Kollen Long's CHL report (Oct. 26)

Rodney Steven, one of the new owners of the Wichita Thunder, had difficulty enjoying the season opener.

The distraction? His cell phone was blowing up with texts from family and friends who were attending their first game and enjoying the experience.

"I literally had 14 messages with people saying things like, 'Oh my God, this is awesome' or 'This is great. We love it,' " Steven said.

The sentiment must have been shared by thousands of fans who turned out for opening weekend of the team's 20th anniversary season.

The Thunder knocked off Rapid City on Friday and Allen on Saturday _ Central Hockey League conference winners last season and expected to among the best this year. As a bonus, both games went into extra-round shootouts.

At the gate, the Thunder enjoyed the best two-game start in franchise history. The attendance on Friday (8,734) and Saturday (8,775) totaled 17,509 fans, topping the 16,513 in 2006-07.

Only Fort Wayne, which drew 10,071 in its home opener, had better attendance.

If the attendance seemed somewhat disappointing, it was only because of the lofty goals set by the organization. The club trumpeted a goal of selling out both games on radio ads, and Steven was open about his hopes.

"We want to sell out opening weekend and go from there," he said when asked about attendance goals for the season.

So when 8,700 or so showed up for both games in the 13,400-seat Intrust Bank Arena, it was a bit of a letdown.

"Everyone told us it was completely impossible, but we thought we might as well shoot for the stars," Steven said. "We weren't really disappointed. It's still the best turnout we ever had. And we will sell out some games this year."

SLAPSHOTS

* The CHL has rescinded the match penalty Alex Bourret received for a hit in the opener. Thunder coach Kevin McClelland said the blow Bourret put on Rapid City's Shawn Limpright's head was deemed by the league to be "reckless" instead of deliberate. However, Bourret will still have to sit out the final game of his two-game suspension.

* Three consecutive Thunder games went to shootouts in December 1994. The Thunder won one.

PLUS

Goaltender Adam Russo (2.31 GAA, .896 SP) won both games, and he showed a little spunk in the process. He got involved in a little scrum by the net, and after one save in the shootout on Saturday, he appeared to stare down the opposing shooter. It's pretty clear the newcomer is going to be entertaining to watch. "He's got a lot of fire," McClelland said. "He takes his job very seriously."

MINUS

McClelland was disappointed in his team's lack of consistent hitting. "There has to be more of a relentless forecheck as a team," he said. "We weren't finishing a lot of checks."

TAP OF THE STICK

Brett Hemingway scored the game winner in Friday's shootout, and he kept the Thunder alive with another goal in round 6 on Saturday. "You watch him in practice and in games, and it's clear he's got a cannon," McClelland said.

HE SAID IT

"We're coming, and we're coming hard."

—Russo after the opening-night victory

This story was originally published October 26, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Kollen Long's CHL report (Oct. 26)."