Mavericks Take Down Thunder In Shootout

The Missouri Mavericks defeated the Wichita Thunder, 5-4, in a shootout Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 5,800 people at Independence Events Center. Mavericks' forward Evan Vossen had a pair of goals including the game-winner in the shootout and forward Kenton Miller added a goal and two assists for the Mavericks. Missouri (28-19-4) won their second game over the Thunder this season and stayed alive in the battle for the Independence Cup presented by Independence Tourism. Thunder forward RG Flath also had a pair of goals and defenseman Andrew Martens added three assists in the losing effort.
Wichita jumped out to an early lead when Flath scored just 89 seconds into the opening period. The visitors then took a 2-0 lead at 9:13 of the first period on a shorthanded goal by Neil Trimm. The Mavericks answered quickly and cut the lead in half when Vossen scored his first of the night on assists from Miller and Riley Emmerson.
Missouri controlled for a majority of the second period and scored three goals to take a 4-2 lead. First, Kellan Tochkin tied the game at 4:37 in a scrum in front of the net. Then Miller gave the Mavericks their first lead of the game when he took a centering feed from Sebastien Thinel and beat Wichita goaltender Grant Rollheiser. Mavericks' forward Colt King made it 4-2 and scored his sixth goal in the last five games at the 15:00 mark. Wichita would not go quietly and they tied the game at four with a pair of goals late in the second period. Flath added his second goal of the game at the 17:34 mark, and Chad Painchaud scored with 2.7 seconds remaining in the period to tie the game.
The third period was a defensive battle as only 11 total shots were put on net and the teams remained tied at the end of regulation.
Missouri was awarded a penalty in the overtime period, but they couldn't convert and the game was decided in the shootout. After goals from John-Scott Dickson and Thinel, the Mavericks won the game on Vossen's shootout goal, his second of the game and eighth on the season.
The Mavericks and Thunder each finished 0-for-2 on the power play.
Missouri stays home and will host the Denver Cutthroats Tuesday, Feb. 26 at Independence Events Center.