Thunder’s rally comes up short against Americans

Wichita’s comeback attempt against Allen was halted when the puck representing the tying goal entered the Americans’ net.

The lamp was lit. The Intrust Bank Arena crowd of 6,418 erupted. Thunder players celebrated.

Just as quickly as all the reactions occurred, it was all taken away. Referee Jake Brenk waved off the goal, saying he blew the whistle after Nikita Kashirsky barreled into Allen goalie Riley Gill but before the puck followed Kashirsky.

Allen avoided a late collapse and scored an empty-net goal in the final seconds to escape with a 6-4 win. The Americans led 5-2 entering the third period before Wichita nearly completed a rally during the final minute.

The potential goal could not be placed under review because Brenk’s whistle ended the play. Brenk discussed the play with Thunder captain Ian Lowe and coach Kevin McClelland but neither seemed satisfied with Brenk’s explanation.

“There’s a lot of frustration, too,” McClelland said. “That goal, I’m going to have to take a look at it, because it looked like it was clearly in. They’re not going to change their minds. But these are important games and the right call has to be made.”

Lowe scored for the Thunder with a minute to go on a 6-on-4 advantage. Wichita continued to push and was in position for the tie as players from both teams converged on the puck just in front of Allen’s goal.

It didn’t appear to be shot in by any player as much as it scooted in along with the momentum of Kashirsky. Dell went down in a heap and the goal came off its hinges, but McClelland and Thunder players contended that the goal happened before the stoppage should have.

Protests went for naught and Wichita instead was forced to accept a fate in which a second-period letdown proved just as decisive as the disallowed goal.

“We’re getting to the point of the season where we’ve got to win games, we can’t just get close,” Lowe said. “We’ve just got to win.”

Allen led 2-0 after the first period and added an early second-period score, but a pair of Americans penalties threatened to change the momentum. A double-minor gave Wichita a 5-on-3 advantage, during which the Thunder broke through.

Wichita scored again on the power play to cut Allen’s lead to 3-2, but the Americans scored 21 seconds later to create breathing room.

After a Kirill Tulupov penalty shot off the post kept the Thunder from a one-goal deficit, Allen made it 5-2 on an Gregor Hanson goal late in the second. That two-goal swing proved too much for Wichita to overcome – but just barely.

“That was huge,” McClelland said. “(Tulupov) had him beat, but it hit the post. Sure enough, we got stopped at the line on the penalty kill. They come down with some speed, and we let the guy go into the slot and put it in.”

This story was originally published March 1, 2015 at 9:25 PM with the headline "Thunder’s rally comes up short against Americans."