By Will Martin – [email protected]
It’s always fun to watch to two teams with a desire to make a statement at any point in a season. Add to that an incentive called 1st place.
In a rematch from two weeks ago the Allen Events Center was awash in a sea of Red and White. To say nothing of all the ugly red Christmas sweaters fans and ushers possessed.
The Wichita Thunder (18-8-2) visited the Allen Americans (17-5-2) in what became a defensive battle. To Allen’s credit they did wear some really colorful uniforms that resembled something Santa’s Helpers might wear (those uniforms were auctioned off at game’s end).
For the first two periods many a goal was stopped by netminders Kevin Regan and Steve Silverthorn. It was at the 38th minute that the fun would begin. Kevin Young would break the deadlock with a wrister past Silverthorn with help from Todd Griffith and Andrew Martens.
Allen came on strong in the 3rd period. Where Anthony Maiani lies=a good result. Alongside Scotty Howes on a Power Play Tony and Scotty aided Trevor Ludwig to get on the board at 5:04 to knot things up at 1.
At the 11 minute mark two scores within a minute would happen as Scotty Howes would light the lamp with help from Anthony Maiani. Chad Painchaud would answer with a Thunderous shot to knot things up at 2.
Goalies Regan and Silverthorn would make key saves and stops (57 of 62 combined) to force overtime in Allen, Texas. With the majority of holiday shopping done no one seemed to mind the extra gravy on this entree of a matchup.
210 seconds into the OT the line of Maiani, Howes, and Ludwig would strike again on a power play to seal a 3-2 victory. The same score they lost by in Missouri Friday night. Same score Allen defeated Wichita by two weeks ago.
With 4 games in hand the Americans now are 1 point out of 1st place in the CHL. The Thunder and Americans meet again the day after Christmas in Kansas before the Brahmas make a visit to Allen Saturday Night. Puck drops at 7:05 PM.