot to the long side of the net that beat Campbell to his right.  Jon Horrell relieved Campbell after Tobler's goal.

At the 9:19 mark in the second, Brett Lutes had a half step on Thunder defenseman Jason Woll before getting hauled down right in front of the crease.  Referee Pete Friesema ruled for a penalty shot that Lutes connected on with a backhander that snuck under the chest of a diving Horrell.

Colorado piled on in the third, scoring three times.  Jim Jackson bounced a low slap shot past Horrell directly off of a faceoff at 5:36 to open up a 6-2 lead.  Lutes scored his second of the game at 12:04 on a wrist shot from inside the right faceoff circle.  Defenseman Brett Thurston lofted a pass from Steve Haddon into the left corner of the net at 17:16 to finish a run of seven straight Eagles' goals.

Campbell took the loss, saving eight of 12 shots.  Horrell stopped 18 of 22 official shots on goal.  Mike Mole saved 19 of 21 for the win.  Wichita went 1 for 7 on the power play while Colorado was 2 for 6.  The eight goals allowed were a season-high for the Thunder.

Wichita returns to the Coliseum on Friday when they host the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder's eighth annual Teddy Bear Toss is scheduled for Saturday, December 19th when the Thunder hosts the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.

Thunder fans are encouraged to bring a new or unused teddy bear to the Coliseum to donate to charity.  Fans can toss their donations onto the ice immediately after the Thunder scores its first goal.  Participants will also receive a buy-one, get-one-free voucher for a future Thunder game.  The Thunder's record for most teddy bears thrown onto the ice is 1,669, set last December versus Rocky Mountain.

Wichita also hosts Bossier-Shreveport on Friday night at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets to both games, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder announced today that individual tickets for all 13 Thunder home games at the new INTRUST Bank Arena will go on sale this Friday. 

Thunder season ticket holders will have a special opportunity to purchase additional tickets on Thursday, a day before they go on sale to the general public.  The Thunder's inaugural game in their new home is scheduled for Saturday, January 23 against the rival Tulsa Oilers and American Idol finalist Phil Stacey will be on hand to perform the National Anthem. 

The Thunder returns to action tonight at the Colorado Eagles.  Game time is set for 8:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com.  Wichita returns home to the Kansas Coliseum this weekend to host the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs on Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Edged Twice by Rush- The Wichita Thunder lost two close games to the Rapid City Rush at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center last weekend.  The Rush beat the Thunder 5-3 on Friday night, taking advantage of three power play goals.  Kyle Bruce gave the Thunder an early 1-0 lead in the first, but Rapid City scored three unanswered goals and never trailed again.  Joel Hanson and Jason Woll each scored in the third period, but the Rush answered back each time.  Scott Campbell took the loss, saving 40 of 45 shots.

Saturday, the Thunder lost 5-4 despite a hat trick from Marc Belanger.  Trailing 4-1 in the third, Belanger, who also scored in the first, potted two goals just 36 seconds apart to bring the Thunder within one.  As they did on Friday, the Rush answered back to re-extend their lead.  Jim Jorgensen scored to make it 5-4 with just over five minutes left in regulation, but the Thunder could not manage to tie the game.  Jon Horrell took the loss, saving 27 of 32.

Plus- The Thunder finished a combined +19 as a team in their two losses at Rapid City, including +3 performances from Marc Belanger and Glenn Detulleo on Saturday night.  The Thunder has finished with a positive +/- rating in three consecutive games, and is +24 during that stretch.  Belanger and Detulleo's margins on Saturday were the highest for a Thunder player this season.

Even Strength- Wichita's has played well at even strength of late, outscoring their opponents 8-3 during their last three games.

Belanger's Hat Trick First of the Year- Marc Belanger scored the Thunder's first hat trick of 2009-10 on Saturday at Rapid City.  It was the Thunder's 103rd regular season hat trick in team history.  Wichita had four hat tricks in 2008-09, with Troy Ofukany's three goals on January 3rd of this year preceding Belanger.

Third Period Improvement- After scoring just nine third period goals in their first 20 games, the Thunder has scored six third period goals in their last three contests.

Woll Notches First- Defenseman Jason Woll scored the first goal of his professional career on Friday night.  Woll was +3 during the weekend.  The Portland, OR native played four seasons at the Milwaukee School of Engineering where he scored 77 points in 108 games.

Point Streaks- Linemates Brad Thompson, Joel Hanson, and Troy Ofukany all had three-game point streaks snapped on Saturday night.

Injury Update- Brandon Kaleniecki remains on the 14-Day IR with a rib cage injury and is eligible to return at anytime.  Tim Boron is on the Goaltender IR with a hip injury.  Both Kaleniecki and Boron practiced with the team during their trip to Rapid City.  Jason Duda remains on the 30-Day IR with a back injury.

Up Next- The Thunder takes on the Colorado Eagles in Loveland on Wednesday night.  Wichita returns home this weekend when they host the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs on Friday and Saturday.  Friday is the Thunder's 16th annual sports auction as well as the Kansas Food Bank's Food Drive, presented by Kissin' Country 102.1 and 107.3 The Road.  Saturday is the Thunder's annual Teddy Bear Toss, presented by Bank of the West and Entercom.  Following the game, fans can meet the team at the Park City Applebee's just south of the Coliseum.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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RAPID CITY, SD- The Wichita Thunder lost 5-4 to the Rapid City Rush at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center on Saturday night.

Scott Wray knocked a backdoor pass from Brendon Hodge beyond the reach of Jon Horrell at 3:23 in the first period to open a 1-0 lead for the Rush.  At 10:12, Brendon Cook scored on a slapshot after walking into an open puck at the top of the right faceoff circle.  Wichita climbed back into the game at 14:31 when Marc Belanger nailed a backhand shot past Miguel Beaudry, following a two-on-one with Kevin Truelson.

The Rush extended their lead in the second period, cashing in two more power plays.  Derek LeBlanc used his body to deflect Jon Pelle's shot into the top corner of the net at 7:15 to give Rapid City a 3-1 lead.  After Wichita was turned aside on their own power play late in the period, Les Reaney flipped a shot from the half wall past Jon Horrell with 9.6 seconds left to make it 4-1.

Marc Belanger scored twice in a span of 36 seconds to pull the Thunder within one.  Belanger's first came on a wrist shot past Beaudry's left at 6:05.  The right wing connected again at 6:41 on a backhand shot setup by Jason Deleurme from behind the net.  Rapid City scored their fourth power play goal of the night at 10:28 when Brendon Hodge fired past Jon Horrell from the high slot.  Jim Jorgensen snuck a close range shot over Beaudry's right shoulder at 14:19, once again making a one-goal game, but Wichita could not find the game-tying goal.

The Thunder went 0 for 9 on the power play, while Rapid City went 4 for 6.  Seven of the Rush's 10 goals in the weekend series came on the man advantage.  Belanger's hat trick was the first by a Thunder player this season. Belanger and Glenn Detulleo both finished a season-high +3.  Beaudry earned the win, saving 28 of 32.  Horrell absorbed the loss, stopping 25 of 30.  Deleurme finished the game with two assists.

The Thunder heads to Colorado on Wednesday for a road match against the Eagles at 8:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Friday, December 18th when they host the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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RAPID CITY, SD- The Wichita Thunder lost 5-3 to the Rapid City Rush at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center on Saturday night.

The Thunder took the early advantage when Kyle Bruce scored at 8:52 in the first period.  Bruce deflected Chris McAllister's blue line shot into traffic.  Rapid City tied the game at 13:!8 in the first on Luke Erickson's power play goal.  Scott Wray slipped a pass into the slot from the corner that Erickson wristed past Thunder goaltender Scott Campbell.

The Rush took advantage of a pair of two-man advantages to build a 3-1 lead in the second period.  Jamie Vanderveeken walked into an open puck directly after a faceoff and rifled one past Campbell's left at 6:47.  Jon Pelle scored on a similar shot, ringing under the left corner of the goal, at 16:28.  The five-on-three goals highlighted a period in which Rapid City received five power plays to the Thunder's one.

Wichita came within one goal in the third when Joel Hanson ripped a shot from the slot past Danny Battochio at 2:26 after getting setup by Troy Ofukany from behind the net.  Rapid City answered back at 10:27 when Dave Grimson flipped a shot from the point just under the crossbar to make it 4-2.  The Thunder again rallied within one at 13:28.  This time Jason Woll found the back of the net, scoring on a shot from the point.  The Rush answered for a second time on a breakaway goal from Luke Erickson at 14:33, giving Rapid City a 5-3 lead.  Wichita had over two minutes of five on three in the closing minutes of regulation, but were unable to convert.

Scott Campbell saw 45 shots in the loss, saving 40 of them.  Danny Battochio stopped 19 of 22 in the win.  Wichita went 0 for 5 on the power play, while Rapid City was 3 for 9.  Woll's goal was his first of the season.

The Thunder and Rush finish their weekend series Saturday night at 8:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Friday, December 18th when they host the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Wichita Finishes Weekend in Shootout- The Thunder went 0-2-1 last weekend, beginning with a 4-0 loss at Missouri on Friday night.  The Mavericks scored twice in the first 3:14 when Jon Horrell came in to relieve Scott Campbell.  Horrell went on to save 30 of 32 to stabilize the game.

Wichita returned home on Saturday, dropping a 3-1 decision to the Colorado Eagles.  Down 1-0 in the second, Troy Ofukany tied the game at 8:27 on a backhander in front of the net.  Colorado stormed back just over three minutes later to regain the lead and then added an insurance goal in the third period.  Horrell stopped 30 of 33, facing double digit shots in all three periods.  Wichita's penalty kill went 4 for 4.

The Thunder battled the Eagles to a 3-2 shootout loss on Sunday evening at the Coliseum.  Kevin Truelson ripped a shot from the blue line past Colorado goaltender Andrew Penner just 2:58 into the game to give the Thunder an early 1-0 lead.  Strong defense and more great goaltending from Jon Horrell carried the shutout into the third.  The Eagles took a 2-1 lead on two third period power play goals.  Troy Ofukany re-tied the game with 6:20 left in regulation, helping the Thunder force overtime.  Down to their final shot in the fifth round of the shootout, Glenn Detulleo scored to force sudden death which was won by Aaron Schneekloth's sixth round goal.

Horrell Steady in Net- Jon Horrell saw significant action in all three games over the weekend.  The 28-year old saved 80 of 87 shots (.920), and allowed one or zero goals in nine of 10 periods.  Horrell has a 2.96 goals against average and an .895 save percentage through six games this season.

Ofukany Strong Over Weekend- Second-year forward Troy Ofukany scored game-tying goals in back-to-back games this weekend, helping him break out of an eight-game stretch without a point.  Ofukant scored six points in the first 11 games of the season, and had 36 in 62 games in his rookie season last year.

Hanson Hot- Right wing Joel Hanson has eight points in his last 12 games, including assists on both Saturday and Sunday night versus Colorado.  Hanson scored 33 points in 39 games for the Thunder as a rookie last year.

Thunder Roughing it Up- Wichita hasn't made it easy for their opponents this season, ranking second in the league with 30 majors, including four fighting majors on Friday at Missouri.  Chris McAllister leads the CHL with 24 minors and leads all defensemen with 68 PIM.

Shots Against- The Thunder ranks fifth in the league, allowing just 30.43 shots per game.

Injury Update- Last week, left wing Brandon Kaleniecki was placed on the 14-Day IR with a rib cage injury, retroactive to November 27th.  Kaleniecki is eligible to return this Fridat at Rapid City.  Jason Duda remains on the 30-Day IR with a back injury, while Tim Boron is on the Goaltender IR with a hip injury.  Mike Batovanja was placed on the Season-Ending IR last week with a knee injury.

Up Next- The Thunder makes their first trip of the season to Rapid City, taking on the Rush on Friday and Saturday at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.  Both games begin at 8:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  Wichita returns to the Coliseum on Friday, December 18th when they host the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Colorado Eagles at the Kansas Coliseum on Sunday evening.

Trailing 2-1 in the third, Troy Ofukany potted the game-tying goal with 6:20 left in regulation.  Ofukany received a backdoor pass across the slot from Marc Belanger.  Wichita down to its last shot in the fifth round, Glenn Detulleo deked goaltender Andrew Penner to tie the shootout at 2-2.  After Penner turned Ofukany aside in the sudden death sixth round, Aaron Schneekloth beat Jon Horrell to win the game for Colorado.

Wichita struck first when Kevin Truelson connected on his first goal of the season at 2:58 in the first period.  The Eagles took advantage of two power play goals in the third to take a 2-1 lead before Ofukany's score later in the period.

Jon Horrell starred for a third straight night, saving 21 of 23 during regulation and overtime, and carrying a shutout into the third.  Penner stopped 15 of 17 Thunder shots.  Wichita went 1 for 4 on the power play while Colorado was 2 for 5.

The Thunder hits the road this week, playing two at Rapid City on Friday and Saturday.  Both games begin at 8:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Friday, December 18th when they host the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 3-1 to the Colorado Eagles at the Kansas Coliseum on Saturday night.

Jason Lundmark's slapshot into traffic found the back of the net at 1:54 in the first period to give the Eagles an early 1-0 lead.

In the second, Troy Ofukany worked in front of the net before scoring on a point-blank backhander at 8:27 to tie the game.  Colorado regained the lead at 11:37 in the second when Steve Haddon connected top shelf on a two-on-one.

Kevin Ulanski gave Colorado an insurance goal in the third at 1:39, also scoring on a two-on-one.  Jon Horrell took the tough loss, saving 30 of 33 shots.  Andrew Penners stopped 20 of 21 Thunder shots for the win.  Each team went 0 for 4 on the power play.

The Thunder is back in action Sunday evening, taking on the Eagles at 5:05 p.m. at the Coliseum.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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INDEPENDENCE, MO- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-0 to the Missouri Mavericks at the Independence Events Center on Friday night.

The Mavericks scored two quick goals within the first 3:14 of the game, chasing starting goaltender Scott Campbell.  Kyle Bochek made it 1-0 at 2:29 on a shot from the left circle.  Mike Burgoyne flipped a shot from the outside past Campbell at 3:14 to make it 2-0.  Bill Vandermeer scored on a one-timer at 16:26 in the first to give Missouri a 3-0 lead.  Carlyle Lewis's third period power play goal opened up a 4-0 lead for Missouri.

Jon Horrell saved 32 of 34 in relief of Campbell.  Nine different Mavericks had at least one point in the game.  Wichita was outshot 34 to 21.  Jay Henderson earned a fighting major in his Thunder debut, as did Kyle Bruce who returned from the 14-Day IR.  Chris Kovalcik and Jordan Little also picked up fighting majors.

The Thunder returns home tomorrow, opening a two-game series against the Colorado Eagles.  Saturday's game begins at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder signed former NHL left wing Jay Henderson on Friday afternoon.

Henderson has 306 points and 478 PIM in 618 career games, 33 of which were played in the NHL.  Henderson also spent significant time in the AHL, most notably with the Providence Bruins.  The Edmonton, Alberta native is one of only two players in AHL history to win the Calder Cup with three separate teams.  Henderson won championships with Providence, Houston, and Milwaukee, and has scored 25 points with 183 PIM in 104 career playoff games.

The 31-year old Henderson scored 32 points while racking up 104 PIM in 50 games last season playing overseas for Innsbruck in Austria.  A former 9th round draft pick by the Bruins in 1997, Henderson opened the 2009-10 season with the ECHL's Victoria Salmon Kings, appeaing in two contests.

To make room for Henderson, the Thunder released rookie left wing Mike Kneeland.  Additionally, Wichita placed left wing Brandon Kaleniecki on the 14-Day IR, retroactive to his last game on November 27th.  Right wing Kyle Bruce, who has not played since November 11th, has been activated from the 14-Day IR and is expected to be in the lineup tonight when the Thunder takes on the Missouri Mavericks in Independence.

Tonight's game can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder retrurns home later this weekend when they host the Colorado Eagles both Saturday and Sunday.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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TEMPE, AZ- The Central Hockey League and CHL-TV (in conjunction with INSINC) are offering fans a FREE night of CHL-TV this Friday, December 4, 2009.  The giving begins early in the Holiday season as fans will have the opportunity to tune in and see any of seven CHL games scheduled for that night including Amarillo at Bossier-Shreveport, Wichita at Missouri, Colorado at Mississippi, Laredo at Odessa, Tulsa at Rapid City, Corpus Christi at Texas and Rio Grande Valley at Allen.

All games will be free to fans (just enter code chltv when launching the CHL-TV viewer).  For more information about CHL-TV or to watch the games, visit http://chltv.insinc.com.

All fans tuning in to watch the action on Friday night will be automatically entered into the CHL’s ‘Watch and Win’ Contest with one lucky fan being chosen to receive a CHL-TV Season Pass for the remainder of the 2009-10 CHL regular season.  The winner will be notified via email on Monday, December 7.

All CHL games are available through CHL-TV on a pay-per-view basis for $5.95 per game with monthly packages available as well.  Archived games can be purchased for $3.95 per game.

As a special promotion, fans who purchase a CHL-TV regular season game during the season will receive 4X the amount of CHL Loyalty Rewards (25 points).  To learn more about the CHL Loyalty Rewards program visit www.chlpoints.com.

About the CHL
The CHL is currently in its 18th season of play with 15 active member teams across nine states.  The CHL saw close to two million fans attend games during the 2008-09 season and has led North American professional ‘AA’ hockey leagues in average attendance in six of the past eight seasons.  The CHL is administered by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Global Entertainment Corporation (Global Stock Symbol: GNTP) a company engaged in sports management, multi-purpose events and entertainment center and related real estate development, facility and venue management and marketing, and venue ticketing.  For more information about the CHL visit the league’s website at www.centralhockeyleague.com.

About INSINC
INSINC is a leading webcasting company, enabling enterprises and content owners to distribute and monetize online video which can help improve communications, increase efficiencies and reduce costs.  Founded in 1997, the Company’s core business is to provide live and archived video content to audiences online with integrated pay-per-view and commerce transaction processing, delivered to geographically dispersed audiences.

Thunder Drops Three- The Wichita Thunder went 0-3-0 last week, beginning with a 3-1 loss to the Rapid City Rush on Wednesday night at the Kansas Coliseum.  Colt King's two goals proved enough offense, while Miguel Beaudry saved 18 of 19 for the win.  Jordan Little scored his first goal of the season in the third period for Wichita's lone tally.  Jon Horrell stopped 16 of 19 in the loss.

The Thunder fell 4-1 to the Missouri Mavericks on Friday night at the Independence Events Center.  Four different Missouri players had goals, while former Thunder defenseman Andrew Davis chipped in two assists.  Doug Groenestege improved to 10-0-0 lifetime against the Thunder, saving 25 of 26.  Joel Hanson netted Wichita's lone goal in the second period.  Scott Campbell saved 36 of 40 shots in the loss.

The Thunder dropped a 5-2 decision to the Amarillo Gorillas back at home on Saturday night.  Jake Moriessette and Joe Guenther potted two goals each.  Austin Sutter had two assists.  Mike Kneeland and Jason Deleurme scored the Thunder's goals.  Mike Brown saved 34 of 36 for the win, his second against Wichita this season.  Jon Horrell stopped 22 of 27 in the loss.

Detulleo Stays Hot- Veteran center Glenn Detulleo has 12 points and is +1 in his last nine games.  During that stretch, Detulleo had a six-game point streak, the longest of the season for a Thunder skater, and also has a point in each of his last two games.

Rough and Tumble Kovalcik- Despite having played in just six games due to an early season knee injury, defenseman Chris Kovalcik already ranks third on the Thunder with 44 PIM, including four fighting majors.  Kovalcik finished fifth in the CHL last season with 24 major penalties while playing for the Tulsa Oilers.  The Armada, MI native also contributed his first assist of the season on Saturday night.

Hanson Steady Again- Right wing Joel Hanson has scored six goals in his last nine games, and is +4 during that span.  Hanson scored 33 points in 39 games for the Thunder last season.

Deleurme Raking in Points- Jason Deleurme has scored at least one point in five of seven games since joining the Thunder.  Deleurme has seven total points and two multi-point games.  The veteran has a point in each of his last two contests.

Offense From Defense- Mark Adamek and Jim Jorgensen continue to add offense from the blue line.  Adamek has four points in his last five games, while Jorgensen has five points in his last nine games.  Just 18 games into the season, Adamek is only two points shy of his career-best of 12, accomplished in each of the last two seasons with the ECHL's Stockton Thunder.

Minutes for Campbell- Rookie goaltender Scott Campbell ranks fifth in the CHL with 719:57 minutes played.  Campbell has appeared in 12 games this season and owns a 3.25 goals against average and an .897 save percentage.  Campbell's career-highs are 16 games played and 921 minutes, both set during his junior year at Lake Forest College in 2007-08.

PIM Leaders- Right wing Mike Batovanja is tied for the league lead with eight major penalties, seven of which are fighting majors.  Chris McAllister leads the CHL with 22 minors and leads all defensemen with 64 total PIM.

Kneeland Among Rookie Leaders- Left wing Mike Kneeland scored his fourth goal of the season on Saturday night and ranks fourth in the league in goals amongst rookies.

Injury Update- Kyle Bruce remains on the 14-Day IR with a groin injury and is eligible to return at anytime.  Jason Duda is on the 30-Day IR with a back injury and is also eligible to return.  Tim Boron is on the Goaltender IR, still recovering from offseason hip surgery.  Brandon Kaleniecki is considered day-to-day after being scratched on Saturday with a rib cage injury.

Up Next- The Thunder plays three games in three nights this weekend, returning to the Independence Events Center on Friday night for a rematch against the Mavericks.  The Thunder welcomes the Colorado Eagles to the Coliseum on Saturday (7:05 p.m.) and Sunday (5:05 p.m.).  Saturday is "Win the Boss's Money" night, presented by Hajoca and Presto, where Thunder General Manager Joel Lomurno will hand out cash from his wallet throughout the night.  Sunday is the Thunder's first post game skate and autograph session of the year.  Fans must provide their own skates.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 5-2 to the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum on Saturday night.

Mike Kneeland roofed his fourth goal of the year at 8:53 in the first to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead.  Amarillo rallied for two goals 45 seconds apart at 14:44 and 15:29 in the first to move in front 2-1.

Joe Guenther and Chris Cloud both scored on rebounds in the second, completing a run of four unanswered Gorillas' goals.  Jason Deleurme cut the lead to 4-2 with a power play goal at 16:01.  Amarillo added a goal from Jake Morissette at 18:59 in the third to make it 5-2.

Mike Batovanja earned his team-leading seventh fighting major of the season, dropping the gloves two seconds into the game off the opening faceoff.  Wichita outshot Amarillo 36-27.  The Thunder went 1 for 6 on the power play, while going 5 for 5 on the penalty kill.  Jon Horrell took the loss, saving 22 of 27.

The Thunder next plays on Friday when they head back to Missouri and face the Mavericks at the Independence Events Center.  Wichita returns to the Coliseum next Saturday, hosting the Colorado Eagles at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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INDEPENDENCE, MO- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-1 to the Missouri Mavericks at the Independence Events Center on Friday night.

The Mavericks took a 1-0 lead at 10:29 in the first period.  Karl Sellan scored a power play goal, cleaning up a rebound just outside of the Thunder net.  Bill Vandermeer's one-timer from the slot at 13:39 made it 2-0.

Nick Sirota deflected Andrew Davis's shot from the point at 11:39 in the second for a shorthanded goal that gave the Mavericks a 3-0 lead.  Wichita crept back within two goals on Joel Hanson's score at 13:55.  Chad Hinz scored on the power play at 4:19 in the third to close out the scoring.

Scott Campbell took the loss, stopping 36 of 40 shots.  Chris McAllister and Chris Kovalcik picked up fighting majors.  Wichita was 0 for 5 on the power play.

The Thunder returns home on Saturday when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 3-1 to the Rapid City Rush at the Kansas Coliseum on Wednesday night.

Luke Erickson and Scott Wray scored first period goals for the Rush to give them a 2-0 lead.  Colt King added a power play goal in the second to make it 3-0.  The Thunder's lone goal came from Jordan Little, his first of the season at 7:07 in the third.

Jon Horrell saved 16 of 19 in the loss.  Wichita was 0 for 7 on the power play.  Glenn Detulleo's point streak came to an end at six games.  Wichita has scored a third period goal in six straight games.

The Thunder next plays on Friday when they take on the Mavericks in Independence, MO.  The game begins at 7:05 p.m. with all the action available at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Saturday when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Splits Weekend Three Ways- Wichita went 1-1-1 over the weekend, beginning with a 3-2 win over Arizona on Friday night at the Kansas Coliseum.  Joel Hanson scored two goals in the second period, while Jim Jorgensen provided the game-winner with less than four minutes to go in the third.  Scott Campbell earned the win, stopping 32 of 34 and helped the Thunder end a seven-game winless streak.  Glenn Detulleo finished the night with three assists while Jason Deleurme chipped in two more.

The Thunder lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Tulsa Oilers on Saturday night at home.  Down 2-1 in the closing minutes of regulation, Mark Adamek scored two power play goals just 14 seconds apart to give the Thunder a 3-2 lead.  Tulsa re-tied the game with 1:19 remaining in the third, and then beat the Thunder 2-0 in four rounds of the shootout, with Rob Hisey getting credit for the game-winning goal.  Brandon Kaleniecki scored shorthanded in the second period.  Glenn Detulleo had his second straight multi-point night, notching two more assists.  Jon Horrell made his official return to Wichita, saving 36 of 39 in the shootout loss.

Wichita lost 4-2 to the Oilers in a rematch on Sunday afternoon at the BOK Center.  Jim Jorgensen scored the first power play goal allowed by the Oilers at home this season at 3:39 in the first to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead.  Tulsa though, tied the game 37 seconds later and went on to score four unanswered goals.  Joel Hanson scored his fourth goal in as many games in the third to bring Wichita within two.  Scott Campbell took the loss, saving 23 of 27.

Detulleo Making Plays- Center Glenn Detulleo is riding a six-game point streak.  Detulleo has 10 points during the stretch, all assists.  The veteran currently leads the Thunder with 15 points in 15 games and had three consecutive multi-point games from November 17th-21st.

Hanson Regaining Touch- Right wing Joel Hanson has five goals and is +4 in his last six games after going the first nine games of the season without a point.  Hanson scored 33 points in 39 games for the Thunder last year.

Nice Pickup- Newly added forward Jason Deleurme has already made a huge impact for the Thunder.  Deleurme scored a goal and an assist in his Thunder debut last Tuesday, and already has five points in four games.  Deleurme opened the season with the Colorado Eagles, scoring five points in four contests.

Defense Adding Offense- Thunder blue liners Mark Adamek and Jim Jorgensen are making large contributions to the Thunder's offense.  Adamek leads Thunder defensemen with nine points in 15 games and scored his first goals of the season on Saturday versus Tulsa.  Jorgensen meanwhile, has four points in his last six games, including the game-winning goal on Friday versus Arizona.

Still Mixing it Up- The Thunder had three fighting majors on Sunday at Tulsa and currently ranks fifth in the league with 21 major penalties this season.  Chris McAllister leads the league with 18 minors, while Mike Batovanja is third with seven majors.

Injury Update- Kyle Bruce remains on the 14-Day IR with a groin injury and is eligible to return on November 25th.  Jason Duda is still on the 30-Day IR with a back injury.

Up Next- The Thunder plays three games this week, hosting the Rapid City Rush on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.  Wichita faces the Mavericks in Missouri on Friday before returning home for a match against Amarilloon Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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TULSA, OK- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-2 to the Tulsa Oilers at the BOK Center on Sunday evening.

Wichita scored first on Jim Jorgensen's power play shot from the point at 3:39 in the first period.  It was the first home power play goal allowed by the Oilers this season.  Tulsa tied it 37 seconds later when Marty Standish scored on a backhand shot to the left of Scott Campbell.  Aaron Davis made it 2-1 Tulsa, beating Campbell to Campbell's right at 7:08.

Tulsa added two power play goals in the second to open up a 4-1 lead.  Joel Hanson added the Thunder's second goal at 14:03 in the third period.  Scott Campbell took the loss, stopping 24 of 28 shots.  Wichita went 1 for 2 on the power play and 6 for 7 on the penalty kill.  Jason Deleurme, Chris Kovalcik, and Hanson all earned fighting majors.

Wichita returns to the Coliseum on Wednesday when they host the Rapid City Rush at 7:05 p.m.  Dave "Ogie" Ogron, the World's Fastest Golfer will be on hand.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Tulsa Oilers at the Kansas Coliseum on Saturday night.

Down 1-0 in the second and facing a four-minute Tulsa power play, Brandon Kaleniecki knocked in a rebound for a shorthanded, game-tying goal at 9:19.  After Oilers took a 2-1 lead on Tyler Butler's power play goal at 12:25 in the third, Mark Adamek re-tied the game at 17:59, burying his first goal of the season on a two-man advantage.

Just 14 seconds later, and on a five-on-four power play, Adamek carried the puck into the Oilers' zone before wristing a shot past Tulsa goaltender Marty Magers to give the Thunder a 3-2 lead.  Michel Beausolei made it 3-3 with a goal at 18:30 that snuck past Jon Horrell, who made his return to the Thunder after being signed on Friday.

After neither team scored in overtime, Wichita fell 2-0 in four rounds of the shootout, with TJ Caig and Rob Hisey scoring for the Oilers.  Marc Belanger, Brent Ottmann, Glenn Detulleo, and Jason Deleurme went 0 for 4.

Horrell saved 36 of 39 in the shootout loss.  The Thunder went 2 for 5 on the power play while their penalty kill unit was 7 for 8.  Wichita was outshot 39 to 26. Detulleo notched two assists and now has five in his last two games.  Detulleo also extended his point streak to five games, the longest this season for Wichita.

The Thunder plays for a third straight day, taking on the Oilers tomorrow at 4:05 p.m. at the BOK Center.  All the action can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  Wichita returns to the Coliseum on Wednesday when they host the Rapid City Rush at 7:05 p.m.  Dave "Ogie" Ogron, the World's Fastest Golfer will be on hand.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder defeated the Arizona Sundogs 3-2 at the Kansas Coliseum on Friday night.

Defenseman Jim Jorgensen scored the game-winning goal at 16:23 in the third period, breaking a 2-2 tie.  Joel Hanson netted two goals, while Glenn Detulleo chipped in three assists.

Hanson gave the Thunder a 1-0 lead just 18 seconds into the second period, colliding with a Sundogs' player before knocking the puck into the net.  The goal was initially waved off, but referee Paul Mariconda overturned the decision.  Arizona scored at 7:48 and 10:25 in the second to take a 2-1 lead, but Hanson retied the game at 17:29 on a backdoor pass from Detulleo.

The Thunder, who played a physical game all night long, battled through the third before Jason Deleurme made an open ice pass to Jorgensen from the top of the right faceoff circle.  Jorgensen ripped a shot past Sundogs' goaltender J.F. Perras that came in just under the crossbar to put the Thunder in front 3-2.

Scott Campbell earned the win, saving 32 of 34 and helped the Thunder snap a seven-game winless streak.  Mike Batovanja earned a fighting major in the second period.  Hanson now has four goals in his last three games, while Detulleo is riding his second four-game point streak of the year.  Deleurme has four points in two games since joining the Thunder.  Wichita finished 1 for 8 on the power play while going 6 for 7 on the penalty kill.  The win was the first in the coaching career of Jason Duda.

The Thunder hosts the Tulsa Oilers tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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TULSA, OK- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-3 to the Tulsa Oilers at the BOK Center on Tuesday night.

Joel Hanson scored for the second time in three games, getting help from newcomer Jason Deleurme, when he roofed a backdoor pass beyond Kevin Armstrong just 2:02 into the game.  Tulsa then scored three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead, including a total of three points by Oilers' forward T.J. Caig.  Two of the three goals allowed were on the power play.  Brandon Kaleniecki made it a one-goal game, floating a long shot past Armstrong at 17:45 in the first.

Jake Riddle battled for a rebound before slipping through the five-hole of Scott Campbell at 16:18 in the third to give Oilers a 4-2 lead.  Deleurme netted the Thunder's third goal of the night at 19:07, but Wichita was unable to tie the game in the final 53 seconds.

Scott Campbell took the loss, saving 22 of 26 shots.  The Thunder went 0 for 6 on the power play, while Tulsa was 2 for 5.  Glenn Detulleo finished with two assists.  Chris McAllister and Mark Adamek picked up fighting majors.  Wichita scored first for a third straight game.  Kevin Armstrong stopped 31 of 34 for the win.

The Thunder returns home on Friday when they host the Arizona Sundogs at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Falls Twice in Missouri - The Thunder played in their first overtime game of the season on Friday, falling 3-2 in a shootout to the Missouri Mavericks in the first ever game at the Independence Events Center.  The Thunder opened a 2-0 lead behind goals from Joel Hanson and Marc Belanger.  With the Thunder leading 2-1 late in the third, Jeff MacDermid tied the game with a shot from the boards with less than five minutes left in regulation.  The Thunder survived two Mavericks' power plays in overtime before falling 3-0 in the shootout round.  Scott Campbell saved a season-high 41 shots as well as a second period penalty shot by Nick Sirota.

Wichita lost 4-2 to the Mavericks the following night.  Wichita again took the early lead, this time behind a power play goal from Troy Ofukany.  Missouri rallied for three unanswered power play goals in the second period in a span of 3:12.  Mike Kneeland scored his third goal of the season at 10:27 in the third to make it a one-goal game, but the Mavericks scored an insurance goal at 14:47 leading to their victory.  Campbell saved 33 of 37 in the loss.

Kneeland Among Rookie Leaders - Mike Kneeland scored his third goal of the season on Saturday night and now ranks tied for third in goals among CHL rookies.

Congrats to Batty - Right wing Mike Batovanja and his wife Stefanie welcomed baby daughter Reese into their family last Sunday.  Batovanja has two goals this season and leads the Thunder with 35 PIM.

Campbell Logging Minutes - Scott Campbell, who saved a season-high 41 shots on Friday night, is seeing plenty of action in his first rookie season.  The 24-year old ranks fifth in the league in minutes played at 481:04 and has started five consecutive games.  Campbell owns a goals against average of 3.12 and a save percentage of .900.

Power Play Improvement - The Thunder snapped an 0 for 32 streak on the man advantage on Friday night.  Overall, the Thunder went 2 for 8 on the power play last weekend for a 25.0% success rate.

Pilkington Joins Thunder - Wichita signed center Brett Pilkington last week.  Prior to arriving in Wichita, Pilkington had 158 points in 191 career games.  The Calgary native scored 29 points in 35 games with the ECHL's Bakersfield Condors last year.  Pilkington also played four years of college hockey at Bowling Green State University where he was a teammate of former Thunder goaltender Jon Horrell.

Injury Update - Jason Duda (back) and Chris Kovalcik (knee) remain on the 30-Day IR.

Up Next - The Thunder has a busy week ahead with four games scheduled in a span of six days.  Wichita heads to Tulsa on Tuesday night, before hosting Arizona on Friday and welcoming the Oilers on Saturday.  The Thunder makes its second trip of the week to the BOK Center on Sunday evening.  Both home games begin at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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INDEPENDENCE, MO- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-2 to the Missouri Mavericks at the Independence Events Center on Saturday night.

The Thunder scored first for a second straight night, taking a 1-0 lead at 10:36 in the first.  Troy Ofukany knocked in a rebound on the power play for his third goal of the season, getting help from Brett Pilkington and Jim Jorgensen.

Missouri scored three unanswered power play goals in the second, the latter two of which were potted by Jeff MacDermid.  Mike Kneeland brought Wichita within one at 10:27 in the third, staying with a shot through the slot, but the Mavericks took a 4-2 lead on Brett Hammond's deflection that snuck past Scott Campbell at 14:49.

Wichita pounded out a season-high 40 shots in the win.  Campbell stopped 33 of 37 in the loss.  Mike Gorman saved 38 of 40 in the win for Missouri.  The Mavericks were given 14 total power play opportunities to the Thunder's eight during the weekend series, all under the same officiating crew led by referee Jon McIssac.

The Thunder next plays on Tuesday, November 17th at Tulsa.  Opening faceoff at the BOK Center is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  The Thunder returns to the Kansas Coliseum on Friday, November 20th when they host the Arizona Sundogs.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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INDEPENDENCE, MO- The Wichita Thunder lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Missouri Mavericks at the Independence Events Center on Friday night.

The Thunder scored the first goal in the history of the Independence Events Center at 18:30 in the first.  Glenn Detulleo made a perfect backdoor pass to Joel Hanson who tapped the puck past the left side of Doug Groenestege.  It was Hanson's first point of the season.

At 1:50 in the second, Marc Belanger helped the Thunder break an 0 for 32 skid on the power play, scoring under the crossbar to the short side of the net to give the Thunder a 2-0 lead.  Less than two minutes later, Shaun Arvai scored directly after a faceoff that opened a Mavericks' man advantage.

Wichita clinged to a 2-1 lead late into the third, but Jeff MacDermid flipped a shot from the far halfwall that snuck past Scott Campbell to tie the game at 2-2.

After neither team scored in overtime, in which the Thunder survived two Mavericks' power plays, Wichita lost 3-0 in the shootout.  Chad Hinz, MacDermid, and Bill Vandemeer all scored, while Mike Kneeland, Belanger, and Detulleo all came up empty on their attempts.

Scott Campbell was terrific in goal, saving a season-high 40 shots on just 42 attempts in the loss.  Campbell also denied Nick Sirota on a penalty shot in the second period that preserved a lead for Wichita.

The Thunder and Mavericks conclude their series tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns home on Friday, November 20th when they host the Arizona Sundogs.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder dismissed Brent Bilodeau as Head Coach on Thursday evening.

Thunder veteran Jason Duda will take over as interim Head Coach and will be behind the bench this weekend when the Thunder opens a two-game road series against the Missouri Mavericks.  The Thunder is currently 2-7-0.

The Thunder returns home on Friday, November 20th when they host the Arizona Sundogs at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 4-1 to the Rapid City Rush at the Kansas Coliseum on Wednesday night.

Colt King gave the Rush a 1-0 lead at 5:17 in the first, tipping in a shot from Tim Branham.  Luke Erickson's power play wristshot from the slot at 7:47 in the first made it 2-0.  The Thunder got back into the game later in the period when Mike Batovanja connected on a rebound setup by Brad Thompson at the 16:46 mark.

The Rush took a 3-1 lead on Jamie Vanderveeken's power play goal at 4:34 in the third period and then put it away when Blaine Jarvis scored on an empty net with 21 seconds left in the game.

Scott Campbell took the loss, saving 25 of 28.  Wichita outshot Rapid City 35 to 28.  The 35 shots are a new season high.  Wichita's power play went 0 for 6.  The Thunder is now 0 for its last 31 on the man advantage.

The Thunder continues play on Friday when they open a two-game series at Missouri.  Opening faceoff for the first game in the history of the Independence Events Center is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder next plays at home on Friday, November 20th when they host the Arizona Sundogs.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Downed by Eagles - The Wichita Thunder dropped their only contest of the week, losing 5-2 to the Colorado Eagles at the Budweiser Events Center on Friday night.  Wichita took a 1-0 lead just 3:22 into the game when Troy Ofukany deflected a shot past Mike Mole for his second goal of the season.  Colorado tied it 2:19 later on a power play goal from Jason Deleurme.  The Eagles then scored three times in a span of 2:43 early in the second to take a commanding 4-1 advantage.  Brad Thompson brought Wichita within two, scoring a shorthanded goal at 13:07 in the second.  But Kurtis Dulle gave the Eagles another three-goal lead, scoring at 17:34 in the same period.  Neither team scored in the third.  Wichita was outshot 37 to 19.  Scott Campbell took the loss, stopping 32 of 37.

Special Teams Notes - When the Eagles scored on the power play on Friday night, it snapped the Thunder's streak of 28 consecutive succesful penalty kills.  Wichita finished the night 3 for 4 and still ranks second in the CHL when at least one man down at 93.0%, only trailing the Eagles.  Wichita was 0 for 6 however on the power play themselves, and are now 0 for their last 25.  Wichita currently ranks 12th in the league at 10.2% on the man advantage.

Major Penalties - The Thunder ranks fourth in the league in major penalties with 11.  Mike Batovanja ranks second among individual players with five majors.

Busy Schedule Ahead - After enjoying its lightest week of the season, the Thunder now enters a stretch of 10 games in a span of 18 days, beginning with Wednesday's match against Rapid City.

Bruce and Kaleniecki Debut - Wichita had two forwards make their season debuts on Friday.  Left wing Brandon Kaleniecki was activated from the 14-Day IR, where he had opened the season.  Right wing Kyle Bruce, who starred as a power forward for the Thunder two seasons ago, was also officially signed.  Bruce spent last year overseas, playing for the EIHL's Manchester Phoenix.

Third Period - The Thunder has been outscored 13-2 in the third period this season, the largest differential in the league.  In contrast, Wichita has been outscored just 7-6 in the first period and 10-8 in the second.

Shooting Notes - The Thunder is tied with the Odessa Jackalopes for first in the league in shots against at 28.50 per game.  The Thunder ranks last in shots for at 22.63, almost five shots per game behind Missouri who ranks 14th.

Surma Waived - The Thunder waived veteran forward Damian Surma on Sunday.  Surma had zero goals and two assists in eight games played.

Injury Update - Prior to Friday's game, Jason Duda was transferred from the 14-Day IR to the 30-Day IR.  Duda has been sidelined with a back injury and is eligible to return on November 25th.  Chris Kovalcik has resumed hockey activities after undergoing knee surgery in October and is eligible to return from the 30-Day IR on November 16th.

Up Next - The Thunder resumes play on Wednesday when they host the Rapid City Rush at the Kansas Coliseum at 7:05 p.m.  The Thunder celebrates Veteran's Day, courtesy of 104.5 The Fox.  Wichita then plays a two-game road series at Missouri on Friday and Saturday.  Friday's contest will be the first in the history of the Independence Events Center.  For tickets to Wednesday's game, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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LOVELAND, CO- The Wichita Thunder lost 5-2 to the Colorado Eagles at the Budweiser Events Center on Friday night.

The Thunder grabbed an early 1-0 lead when Troy Ofukany deflected Mark Adamek's blue line shot beyond the reach of Eagles' goaltender Mike Mole at the 3:22 mark in the first period.  Colorado answered back just over two minutes later on the power play.  Jason Deleurme hit the backdoor on Scott Campbell on Aaron Schneekloth's shot from the point at 5:41.

The Eagles rallied for three goals in a span of 2:43 early in the second period, getting scores from Riley Nelson, Adam Hogg, and Felipe Larranaga.  Brad Thompson cut into the lead at 13:07, scoring shorthanded on a breakaway, but the Eagles answered back at the 17:34 mark to re-extend their lead.

Scott Campbell took the loss, saving 32 of 37.  Colorado's power play goal in the first snapped Wichita's streak at 28 consecutive penalty kills.  The Thunder was 0 for 6 on the power play, and is now 0 for its last 25.

Prior to the game, the Thunder officially signed right wing Kyle Bruce, who played for Wichita in 2007-08.  Left wing Brandon Kaleniecki was activated from the 14-Day IR, while Jason Duda was shifted from the 14-Day IR to the 30-Day IR.  Wichita also waived rookie forward Chris Trafford.

The Thunder next plays on Wednesday, November 11th when they host the Rapid City Rush at the Kansas Coliseum.  Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Swept by Mavericks- The Wichita Thunder lost two games last weekend to the expansion Missouri Mavericks, both played at the Kansas Coliseum.  On Friday, the Mavericks earned their first win in franchise history, beating Wichita 6-1.  Six different Mavericks scored a goal, while Jeff Christian added two assists and finished +4.  The Thunder had taken an early lead on Mike Kneeland's second goal of the year, coming at the 4:16 mark in the first.  But Missouri rallied for six unanswered goals for the win.  Tim Boron took the loss, saving 14 of 20.  Doug Groenestege picked up the win stopping 21 of 26.

Wichita suffered a 2-0 shutout loss to Missouri the following night, with Mavs' center Chad Hinz scoring a goal in each of the first two periods.  Doug Groenestege notched the shutout, saving all 21 of the Thunder's shots.  Jordan Little, Damian Surma, and Mike Batovanja all picked up fighting majors for Wichita.  Scott Campbell took a tough-luck loss, saving 19 of 21.

Special Teams- The Thunder ranks second in the league on the penalty kill at 94.9%.  Wichita has killed off 28 consecutive penalties.  The power play is currently in an 0 for 19 drought, slipping to 12th in the league at 11.6%.

Batovanja Keeping it Rough- Right wing Mike Batovanja collected his fifth major of the season on Saturday versus Missouri.  The third-year pro leads the league in majors and ranks second with 35 PIM.

Rookies Contributing- Goaltender Scott Campbell ranks seventh in the CHL in goals against average at 2.76.  Forward Brent Ottmann is tied for third in the league among rookies with three points.  Mike Kneeland is tied for second among CHL rookies with two goals.

Detulleo is Efficient- Center Glenn Detulleo leads the league in shot percentage at .429.  The veteran has scored three goals this season on just seven shots.

Thunder Muscling Up- The Thunder ranks second in the CHL with 11 major penalties this season.  Wichita trails only the Missouri Mavericks who have 14.

Third Period Woes- The Thunder has had trouble in the third period this year, having been outscored 13 to 3 over the final 20 minutes.  In contrast, Wichita has been outscored just 6 to 5 in the first, and has outscored their opponents 7 to 6 in the second.

Shooting Notes- The Thunder's 27.29 shots against per game ranks first in the CHL.  However, Wichita also ranks last in shots for, averaging just 23.14 shots per game.

Injury Notes- Left wing Jason Duda was placed on the 14-Day IR prior to Friday's game due to a back injury.  Left wing Brandon Kaleniecki remains on the 14-Day IR, but is eligible to return at anytime.  Defenseman Chris Kovalcik is still on the 30-Day IR with a leg injury and can be activated on November 16th.

Up Next- The Thunder has its lightest week of the season, playing a single road game at Colorado on Friday at 8:05 p.m.  All the action can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  The Thunder returns to the Kansas Coliseum on Wednesday, November 11th when they host the Rapid City Rush.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder was shutout 2-0 by the Missouri Mavericks at the Kansas Coliseum on Saturday night.

Missouri took a 1-0 lead at 15:58 in the first when Chad Hinz tipped in a shot from defenseman Shaun Arvai that snuck through Scott Campbell's five-hole.  Hinz struck again in the second period, again beating Campbell on the five-hole at 8:03 to make it 2-0.

Doug Groenestege earned the shutout, saving all 21 of the Thunder's shots.  Scott Campbell took the tough loss, saving 19 of 21.  Wichita killed off all five of the Mavs' power plays, running their streak to 28 consecutive kills.  Wichita was 0 for 3 on the power play and is now 0 for its last 19.  The game marked the second time this season Wichita has been shutout.

The Thunder returns to action on Friday, October 6th when they head to Loveland, CO for a match against the Colorado Eagles.  Opening faceoff is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. CST.  All the action can be heard live at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  Wichita returns home on Wednesday, November 11th when they host the Rapid City Rush.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 6-1 to the Missouri Mavericks at the Kansas Coliseum on Friday night.

Mike Kneeland scored from the slot on Marc Belanger's rebound at 4:16 in the first period to give Wichita 1-0 lead.  The Mavericks however went on to score six unanswered goals, including three in the third to take control of the game.

Former Thunder defenseman Andrew Davis tied the game with a high shot from the point that rang off the crossbar at 9:55 in the first.  Missouri then took the lead when Bill Vandemeer scored on a wrap around to the left of Tim Boron at 11:48 in the same period.  Jeff Christian, Brett Hammond, Chad Hinz, and Simon Watson all scored Missouri goals.

Wichita went 0 for 9 on the power play, including two five-on-threes of more than 50 seconds.  The Thunder penalty kill went 3 for 3 and has now killed off 23 consecutive penalities.

Tim Boron took the loss, dropping to 1-2-0.  Boron stopped 14 of 20 shots.  Doug Groenestege saved 25 of 26 to earn the win, the first in Mavericks' franchise history.

Prior to the game, the Thunder activated defenseman Jordan Little and right wing Chris Trafford from the 14-Day IR.  Wichita subsequently placed Jason Duda on the 14-Day IR and released defenseman Brett Beauchamp.

The Thunder and Mavericks conclude their weekend series on Saturday at the Coliseum.  Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Wichita Takes Two of Three
The Thunder earned four points over the weekend, beginning with a 5-1 win over the Tulsa Oilers at the Kansas Coliseum.  Jason Duda scored just 2:12 into the game, helping the Thunder to a five-goal advantage.  Marc Belanger and Jim Jorgensen each picked up a goal and two assists, while Troy Ofukany earned a "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" with a goal, an assist, and a fighting major.  Scott Campbell earned his first professional win, saving 25 of 26 and carrying a shutout well into the third period.

The Oilers rebounded against Wichita the following night when the two teams played at the BOK Center.  Rob Hisey and TJ Caig each had two-point nights en route to a 3-1 Oilers victory.  Glenn Detulleo potted the Thunder's lone goal, getting help from Chris McAllister and Jason Duda.  Campbell took the loss, saving 26 of 29.

Wichita beat the Mississippi RiverKings 4-3 at the DeSoto Civic Center on Sunday afternoon.  Mike Kneeland cashed in a rebound from Brad Thompson at 11:01 in the second to break a scoreless tie.  Glenn Detulleo and Marc Belanger contributed goals in the second as well.  Brent Ottmann made it 4-0, scoring on a breakaway at 11:31 in the third.  Tim Boron, playing for the first time since opening night due to illness, carried a shutout into the final two minutes of the game before Derek Landmesser scored at 18:16.  The RiverKings managed two more goals in a span of 1:08, but Boron made several key saves in the closing minute to maintain the lead.  Boron saved 34 of 37 for the win, which was the Thunder's first at the DeSoto Civic Center since November 24th, 2006 and snapped a 10-game road losing streak against the RiverKings.

Duda Passes Doug Lawrence
Jason Duda notched two points in Friday's 5-1 win versus Tulsa, giving him 876 in his career as well as sole possession of third place all-time in CHL history.  Duda trails former teammate and current Mudbugs' center Travis Clayton by 10 points for second place all-time.  Duda's 539 assists are also just one shy of Clayton for second place, a mark that could be traded back-and-forth several times throughout the season.

Early Streaks for Vets
Veteran forwards Jason Duda and Glenn Detulleo are currently riding four-game point streaks.

Penalty Kill Thriving
Wichita went a perfect 17 for 17 when shorthanded last weekend and is 20 for its last 20 on the penalty kill.  The Thunder ranks third in the CHL when at least one man down at 93.5%.

Kneeland Scores First
Rookie forward Mike Kneeland scored his first professional goal on Sunday in the Thunder's 4-3 win at Mississippi, helping to break a 0-0 tie in the second period.  Kneeland played four seasons of college hockey at Lake Forest College where he was a teammate of Thunder goaltender Scott Campbell.

Batman Back in Form
Mike Batovanja, who missed virtually all of last season with a knee injury, has shown no signs of rust early this season.  The gritty right winger already has scored a goal and currently leads the CHL with 30 PIM and four major penalties.

Detulleo Making Shots Count
Thunder center Glenn Detulleo has scored three goals on just five shots this season for a remarkable .600 shooting percentage which easily leads the league.  Detulleo collected 280 points in 290 games over the last four years in the UHL/IHL.

Injury Notes
The Thunder currently has four players on the IR.  Jordan Little, Chris Trafford, and Brandon Kaleniecki are all on the 14-Day IR and are eligible to return as early as Friday.  Chris Kovalcik is on the 30-Day IR.

Up Next
The Thunder takes on the Missouri Mavericks both Friday and Saturday at the Kansas Coliseum.  The games start at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL, or visit the Thunder's official website www.wichitathunder.com

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SOUTHAVEN, MS- The Wichita Thunder beat the Mississippi RiverKings 4-3 at the DeSoto Civic Center on Sunday afternoon.

Wichita opened a 3-0 lead, scoring three times in the latter half of the second period.  Mike Kneeland punched in a rebound from Brad Thompson on Tyler Sims' backdoor at 11:01 to break a scoreless tie.  At 17:36, Glenn Detulleo snuck a low shot past Sims' left after Troy Ofukany had forced a turnover at the RiverKings' blue line.  Less than a minute later, Detulleo stayed with the puck despite being hauled down by Dane Marshall and set up a slot pass to Marc Belanger who beat Jean over the right shoulder to make it 3-0 Wichita.

Brent Ottmann scored at 11:31 in the third to make it 4-0.  The rookie forward created a turnover before slipping by Mississippi's defense for a breakaway goal on a wrist shot to the left of Sims.

Tim Boron earned the win, saving 34 of 37 in his first action since opening night.  Boron held a shutout deep into the third before Derek Landmesser broke it up at 18:16.  The goal began a flurry of scoring for the RiverKings who then got goals from Dane Marshall and Steve Makway.  Boron then made several key saves with Mississippi driving with an extra attacker to help preserve the win.

Duda and Detulleo each extended their point streaks to four games.  Belanger now has three goals in four games this season and 13 in just 23 games with the Thunder dating back to last year.  Wichita went 0 for 2 on the power play while going perfect on the penalty kill for a third straight game at 5 for 5.  The win was the Thunder's first in 11 tries at the DeSoto Civic Center dating back to November 24th, 2006.

The Thunder next plays on Friday, October 30th when they host the Missouri Mavericks at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 3-1 to the Tulsa Oilers at the BOK Center on Saturday night.

Tulsa scored late goals in both the first and second periods to build a 2-0 lead, before breaking it open on Rob Hisey's goal at 6:24 in the third period.

Wichita scored its lone goal at 13:19 in the third when Glenn Detulleo knocked in Chris McAllister's rebound.  Jason Duda also picked up an assist.  Detulleo and Duda have points in three consecutive games.

Scott Campbell absorbed the loss, saving 26 of 29.  Oilers' goaltender Kevin Armstrong stopped 21 of 22 for the win.  Wichita went 0 for 5 on the power play while going a perfect 7 for 7 when shorthanded.  Wichita's penalty kill unit stopped all 12 of the Oilers power play chances this weekend.

The Thunder ends the weekend schedule in Mississippi on Sunday afternoon at 3:05 p.m. when they take on the RiverKings.  All the action can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com and www.allinbroadcasting.com  Wichita returns home on Friday, October 30th when they host the Missouri Mavericks.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder defeated the Tulsa Oilers 5-1 at the Kansas Coliseum on Friday night.

Jason Duda put the Thunder on top just 2:48 into the game, deflecting Jim Jorgensen's shot from the point beyond the left of goaltender Kevin Armstrong.  At 10:19, Marc Belanger sniped a power play goal over Armstrong's right shoulder to make it 2-0.

At 6:07 in the second, Wichita made it 3-0 on a perfect backdoor pass from Damian Surma that was punched in by Troy Ofukany.  Quick passing led to Jim Jorgensen's power play goal at 12:13 in the second to give the Thunder a four-goal advantage.  Mike Batovanja crashed the net and cleaned up a rebound from Ofukany for a shorthanded goal at 17:11 to make it 5-0.

The Oilers scratched out their lone tally on a shorthanded goal from former Oklahoma City Blazer Marty Standish at 7:04 in the third period.

With a goal and an assist, Jason Duda now has 876 career points and surpasses Doug Lawrence for third place all-time in CHL history.

Rookie goaltender Scott Campbell saved 25 of 26 to earn his first professional win.  Wichita was outshot 26-22.  The Thunder went 2 for 7 on the power play while going a perfect 5 for 5 shorthanded.

Jorgensen and Belanger each finished with a goal and two assists.  Duda and Ofukany also had multi-point games.

Wichita next plays on Saturday night when they head to the BOK center for another match against the Oilers.  Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:35 p.m.  All the action can be heard worldwide at www.wichitathunder.com  The Thunder returns to the Coliseum on Friday, October 30th when they host the Missouri Mavericks.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder signed defenseman Jason Woll on Thursday.

Woll made his professional debut last season with the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones, appearing in 10 games.  Woll assisted on three goals while collecting 18 PIM.  A native of Portland, OR, Woll went on to pick up 52 more PIM and three more assists in 15 Cyclones' playoff games.

The six-foot-two defenseman joined Cincinnati after wrapping up a four-year career at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, where he scored 77 points along with 353 PIM in just 108 games.  Woll helped MSOE reach the Harris Cup championship game and was named to the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association's All-Tournament team.  To clear a roster spot for Woll, the Thunder released defenseman Connor MacDonald.

Wichita returns to action this Friday when they host the Tulsa Oilers at the Kansas Coliseum, kicking off their first "three-in-three" of the season.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Drops Two
The Wichita Thunder went 0-2-0 in their opening weekend.  Friday night, the Thunder was shutout by the red-hot Amarillo Gorillas 5-0 at the Kansas Coliseum.  Jake Morissette broke a scoreless tie midway into the second period before adding a second goal and an assist to finish the night with three points.  Tim Boron, playing for the first time since January 30th, suffered the loss, saving 23 of 28.

In a back-and-forth match on Saturday, the Thunder fell 5-3 to the Mississippi RiverKings.  After falling behind 2-0 less than halfway into the first period, Wichita rallied for three unanswered power play goals.  Marc Belanger cleaned up a rebound from Damian Surma at 10:33 to get Wichita on the board.  At 15:02, Jason Duda deflected a long shot from Mark Adamek into the net to tie the game.  Glenn Detulleo scored at 10:13 in the second to give Wichita the lead.  The RiverKings made a comeback of their own however, re-tying the game with less than a minute left in the second and then getting a pair of goals from Ryan Held in the third period to take the lead for good.  Rookie goaltender Scott Campbell made his professional debut, saving 25 of 30 in the loss.

Duda One Shy of Third Place
Jason Duda's power play goal on Saturday night was the 874th point of his career.  Duda now trails Doug Lawrence by one point for third place all-time in CHL history.

Special Teams Notes
The Thunder's three power play goals on Saturday night matched their single game-high from all of last season.  Wichita currently ranks tied for sixth in the league on the man advantage at 17.6%.  On the defensive side, Wichita ranks fifth in the league on the penalty kill at 85.7%

Campbell Debuts
Thunder goaltender Scott Campbell made his professional debut on Saturday night, taking the loss.  Campbell saved 25 of 30 shots.  While the Thunder has several players with rookie status on its roster, only Campbell was without professional experience until this weekend.  Campbell was a college teammate of Thunder forward Mike Kneeland at Lake Forest College where the two graduted from last season.

Several Return From Lengthy Offseason
Wichita saw four of its players hit the ice this weekend who ended the 2008-09 season in the Season-Ending IR.  Goaltender Tim Boron started Friday night after not seeing action since January 30th due to injuries to both of his hips.  Defenseman Connor MacDonald, who picked up a fighting major on Saturday, played for the first time since February 3rd because of injuries to his shoulders.  Right Wing Joel Hanson had been sidelined by a wrist injury since March 13th.  Meanwhile, right wing Mike Batovanja, who had a fighting major on Friday, played for the first time since October 18th, 2008 when he tore his ACL in the Thunder's home opener.

Injury Notes
Brandon Kaleniecki, Chris Trafford, and Jordan Little remain on the 14-Day IR.  Chris Kovalcik is currently on the 30-Day IR.  All assignments date back to October 16th.

Up Next
The Thunder plays three games in three nights this weekend.  Wichita hosts the Tulsa Oilers on Friday night at the Kansas Coliseum at 7:05 p.m.  The first 5,000 fans in attendance receive a souvenir magnet schedule, courtesy of Great Clips, El Mexico Cafe, Green Lantern Car Wash, and Heroes.  Students can also receive upper corner and upper end seats for just $7.00 with the presentation of their student ID.  The two teams meet up the following night at the BOK Center before Wichita heads South for a rematch against the RiverKings on Sunday afternoon.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 5-3 to the Mississippi RiverKings at the Kansas Coliseum on Saturday night.

After erasing an early deficit with three unanswered goals, the RiverKings scored the final three of the contest to come away with the win.

Trailing 2-0 in the first, Marc Belanger scored a power play goal on a rebound from Damian Surma at 10:33.  Just over three minutes later, and on another power play, Jason Duda deflected Mark Adamek's shot from the point past the left side of goaltender Ray Jean to tie the game.

Glenn Detulleo scored another power play goal at 10:13 in the second when his pass attempt banked off the foot of Jean and into the net.  Ryan Campbell's power play goal at 19:15 in the second re-tied the game.

Ryan Held scored just 38 seconds into the third period to put Mississippi back in front and then scored on a short handed breakaway at 15:49 to put the game away.

Mark Adamek collected three assists for Wichita.  Duda's goal leaves him one point shy of tying Doug Lawrence for third place in CHL history.  Rookie goaltender Scott Campbell made his professional debut, saving 25 of 30 in the loss.

The Thunder returns to action on Friday, October 23rd when they host the Tulsa Oilers.  Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder lost 5-0 to the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum on Friday night.

Four Gorillas had multi points, including Jake Morissette who scored two goals and an assist.  Goaltender Mike Brown earned an 18-save shutout.

Morissette broke a 2-2 tie at 12:53 in the second period, finishing off a feed from Stuart MacRae that went past the right of Tim Boron.  Boron was playing for the first time since January 30th.  At 14:44, it was MacRae who scored on a feed from Morissette to make it 2-0 Gorillas.

The Gorillas broke it open with the three-goal third period, which included Morissette's second of the night.  David Nimmo and Joe Guenther tallied the other goals.  Anthony Battaglia earned three assists.  Wichita went 0-7 on the power play, and managed only two shots in the third period.  Boron stopped 23 of 28 in the loss.

The Thunder conlcudes its opening weekend on Saturday when the Mississippi RiverKings visit the Coliseum.  Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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The Wichita Thunder opens the 2009-10 season tonight at 7:05 p.m. when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum.  All 64 regular season games can be heard free of charge live at www.allinbroadcasting.com  The CHL is also offering televised broadcasts this season through INSINC.  More information about the CHL and INSINC, including a "Free Preview" for tonight's season opener, can be found at http://chltv.insinc.com/index.php

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder announced that American Idol contestant Phil Stacey will perform before and during their first game at the INTRUST Bank Arena on January 23rd.

Stacey will sing the Star Spangled Banner prior to the Thunder's first ever game at their new home on Saturday, January 23rd and then perform during one of the intermissions.  Stacey, a graduate of Northwest High School in Wichita, was one of the final six contestants during the sixth season of American Idol.

In addition to Stacey, the Thunder has many great promotions scheduled for the 2009-10 season.  On December 5th, fans can "Win the Boss' Money" when Thunder General Manager Joel Lomurno will be giving away cold hard cash out of his Cincinnati Bengals velcro wallet, courtesy of Hajoca and Presto.  Later in December, the Thunder pays tribute to their now defunct rivals, the Oklahoma City Blazers, for "Down in Flames Night" on the 26th.

December 29th marks a new promotion when Wichita holds its first "The Long and Short of it Night", presented by Salon Knotty.  Prizes will be handed out all night for various categories, such as the tallest and shortest fan, longest and shortest hair, and biggest and smallest feet.

When the Thunder hosts the Odessa Jackalopes on January 9th, the franchise will say farewell to the Kansas Coliseum, which has been the home of the Thunder since its inception in 1992.  That night, the Thunder plans to announce its "All-Kansas Coliseum Team".

The Thunder opens the brand new INTRUST Bank Arena on January 23rd.  In addition to Phil Stacey's performance, the contest versus Tulsa is also the Thunder's annual "Pack the House Night", presented by Baker University and Furniture on Consignment.

Sonic Thunderdog celebrates his 17th birthday on January 30th when Wichita takes on the Rapid City Rush.  Various mascots will be on hand, while the Thunder will wear commemorative jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game.

Youth Jersey night returns on Sunday, February 21st.  The first 1,000 fans 12 and under in attendance receive a youth Thunder jersey, courtesy of Red Wing Shoe Store and Cricket Communications.

The home schedule wraps up on Sunday, March 14th against Missouri for the team's annual "Fandemonium", sponsored by Wichita Airline Maintenance, Sand Creek Station Golf Course, and Viega.  Prizes and gifts will be given away throughout the night.

Other annual promotions inlcude "Toys 4 Tots Night", presented by A-OK Pawn and Carrabba's on November 28th, the Thunder Teddy Bear Toss, presented by Bank of the West on December 19th, and Thunder Team Photo Night, presented by Allegiant Air, America's Pub, Eaton Place, Newman University, 360 Wichita, and Liquid Sun on March 13th.

A complete list of the Thunder's promotions can be found here: http://wichitathunder.com/promotions.html

Wichita begins the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder has partnered with the Brian S. Etheridge Memorial Fund for their game on Friday, October 23rd versus the Tulsa Oilers.

Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy Brian Etheridge was killed in the line of duty on September 28, 2009.  A graduate of Wichita State University, Etheridge had been working for the Sheriff's department for 18 months.

All members of the emergency services industry who wish to attend the game may purchase tickets at a discount with $5.00 from each ticket going towards the memorial fund which will benefit Deputy Etheridge's wife and daughter.  Volunteer Sheriffs will also hold a "pass the hat" during the game to collect donations for the fund.  Prior to the game, the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department will present the colors and sing the National Anthem.

For more information on the fund raiser, contact Amy Wilds at the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Thunder Sweeps Mavericks
The Wichita Thunder swept the expansion Missouri Mavericks over the weekend, winning 3-0 on Friday night and then 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday.  Rookie goaltenders Scott Campbell and Jamie Gilbert combined for a 39-save shutout in Friday's win, the Thunder's first in the preseason since 2007.  Rookie forward Mike Kneeland collected two points, including a goal from the high slot just 38 seconds into the contest.  Mike Batovanja, who had not seen action since a season-ending knee injury in last year's home opener, scored on the power play late in the first.  Chris Tarkir's short handed goal in the third period finished the scoring for the night.

On Saturday, rookie Chris Trafford scored a pair of goals, including the shootout's game winner in the Thunder's victory.  Defenseman Jim Jorgensen and Trafford had goals for the Thunder in regulation, while Jamie Gilbert stopped nine of nine shots to face him.  Gilbert finishes the preseason having not allowed a goal in 30 attempts.  Wichita won the shootout in four rounds, with Scott Campbell stopping three of four Missouri attempts.

CHL Realignment
The CHL features 15 teams for the 2009-10 season.  The Northern and Southern Conferences remain.  Wichita is joined by Bossier-Shreveport, Colorado, Mississippi, Missouri, Rapid City, and Tulsa in the North.  The South is composed of Allen, Amarillo, Arizona, Corpus Christi, Laredo, Odessa, Rio Grande Valley, and defending champion Texas.  The conferences are no longer split into divisions.  The playoff format remains for a third straight year.

Boron Eyes Regular Season
Thunder goaltender Tim Boron missed both exhibition games over the weekend due to illness, but is expected to be ready for this Friday's season opener.  Boron has not played since January after suffering season-ending injuries to both of his hips.  The Winnipeg, Manitoba native posted a 2.59 goals against averave and a .926 save percentage.  Boron fell four games shy of finishing fifth and second respectively.

Blue Line Size and Strength
The Thunder feature four defensemen who are at least 6'4".  Chris McAllister, who stands in at 6'7", brings seven years of NHL experience to the table.  Chris Kovalcik, Jordan Little, and Mark Adamek all bring size and presence to the back end as well.

Thunder Will Open Two New Arenas
The Thunder is scheduled to help christen two new buildings this season.  On January 23rd, the Thunder officially begins play at the INTRUST Bank Arena downtown, hosting longtime rival Tulsa.  On November 13th, Wichita will play the first game at the new Independence Events Center when they take on the expansion Missouri Mavericks.

Aiming High
The Thunder has finished second in the CHL in attendance in each of the last four seasons.  The only team to finish in front of them was the Oklahoma City Blazers who are no longer part of the league.  With the new INTRUST Bank Arena set to open on January 23rd, the Thunder have a chance to finish first in attendance for the first time in their history.

Up Next
The Thunder opens the season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas COliseum.  The following night, Wichita welcomes the Mississippi RiverKings.  Both games start at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder edged the Missouri Mavericks in a shootout 3-2 at the Wichita Ice Center on Saturday night.

Chris Trafford netted two goals, including the shootout game-winner to help the Thunder sweep their two-game exhibition series from the expansion Mavericks.

For the second consecutive night, the Thunder scored first.  With the game scoreless in the second, defenseman Jim Jorgensen fired a shot that rang off the corner of the crossbar and into the net against Mavericks' goaltender Mike Gorman at 11:59.  Jason Duda and Joel Hanson picked up assists.  Missouri tied the game at 16:22 when former Thunder defenseman Andrew Davis scored a power play goal on a backdoor pass from Bill Vandemeer.

Wichita regained the lead at 5:20 in the third when Trafford snuck a shot past new goaltender Dan Earles, assisted by Mike Kneeland who had two points on Friday night.  Ted Vandemeer scored on a breakaway at 10:27 to tie it for Missouri.  Wichita staved off nearly three minutes of Missouri power play before the game went straight from regulation to the shootout.

The Thunder won the shootout three goals to one, with Trafford, Kneeland, and Jason Duda each scoring.  Scott Campbell earned the win, saving three of four shootout attempts.

Thunder netminder Jamie Gilbert started the game, saving nine of nine shots, playing exactly 30 minutes.  Gilbert finishes the preseason having stopped all 30 of the shots he faced.

The Thunder finishes the preseason with a record of 2-0-0.  Wichita now awaits the 2009-10 regular season opener versus the Amarillo Gorillas on Friday, October 16th.  The puck drops at 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder shutout the Missouri Mavericks 3-0 in their first exhibition game of the 2009-10 season.

Rookie forward Mike Kneeland notched two points, while first-year goaltenders Scott Campbell and Jamie Gilbert combined for a 39-save shutout.

Kneeland got Wichita on the board just 38 seconds into the game, wristing a shot past Mavericks' goaltender Doug Groenestege from the high slot.  Near the end of the period, third-year right wing Mike Batovanja cleaned up a rebound on a wrap-around at the 19:29 mark.  Chris Tarkir scored short handed at 2:54 in the third period to give the Thunder a 3-0 lead.

Campbell played the first half of the game, stopping 18 of 18 shots before coming out at the 9:25 mark in the second.  Gilbert played the rest of the night, saving 21 of 21 which at one point included two full minutes of a Mavericks' five-on-three power play.

The Thunder finish their preseason series with Missouri Saturday night at the Wichita Ice Center.  Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder added defenseman Jim Jorgensen to its training camp roster on Thursday.

A native of Sault Ste. Marie, MI, Jorgensen is +7 in 73 career professional games, all played in the ECHL.  The 24-year old Jorgensen played four seasons of college hockey for Division-I Ferris State University where he scored 38 points in 114 games.  After finishing with the Bulldogs in 2008, Jorgensen signed with the Las Vegas Wranglers at the end of the ECHL season where Brent Bilodeau was the Assistant Coach.  Last season, Jorgensen split time with Las Vegas, Gwinnett, and Phoenix, scoring eight goals and 23 points in 65 games.  The Thunder currently have 27 players on their training camp roster.

The Thunder drops the puck on the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum.  Wichita also hosts two exhibition games against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on October 9th and 10th at the Wichita Ice Center located across from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  Tickets for the pre-season contests, which both start at 7:05 p.m., are on sale now.  For more information, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder announced today that individual tickets for the 2009-10 season go on sale Monday, October 5th.

Thunder season ticket holders may begin picking up their tickets on Saturday, October 2nd at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium from 12:00-5:00 p.m.  Season ticket holders also have the benefit of purchasing individual tickets for the 2009-10 season before Monday's general sale to the public.  The Thunder ticket office opens at 9:00 a.m. on Monday morning.

The Thunder drops the puck on the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum.  Wichita also hosts two exhibition games against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on October 9th and 10th at the Wichita Ice Center located across from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  Tickets for the pre-season contests, which both start at 7:05 p.m., are on sale now.  For more information, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder announced its annual media day is scheduled for Monday, October 5th at the Wichita Ice Center, during the team's first day of training camp.

Media day runs from 2:30-3:30 p.m.  All television, radio, and print media outlets are invited to attend.  Thunder players, as well as Head Coach Brent Bilodeau will be on hand for interviews.  Practice can be filmed until it ends at 3:15 with interviews conducted in an informal manner afterward.

The Thunder recently added five players to their training camp roster, including second-year center Chris Tarkir.  Tarkir was one of five Thunder rookies to score 10 or more goals last season, including two in his first professional game.  A native of Fresno, CA, Tarkir played four seasons of college hockey at the University of Alaska-Anchorage.

Joining Tarkir are forwards Brandon Kaleniecki and Will Roberts, defenseman Brett Beauchamp, and goaltender Jamie Gilbert.  Kaleniecki spent the past three seasons in the ECHL, notching 65 points in 115 games.  Last season, the left winger scored 24 points in 35 games for the Gwinnett Gladiators.  Kaleniecki played four seasons of Division-I hockey at the University of Michigan, where he scored 64 goals and 36 assists in 159 games.  The Livonia, MI native played two seasons for the Las Vegas Wranglers while Brent Bilodeau was the Assistant Coach.

Roberts, who also has the ability to play defense, joins Thunder camp after spending last season in the AAHA with the Evansville IceMen.  The Nashville, TN native potted four goals and assisted on 21 more in 37 games played.  His professional career began in the MAHL in 2007-08 with the Jamestown Kings.

Beauchamp started his professional career last season, spending time with three different teams in the ECHL.  Originally from Montreal, Quebec, Beauchamp totaled 41 games last season while posting a +4 rating.  The 23-year old defenseman played two seasons at Concordia University in Canada, scoring 18 points in 33 games.

Gilbert, a true rookie, finished his college career last season at the University of Southern Maine, going 7-7-3 in 17 games with a .906 save percentage and 3.10 goals against average.  During his junior season, the Lewiston, ME native posted marks of .914 and 2.63 while going 10-6-1.  The five additions give the Thunder 26 total players in camp.

Training camp at the Wichita Ice Center is open to the public.  The Thunder's camp schedule for next week is as follows:

Monday, October 5th: 9:00-10:15 a.m. and 2:00-3:15 p.m.

Tuesday, October 6th: 9:00-10:15 a.m. and 2:00-3:15 p.m.

Wednesday, October 7th: 9:00-10:15 a.m. and 2:00-3:15 p.m.

Thursday, October 8th: 9:30-11:30 a.m.

The Thunder drops the puck on the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum.  Wichita also hosts two exhibition games against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on October 9th and 10th at the Wichita Ice Center located across from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  Tickets for the pre-season contests, which both start at 7:05 p.m., are on sale now.  For more information, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- Tickets for the Wichita Thunder's two pre-season contests will go on sale Wednesday, September 23rd at 9:00 a.m.

Wichita hosts the expansion Missouri Mavericks on Friday, October 9th and Saturday, October 10th with both games beginning at 7:05 p.m.  Both contests will be played at the Wichita Ice Center, located across the street from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  All tickets are general admission at just $10.00 each, and can be purchased at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.

The Thunder opens the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at 7:05 p.m.  Season tickets and packages are on sale now.  For more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder announced Friday that left wing Troy Ofukany and defenseman Arthur Fritch will attend camp with an AHL squad this weekend.

Ofukany, entering his second professional season, has been invited to camp with the Texas Stars, AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars.  Ofukany finished last year among CHL rookie leaders in points, scoring 17 goals and 19 assists, while totaling 122 PIM in 62 games.

Fritch, a second-year defenseman, heads to New England where he will audition for the Worcester Sharks, AHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks.  Fritch scored 116 points in 96 games at Colby College before making his pro debut last season overseas in Holland where he notched 20 points in 36 games.

The Thunder opens the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum.  Season tickets and packages are on sale now.  The Thunder hosts two exhibition contests against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on October 9th and 10th at the Wichita Ice Center. All seats are just $10.00 general admission.  For tickets and more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder signed rookie forward Mike Kneeland on Wednesday.

A native of Calgary, Alberta, Kneeland recently finished a four-year career at Lake Forest College, where he was a teammate of recently-signed Thunder goaltender Scott Campbell.  Kneeland scored 96 points for the Foresters in 85 career games.  At the end of last season, Kneeland appeared in three games for the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads, playing for former Thunder Head Coach Derek Laxdall.  Kneeland earned NCHA All-Academic honors during his junior and senior seasons, while leading the Foresters in points during both of those years.

Kneeland gives the Thunder 21 players under contract for the 2009-10 season.  Training camp begins on Monday, October 5th and is open to the public at the Wichita Ice Center.

The Thunder opens the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum.  Season tickets and packages are on sale now.  The Thunder hosts two exhibition contests against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on October 9th and 10th at the Wichita Ice Center. All seats are just $10.00 general admission.  For tickets and more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- Thunder forward Scott Rozendal announced his retirement today in order to pursue a career outside of hockey.

Rozendal played four seasons of pro hockey, three of which were spent in a Thunder uniform.  He appeared in 184 career games, scoring 47 goals and 93 points, while picking up 362 PIM.  Rozendal first joined the Thunder in 2005-06 after a brief stint with the ECHL's Fresno Falcons.  The following season, Rozendal scored a career-high 20 goals for Wichita.
 
Originally from Goderich, Ontario, Rozendal played two seasons of college hockey in Canada at the University of Guelph.  Now 27 years old, Rozendal was well known for his philanthropic work in the Wichita community.  He twice earned the Thunder's annual award for community service.
 
The Thunder opens the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum.  Season ticket packages are on sale now.  The Thunder hosts two exhibition contests against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on October 9th and 10th at the Wichita Ice Center. All seats are just $10.00 general admission.  For tickets and more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder made three more additions to its 2009-10 roster, resigning forward Joel Hanson and signing goaltender Scott Campbell and forward Shane Heffernan.

Hanson was the Thunder's Rookie of the Year in 2009, scoring 14 goals and 33 points in 39 games.  Hanson opened last year in the ECHL with the Augusta Lynx, and was signed by the Thunder in early December after Augusta closed operations.  Hanson's season was cut short due to a wrist injury and was placed on the season-ending IR on March 13th.  The native of Elk River, MN played four seasons of college hockey at the University of Minnesota-Mankato where he scored 80 points in 148 games and was a teammate of Thunder center Brad Thompson.

Campbell, a true rookie, finished his college career last Winter at Lake Forest College.  Despite a record of 13-42-3, Campbell posted a career .913 save percentage that ranks third in Forrester's history.  The Bloomfield, Ontario native is also the school's all-time leader with 2,234 saves.  In 2008, Campbell earned Lake Forest's Team MVP award and was also an All-NCHA First Team selection.

Heffernan split time in the AAHA last season, playing for the Chi Town Shooters and the Evansville IceMen.  The Kitchener, Ontario native scored 34 goals and 91 points in just 38 games.  Heffernan finished his junior career in 2006-07, playing for the OPJHL's Ajax Attack.

The three signings give the Thunder 21 players under contract for the 2009-10 season.  Training camp begins on Monday, October 5th and is open to the public at the Wichita Ice Center.

The Thunder opens the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum.  Season tickets and packages are on sale now.  The Thunder hosts two exhibition contests against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on October 9th and 10th at the Wichita Ice Center. All seats are just $10.00 general admission.  For tickets and more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder signed NHL veteran defenseman Chris McAllister on Saturday.

McAllister has 301 games of NHL experience and adds another physical presence to an already strong blue line.

After spending three seasons in the Major Juniors with the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, McAllister was selected in the 2nd round (40th overall) by the Vancouver Canucks in 1995.  The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native ascended to the NHL by the 1997-98 season with Vancouver.  The six-foot, seven-inch McAllister's resume includes time with the Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche, and New York Rangers.

Last season, McAllister scored three goals, and a career-best 12 assists and 15 points while racking up 168 PIM in 60 games for the EIHL's Newcastle Vipers.  McAllister was a teammate of newly signed Thunder center Glenn Detulleo in 2006-07 when the two played for the Kalamazoo Wings.

Now entering his 15th professional season, McAllister has 1,570 PIM in just 663 professional games.  The 34-year old has collected 123 fighting majors in his career.  He brings more NHL experience than any other player in the Thunder's 18-year history.

The Thunder, which ranked last in the CHL in fighting majors last season, now sports four defensemen 6'4 or taller, including McAllister, Mark Adamek (6'4), Chris Kovalcik (6'4), and Jordan Little (6'4).  McAllister also fills the Thunder's final veteran spot, joining Detulleo, Jason Duda, and Damian Surma.

McAllister's signing gives the Thunder 18 players under contract for the 2009-10 season.  Training camp begins on Monday, October 5th and is open to the public at the Wichita Ice Center.

The Thunder opens the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum.  Season tickets and packages are on sale now.  The Thunder hosts two exhibition contests against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on October 9th and 10th at the Wichita Ice Center. All seats are just $10.00 general admission.  For tickets and more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder bolstered its offense on Wednesday, re-signing forwards Troy Ofukany and Marc Belanger.

In his first season of professional hockey, Ofukany became a dual-threat up front for Wichita, scoring 36 points and totaling 122 PIM in 62 games.  Ofukany had six multi-point games last season, including a hat trick and two assists on January 2nd versus Colorado.  Originally from Kamloops, British Columbia, Ofukany played four seasons in the WHL before turning pro, notching 149 points and 321 PIM in 265 games.  Ofukany earned the Thunder's Most Improved Player Award at the end of the season.  Ofukany's 17 goals tied him for 11th among CHL rookies, while his 36th points ranked 18th.

Belanger, also a true rookie last season, came to the Thunder via an early February trade with the eventual champion Texas Brahmas.  Belanger scored a total of 20 goals in 62 games, ranking tied for ninth among CHL rookies.  The Nanaimo, British Columbia native played four seasons at St. Norbert College where he scored 62 goals and 132 points in 119 games.  Prior to the Thunder's final home game, in which he would score two goals, Belanger played a major role in the team's pre-game festivities by removing his #15 jersey in honor of Thunder great Rob Weingartner whom the number is now retired for.

The second-year forwards give the Thunder 17 players under contract for the 2009-10 season.  Training camp begins on Monday, October 5th and is open to the public at the Wichita Ice Center.

The Thunder opens the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum.  Season tickets and packages are on sale now.  The Thunder hosts two exhibition contests against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on October 9th and 10th at the Wichita Ice Center. All seats are just $10.00 general admission.  For tickets and more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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Tempe, AZ- The Central Hockey League introduced today a new program that will give fans something to cheer about with CHL Loyalty Rewards.  The CHL has partnered with Robson Technologies Ltd. to create the new program that will give fans and companies the opportunity to earn, redeem and transfer points not only in the CHL’s program but within some of their other rewards programs that they are currently members of.  The program’s online home is located at www.chlpoints.com.

"We feel we are offering an outstanding program to our fans,” said Duane Lewis, CHL Commissioner.  “CHL Loyalty Rewards allows all teams to integrate in the everyday lives of people in their communities helping them come together with local businesses.  It is a win-win for everyone.”

In CHL Loyalty Rewards, fans and businesses can earn points by doing what they typically do to support their favorite CHL team, such as buying tickets and team merchandise and for businesses, investing in the team through sponsorship.  Members of the program can transfer points from their CHL Loyalty Rewards membership to other participating points programs (airlines, hotels, etc.) and vice versa.

“The program is truly innovative for a professional sports league,” said Kevin V. Huhn, CHL Business Development.  “Consumers and companies have felt the crunch of the economic shift over the past little while.  Our new program was designed with the intention of helping ease this pain and giving everyone the opportunity to continue experiencing the enjoyment the CHL teams bring them.”

Huhn  added, “Membership in U.S. loyalty rewards programs ranges in the billions with more than 75% of consumers having at least one loyalty card* and we felt that rewarding our fans and sponsors for their loyalty to the CHL was a logical thing to do.”

* - according to Jupiter Research

Besides the online catalog of items available for redemption by consumers, CHL Loyalty Rewards also serves as a full tracking referral program for fans, businesses and CHL teams.  Anyone who refers a potential client can follow the process online and then get rewarded for their referral from participating merchants.

“This is a unique partnership between the CHL and Robson Technologies, whereby the CHL will reward their fans and merchants for their ongoing patronage and referrals.  In these difficult economic times, people and companies are looking for ways to get more for their buying dollar – that’s one of the things that CHL Loyalty Rewards gives them: CHL Points for every qualifying
purchase,” said David Robson, President of Robson Technologies Ltd.  “Furthermore, through our technology, fans and merchants receive meaningful rewards for online referrals – so this means newly referred people and companies will experience benefit from the excellent sports entertainment package that is the CHL.”

The program is FREE for people to join.  To learn more about CHL Loyalty Rewards and to sign up and become a member, visit www.chlpoints.com and start earning, redeeming and transferring points today.

About the CHL
The CHL will be entering its 18th season this fall, with 15 active member teams across nine states.  The CHL saw close to two million fans attend games during the 2008-09 season and has led North American professional ‘AA’ hockey leagues in average attendance in six of the past eight seasons.  The CHL is administered by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Global Entertainment Corporation (Global Stock Symbol: GNTP) a company engaged in sports management, multi-purpose events and entertainment center and related real estate development, facility and venue management and marketing, and venue ticketing.  For more information about the CHL visit the league’s website at www.centralhockeyleague.com.

About Robson Technologies
Robson Technologies Ltd. is a privately held company that handles “cradle to grave” technology solutions.  With offices throughout Canada and the United States, the Company integrates unique buying opportunities and customer loyalty.  It provides solutions for a client base that includes notable organizations such as:  AMJ Campbell Moving (Canada’s largest moving company), Dofasco and the Province of Ontario.

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder has re-signed veteran Jason Duda for the 2009-10 season.

Duda enters his 14th season of professional hockey and his 14th in a Thunder uniform.  Last season, Duda shattered every major offensive record in team history, and now ranks first in goals (335), assists (530), points (865), and games played (735).

In 10 of his previous 13 seasons, Duda has scored more points than games played.  Originally from Sexsmith, Alberta, Duda was a finalist for the 2005 CHL MVP Award, notching a career-best 66 assists and 96 points, while finishing +37.

The left winger ranks third all-time in CHL history with 337 goals and 536 assists, fourth with 873 points, and second with 740 games played.  Duda's third point of the 2009-10 season will move him past Doug Lawrence for third place all-time in the league's 18-year history.

Despite battling through a back injury for most of last season, Duda paced the Thunder with 55 points in 58 games played, led the team with a +8 rating, and was a CHL All-Star.  Duda won CHL Player of the Week honors in early November, which included a six-game point streak.  At the end of the season, Duda was named the Thunder's 2009 Team MVP.  Duda was originally acquired in a trade from the Oklahoma City Blazers in December of 1996 in exchange for Dave Shute.

The Thunder begins the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th when they host the Amarillo Gorillas at the Kansas Coliseum.  One week prior, the Thunder hosts a pair of exhibition games against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on the 9th and 10th at the Wichita Ice Center.  Tickets for both preseason games are all general admission for just $10.00  Season tickets and packages are on sale now for the regular season, which will see the Thunder move into the new downtown arena on January 23rd versus the Tulsa Oilers.  For more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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The Wichita Wingnuts are hosting our second annual Thunder Night at Lawrence Dumont Stadium on Wednesday, August 26th.  To show our great appreciation to you the fans, all current Thunder Season Ticketholders are invited to a complimentary pre-game picnic (hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, beans & drinks) in the Bud Pavilion (directly behind the leftfield fence).  Along with free admission to the picnic you will receive a complimentary seat to that night’s game.  Game time is set for 7:05 PM and the pre-game picnic will be served from 6:05 PM-7:05 PM.

If you are interested in attending the Thunder Night with the Wingnuts please call the Thunder office at 264-4625 to reserve your spot.  All reservations will need to be made by noon on Monday, August 24th.  Once we hear back from you about attending we will have your tickets accompanied with wristbands waiting for you at a table by the front gate on game night. The ticket table will be available starting at 5:55 PM with gates opening at 6:05 PM.

The number of complimentary tickets you can receive to Thunder Night will be based on the number of Thunder season tickets you have.  To add additional persons to the picnic will be $16 per person.  For more questions please call 264-4625.

All Thunder fans are encouraged to sport their favorite Thunderwear!  We hope to see you at the ball park as we pay tribute to Thunder Hockey!  The Puck drops October 16th!

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder added size and strength signing defensemen Mark Adamek and Chris Kovalcik.

Adamek joins the Thunder's defensive corps after spending the first four seasons of his professional career in the ECHL.  Adamek spent three seasons with the Stockton Thunder, where he was a teammate of Thunder goaltender Tim Boron from 2007-2008.  Last season, Adamek teamed with newly signed Thunder center Damian Surma to help Stockton to the ECHL playoffs.  At six-foot, four-inches, Adamek adds presence to the blue line.  Adamek owns a +15 rating in 26 career playoff games and earned the Stockton Thunder's "Unsung Hero" Award in 2008.  Before turning pro, the Hollister, CA native played four seasons of college hockey at Lake Superior State University.

Kovalcik spent last season in the CHL with the Tulsa Oilers, appearing in 53 games and totaling 192 PIM.  The six-foot, four-inch Kovalcik finished fifth in the league with 24 fighting majors, including three which came against the Thunder.  Kovalcik finished just -2 on a team that was a collective -225 at the end of the season.  Now in his sixth season of pro hockey, Kovalcik has 944 career PIM in just 249 games played.  Originally from St. Charles, MO, Kovalcik has finished in the top-five in fighting majors two other times in his career.  The 26-year old spent most of last season playing up front but is currently penciled in as a defensemen for the Thunder this October.

Adamek and Kovalcik join goaltender Tim Boron, forwards Damian Surma, Glenn Detulleo, Chris Trafford, Brent Ottmann, Brad Thompson, Scott Rozendal, and Mike Batovanja, as well as defensemen Jordan Little, Arthur Fritch, Rickard Forslund, and Connor MacDonald as players under contract for the 2009-10 season.

The Thunder opens the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th at the Kansas Coliseum when they host the Amarillo Gorillas.  Wichita also has two exhibition games scheduled for October 9th and 10th against the expansion Missouri Mavericks.  Both games begin at 7:05 p.m. at the Wichita Ice Center.  Season tickets and packages are on sale now.  For more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder announced that goaltender Tim Boron will return for the 2009-10 season.

Boron joined the Thunder in late November after beginning the season in the ECHL with the Stockton Thunder.  The Winnipeg, Manitoba native appeared in 19 games for the Thunder, going 6-11-1 with a 2.59 goals against average and a .926 save percentage.

The 26-year old allowed three or fewer goals in 16 of his 19 starts.  In the other three, Boron allowed only four goals.  Had it not been for a pair of season-ending hip injuries that left him short of qualifying for the CHL league leaders, Boron would have ranked fifth in the CHL in goals against average and second in save percentage.

Boron earned Goaltender of the Week honors after a remarkable 53-save effort over Mississippi in a 2-1 Thunder win on December 19th.  The victory also earned Boron Performance of the Week Honors.  On December 13th versus Rocky Mountain, Boron shutout the Rocky Mountain Rage, saving 28 of 28 in regulation and overtime in an eventual shootout loss.

Even after being placed on the Season-Ending Injured Reserve, Boron was still voted the third most underrated player in the league in the CHL's annual Best-of-the-Best Poll.  Boron had surgery on both of his hips shortly after the season ended and is expected to be 100% for the start of this season.

After going 13-4-0 during the regular season as a rookie, Boron helped the Colorado Eagles to the 2007 CHL championship posting three shutouts as well as earning the win in the clinching game of the President's Cup Finals.

Boron joins forwards Damian Surma, Glenn Detulleo, Chris Trafford, Brent Ottmann, Brad Thompson, Scott Rozendal, and Mike Batovanja, as well as defensemen Jordan Little, Arthur Fritch, Rickard Forslund, and Connor MacDonald as players under contract for the 2009-10 season.  The Thunder expects to announce several more signings, including a high-profile returnee within the next few weeks.

The Thunder opens the 2009-10 season on Friday, October 16th at the Kansas Coliseum when they host the Amarillo Gorillas.  Wichita also has two exhibition games scheduled for October 9th and 10th against the expansion Missouri Mavericks.  Both games begin at 7:05 p.m. at the Wichita Ice Center.  Season tickets and packages are on sale now.  For more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder announced four signings on Tuesday, welcoming defensemen Jordan Little, Arthur Fritch, and Rickard Forslund, and re-signing Connor MacDonald.

Entering his sixth professional season, Little joins the Thunder after spending the last two seasons with the IHL's Kalamazoo Wings where he was a teammate of recently signed Thunder center Glenn Detulleo.  Little finished the season +15, best on a club that was -20 as a team.  Over the last three seasons, Little has notched at least 117 penalty minutes.  The six-foot, four-incher picked up eight fighting majors last season.  Little played four games with the AHL's Edmonton Roadrunners after finishing his college career at the University of Manitoba.

Fritch was a rookie in 2008-09, spending time in Europe with the Heerenveen Flyers.  The Boston, MA native played in 12 games, scoring four goals and assisting on six more.  Fritch played four seasons at Colby College, scoring 116 points in 96 games from 2004-08.  During his junior and senior seasons, Fritch scored 21 goals and 43 assists from the blue line in just 49 games and was named a first-team AHCA All-American both years.

Forslund turns just 23-years old in early August, but already has a wealth of professional experience, playing at the Division-I level of the Swedish Professional League since 2004.  Playing for Ska IK last season, Forslund scored a career-high three goals and 12 assists in 28 games and also picked up 45 penalty minutes.

MacDonald enters his second season with the Thunder and his fourth in professional hockey.  Originally from Tracadie Cross, Prince Edward Island, MacDonald racked up five fighting majors and 71 total penalty minutes in only 34 games before having his season cut short due to a shoulder injury.  Two seasons ago, MacDonald picked up 176 penalty minutes in 52 games with the SPHL's Jacksonville Barracudas.  MacDonald did not appear after February 3rd, but has fully recovered from his injury after undergoing surgery this offseason.

The quartet of defensemen join forwards Damian Surma, Glenn Detulleo, Mike Batovanja, Brad Thompson, Scott Rozendal, Chris Trafford, and Brent Ottmann giving the Thunder 11 players under contract for the 2009-10 season.  More signings are expected within the coming weeks.

The Thunder opens its 18th season on Friday, October 16th at the Kansas Coliseum.  In mid-January, the Thunder will move into the new downtown arena.  Season tickets and packages are on sale now.  For more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder bolstered their offense on Friday, announcing the signings of forwards Damian Surma and Chris Trafford.

After getting drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the sixth round in 1999, Surma reached professional hockey's pinnacle appearing in two NHL contests from 2002-04.  Surma has spent three of the last four seasons in the highly competitive Italian Professional League, scoring 33 goals and 35 assists in 78 games played.  The 28-year old left wing scored a career-high 60 points, including 32 goals, while playing for the ECHL's Florida Everblades in 2004-05.

Surma performed well in his brief stint in the NHL.  The Lincoln Park, MI native scored a goal in his NHL debut in 2002-03, and then notched an NHL assist the following year.  Surma played four seasons in the Major Junior ranks with the OHL's Plymouth Whalers.  In four seasons with Plymouth, Surma scored 225 points in 241 games.  Surma returned to the ECHL at the end of last season, scoring 11 goals and 11 assists in 41 games for the Stockton Thunder.  For his professional career, Surma has scored 123 goals and 137 assists for a total of 260 points in 398 games.

Trafford finished a decorated career with Manhattanville College where he was named a Division-III All-American this past season.  Trafford led the Valiants, a team that was ranked #1 overall in Division-III hockey virtually the entire season, with 17 goals while assisting on 14 others for a team-high 31 points in just 25 games.  Though he played just two seasons at Mercyhurst, Trafford left the Valiants fourth on their all-time list in goals, ninth in points, first in power play goals, and fifth in game-winning goals.

The Kinburn, Ontario native was also one of four finalists for the prestigious Sid Watson Award, given annually to the Division-III Player of the Year.  Trafford's senior season followed up a junior campaign in which he tied a Manhattanville single-season record with 25 goals.  He led the team with 39 points in just 28 games played.  Trafford also spent two seasons at Mercyhurst College, scoring 42 points in 60 games.  In four seasons of college hockey, Trafford scored 63 goals and 49 assists in 113 games.

The Thunder opens its 18th season on Friday, October 16th at the Kansas Coliseum.  Wichita also hosts two exhibition games against the expansion Missouri Mavericks on October 9th and 10th at the Wichita Ice Center.  Both games begin at 7:05 p.m. with general admission seating available for just $10.00.  Exhibition tickets go on sale in late September.  Meanwhile season tickets and packages for the regular season are on sale now, and include game's at the new Intrust Bank Arena.  For more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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The 2008-09 Wichita Thunder Highlight DVD is on sale now!

The latest edition of the Thunder DVD Library features nearly 90 minutes of action, including every fight, shootout and overtime goal.  The DVD also features two different highlight music videos of the 2008-09 season.

Fans can pick up the DVD at the Thunder office for $25...or just $20 for Thunder Season Ticketholders.  The Thunder will open the 2009-10 season - their 18th in the CHL - in less than three months!

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder announced its 2009-10 preseason schedule on Wednesday.

The Thunder, one of the last three remaining members of the original six-team Central Hockey League, will play the Missouri Mavericks, one of two expansion teams for 2009-10, in two exhibition games.  The contests are scheduled for Friday, October 9th and Saturday, October 10th at the Wichita Ice Center located at 505 W. Maple, across the street from Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.  The games precede the opening of the regular season by one week.

Both games begin at 7:05 p.m. with general admission seating costing just $10.00.  Tickets are expected to go on sale in late September.  More information can be found at the Thunder's official website www.wichitathunder.com

Wichita opens its 18th season on Friday, October 16th at the Kansas Coliseum.  In mid-January, the Thunder will begin playing their home games at Wichita's new downtown arena.  Season tickets and ticket packages are on sale now.  For more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Central Hockey League announced its realignment as well as its playoff format for the upcoming 2009-10 season.

The Central Hockey League, entering its 18th season, moves forward with 15 teams for 2009-10.  The league now consists of two conferences with no divisions.  The Northern Conference plays with seven teams, including the Thunder, Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, Colorado Eagles, Mississippi Riverkings, Rapid City Rush, Tulsa Oilers, and the expansion Missouri Mavericks.

The South consists of eight teams, including the Amarillo Gorillas, Arizona Sundogs, Corpus Christi IceRays, Laredo Bucks, Odessa Jackalopes, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, Texas Brahmas, and the expansion Allen Americans.

The league's playoff format remains as it has since the 2007-08 season.  The five teams from each conference with the highest point totals qualify for the playoffs.  The fourth and fifth seeds play a three-game series to determine the conference semi-final matchups.  The conference-semi finals, conference finals, and Ray Miron President's Cup Finals are all best-of-seven series.

The Thunder opens the 2009-10 season on October 16th on the road and will play their final home opener at the Kansas Coliseum the following night.  In mid-January, the Thunder will move to the new Intrust Bank arena downtown.  Season tickets and packages are on sale now.  For more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder announced two more player signings on Friday, returning left wing Scott Rozendal and signing veteran center Glenn Detulleo.

Detulleo (pronounced duh-TOOL-ee-oh) is entering his seventh season of professional hockey.  The Timmins, Ontario native has scored more points than games played in each of his last two seasons, playing for the IHL's Kalamazoo Wings.  Detulleo scored a career-high 26 goals as well as 55 assists in just 70 games last season.  The year before, he scored 17 goals and set a career-high with 56 assists in 72 contests.  For his career, Detulleo has scored 347 points in 522 games played.  After beginning his career overseas in Germany, Detulleo has spent the last five seasons in the UHL/IHL.

Rozendal scored 14 goals and 15 assists in 2008-09, returning to the Thunder after spending the previous season in France.  In three years with the Thunder, Rozendal has scored 78 points and racked up 262 penalty minutes in 147 games.  The native of Listowel, Ontario has played as high as the ECHL level, appearing in 13 games for the Fresno Falcons in 2005-06.  Though he finished the season on the IR, Rozendal was honored by the Thunder prior to their final home game with the team's award for outstanding community service.

The Thunder opens the 2009-10 season on October 16th on the road.  Wichita plays its home opener the following night at the Kansas Coliseum and will move from the Kansas Coliseum to the new Intrust Bank Arena downtown in mid-January.  Season tickets and packages are on sale now.  For more information, contact the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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ST. LOUIS, MO- The Wichita Thunder today sadly announce the passing of long time goal judge Gary "Doc" Paul.

Earlier this season the Thunder, in conjuction with the National Foundation for Transplants, held a fundraiser for Doc helping him raise money for a double lung transplant.  The event raised over $20,000 for the cause.  Doc was in St. Louis awaiting a transplant when he passed away earlier today.

"In all of my 17 years in Wichita I never met a friendlier person than Doc Paul", said Thunder general manager Joel T. Lomurno.  "He was a great friend and a great asset to our organization who will be dearly missed."

Doc Paul, who was a realtor at Crown III Realty, worked nearly every home game in the history of the Thunder, as well as every home game for the Wichita Wind of the old Central Hockey League from 1980-83.  A memorial service for Doc will be held next week.

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EDMONTON, ALBERTA- Former University of Alberta Golden Bears' hockey goaltender Dale Masson passed away June 20, at the age of 36. He was participating in the Kananaskis 100 km relay run at the time, a race he has run with his law firm associates since 2005.

Masson obtained two Bachelor degrees from the University of Alberta, acquiring a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies in 1999, and then getting his Bachelor of Law in 2004. He was called to the Alberta Bar in 2005 and has since worked as an associate at Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP in Calgary, AB.

The five-year Golden Bear spent four seasons as the starter for the U of A men's hockey team, winning one national championship and accumulating seven team records.

Masson, an Edmonton native, joined the Bears for the 1994-95 season after a five-year Western Hockey League career with Kamloops, where he was a back-up to Corey Hirsch, and Victoria. He won a Memorial Cup with the Blazers in 1992 before being dealt to Victoria for Steve Passmore during the 1992-93 season. In his time under an Evergreen and Gold jersey, he set the team career records for: most career Canada West Hockey games played (92), most shots against (2382), and most saves (2136). He also set single-season records for: most Canada West Hockey games played (26 in 1995-96), minutes played (1539:21 in 1995-96), shots against (750 in 1995-96), and saves (676 in 1995-96). He ranks among Golden Bears career leaders in several Canada West Hockey categories: 1st in games (92), 2nd in minutes played (5176:49), 6th in shutouts (4), 3rd in wins (60), 3rd in ties (6), 1st in shots against (2382), and 1st in saves (2136). He backstopped Alberta to their ninth CIS championship in the 1998-99 season and was twice named a CIS All-Canadian (1997, 1998). He was also a three-time CIS Academic All-Canadian (1996, 1997, 1998) and he twice won the Adam Kryczka Memorial Trophy for lowest goals-against average in the Canada West regular season (1996, 1998).

Masson was chosen to represent a group of Canada West Hockey All-Stars that represented Canada at the 1996 Nagano Cup pre-Olympic tournament, where he was named the tournament's outstanding goaltender, and the 1997 World University Games in South Korea, where he collected a bronze medal.

He was one of four Golden Bears selected to play in the World University Hockey Challenge between the CIS and the NCAA in Detroit, Michigan in April 1997 and 1998.

After receiving his first Bachelor degree in 1999, he spent two years playing hockey in the United States, in the East Coast Hockey League (Pensacola Ice Pilots) and the Central Hockey League (Wichita Thunder and San Antonio Iguanas), before returning to Edmonton and achieving his Bachelor of Law degree from the U of A. After graduation, he became an associate with Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP in Calgary, joining former Golden Bears Jay Reid and Tom Mix.

Dale is survived by his wife Tanya and his two sons - Wyatt (2) and Sam (2 months).

A Memorial Service will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY'S Park Memorial Chapel (5008 Elbow Drive S.W.) on Friday, June 26, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. Please forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com . In lieu of flowers, financial contributions may be made to assist with the well-being of this young family. Donations may be sent directly to Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer LLP, 1400, 350 - 7 Avenue, S.W., Calgary, AB T2P 3N9, Attn. Wayne Weger. Cheques should be made payable to Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP, in trust for the Masson Family Trust.

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder announced their first player acquisitions for the 2009-2010 season, re-signing Captain Brad Thompson and right wing Mike Batovanja, and signing right wing Brent Ottmann.

Heading into his sixth professional season, Thompson scored 11 goals and picked up 22 assists last season.  His 33 points were the second-most in his career, right behind the 35 he notched during the 2005-06 season.  Thompson had six point streaks of three or more games, as well as three multi-goal games.  The Brooklyn Park, MN native scored 23 points in the Thunder's final 23 games, and the team was 6-2 in games in which Thompson scored a goal.  Thompson, a natural center, has played defense at various points for Wichita over the last two years.  His team-first attitude earned him the Thunder's annual "Unsung Hero Award" prior to Wichita's final 2009 home game.

Batovanja's entire professional career has been spent in a Thunder uniform.  Following his final year at Michigan Tech University, the Hinton, Alberta native made his pro debut during the 2007-08 season, scoring 10 points and racking up 143 penalty minutes in just 46 games.  The third-year pro collected 15 fighting majors in his rookie season, including three in one game on January 4th, 2008 versus Texas.

Batovanja's toughness and all-out style of play not only garnered him Wichita's annual "Unsung Hero Award" in 2008, but also earned him Team Captain honors at the start of the 2008-09 season.  Batovanja suffered a season-ending knee injury during the Thunder's 2008 home opener versus Oklahoma City, but is expected to be ready for the start of this coming season.

Ottmann, a 21-year old right wing from Martensville, Saskatchewan, recently finished his junior career with the SJHL's Nipawin Hawks.  Ottmann appeared in 26 games last season, scoring 12 goals, assisting on 19 others, and notching 49 penalty minutes.

The dual threat had a monster season for Nipawin in 2007-08, scoring a career-high 58 points in 54 games and totaling 146 penalty minutes.  Ottman began his junior career in the WHL, spending four seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders in which he scored 42 points in 144 games.

The signings mark the first three players officially under contract for the 2009-10 season.  CHL teams can carry up to 28 players in training camp, which begins in early October.

The Thunder opens their 18th season on the road on October 16th with their final home opener at the Kansas Coliseum scheduled for the following night.  The Thunder will move downtown to the new Intrust Bank Arena in January of 2010.  Season tickets and ticket packages are available now.  For more information, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder retired jersey #15 to honor former Thunder player and Head Coach Rob Weingartner on Friday night at the Kansas Coliseum.

The ceremony took place prior to the Thunder's final home game versus the Tulsa Oilers.

A member of the original Thunder squad in 1992-93, as well as a captain on both the 1994 and 1995 Thunder championship teams, Weingartner played in 149 games for Wichita over the course of four seasons, scoring 47 goals and 85 total points in his Thunder career.

Known for his fearless attitude and hard style of play, Weingartner ranks ninth in Thunder history with 564 penalty minutes, and is tied for sixth all-time with 40 fighting majors.  Weingartner earned the Thunder's Most Improved Player award in both 1993 and 1994.  The following season, Weingartner was honored as the 1995 Thunder Players' Player, awarded annually to the player deemed most valuable by his teammates.  Weingartner was no different in big games, scoring 15 points and totaling 79 penalty minutes in 22 playoff contests with the Thunder.

"For all that Rob and his family have done for our organization, this is the least that we can do for him", said Thunder General Manager Joel T. Lomurno.  "Rob will always epitomize Thunder hockey and now every fan who passes thru the Kansas Coliseum and soon the Intrust Bank Arena will be forever reminded of that."

Weingartner, who joined the Thunder as a rookie, went on to play eight seasons of professional hockey, including four in the ECHL.  In 447 career games played, Weingartner racked up 1,726 penalty minutes, while also contributing 308 points.  Weingartner spent four seasons with the ECHL's Louisiana IceGators, three of which were played under Doug Shedden, who coached the Thunder to their 1994 and 1995 championships with Weingartner playing key roles in both.  Later in his career, Weingartner played four summers of professional roller hockey.

Following his playing career, Weingartner rejoined the Thunder organization as a coaching assistant for the 2006-07 season.  On December 9th, 2007, Weingartner assumed the helm of the Thunder bench and was named the ninth Head Coach in team history.  Five days later, he earned his first victory in a 3-2 overtime win over the Odessa Jackalopes.

Weingartner joins former teammates and fellow champions Ron Handy (#9) and Bobby Desjardins (#35) as the only three players in the 17-year history of the Thunder franchise to have their numbers retired.  After Weingartner was the first Thunder player to wear #15, 13 other players have donned the number on the back of their sweater, with current right wing Marc Belanger becoming the last.

A native of Lake Ronkonkoma, NY, Weingartner has made Wichita his permanent home for several years now.  He and his wife Renee recently opened the Penalty Box, a hockey themed sports bar located at West MacArthur and Ridge.  Earlier this year, Weingartner was diagnosed with colon cancer.  The Thunder and its fans continue to support Weingartner and his family during his battle.  The Thunder's annual telethon, as well as the annual Thunder vs. Plunder Wheelchair game earlier this week helped raise money for Weingartner's cause.

The Thunder finishes the 2008-09 season tomorrow night, heading to the Ford Center to take on the Oklahoma City Blazers.  Season ticket orders and renewals are being accepted for the 2009-10 season, which will be split between the Kansas Coliseum and the new Intrust Bank Arena downtown.  For more information, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- For the sixth consecutive season, Wichita's fans have been voted "Most Annoying" in the CHL as part of the league's annual "Best of the Best" poll.

The distinction is one of four total categories that the Thunder organization placed in.  The poll features 46 different categories, ranking the top three in each.  Categories were voted on by players, coaches, and media representatives from all 16 CHL teams.

Wichita also had two players honored in the poll.  Goaltender Tim Boron finished third in the "Most Underrated Player" category.  Had it not been for a season-ending hip injury, Boron's .926 save percentage would rank second in the league, while his 2.59 goals against average would rank sixth.  In late December, Boron was honored as the CHL's goaltender of the week as well as earning Performance of the Week honors for his 53-save victory over the Mississippi Riverkings on December 19th.

Second-year left wing Stan Yanchishyn finished third in the "Best Fighter, Pound for Pound" category.  Yanchishyn, who is listed at 5 feet 10 inches, 170 pounds, racked up eight fighting majors in 31 games played before being placed on the Season-Ending IR due to an ankle injury.  During his rookie season last year, Yanchishyn totaled 150 penalty minutes and 16 fighting majors in 60 games played, which both ranked fourth in the CHL among rookies.  Thunder right wing Mike Batovanja placed in this category last season.

Thunder mascot Thunderdog, who celebrated his 16th birthday in January, was voted the second best mascot in the league, finishing behind Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees' mascot "Sir-Sting-A-Lot".

You can read the full story on this year's poll, written by Colorado Eagles' beat writer Adam Dunivan, at www.reporterherald.com

The Thunder returns home this Friday to take on the Texas Brahmas at the Kansas Coliseum at 7:05 p.m.  The first 1,000 youth fans (12 and under) in attendance will receive a souvenir youth jersey, courtesy of Intrust Bank, the Kansas Underground Salt Museum, and 100.5 FM "The Wolf".  For tickets, call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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WICHITA, KS- Wichita Thunder mascot "Thunderdog" has been arrested, as announced by the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office earlier today.

According to Sheriff Bob Hinshaw, Thunderdog was apprehended this morning for roaming without a leash.  Deputy Dan from the Sheriff's office made the arrest, and locked up Wichita's mascot after a 45-second foot chase.

"Thunderdog has been arrested for walking without a leash", said Hinshaw at a press conference.  "We have been after him for some time now.  When Deputy Dan brought him in for questioning, Thunderdog said nothing to the charges and just kept shrugging his shoulders."

A video account of Thunderdog's capture can be found at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-nkJiWjKTY

Thunderdog was assigned a $2,000 "bail" for his release.  The proceeds raised for Thunderdog's bail will be donated to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Sedgwick County.

Television stations can obtain video footage by contacting the Thunder office.

Thunder fans can help release their beloved mascot by purchasing special group ticket packages for this Saturday's "Pack the House Night" against the rival Oklahoma City Blazers.  Packages begin at $50, with 20% of all proceeds being donated to Big Brothers and Big Sisters.  For more information regarding these packages, visit the Thunder's official website at www.wichitathunder.com, or call the Thunder office at (316) 264-GOAL.

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