INDEPENDENCE, MO – Wichita began a six-game road trip on Friday night, knocking off Kansas City, 6-3, at Cable Dahmer Arena. 

Noah Beck and Declan Smith led the way with three points while Peter Bates added two helpers. Roddy Ross earned his second win of the season, stopping 29 shots.

Smith opened the scoring at 12:39 of the first period. Vanroboys won a battle in the corner to the left of Ian Shane. Houle found Smith in the slot, and he put a one-timer past him for his first of the season to make it 1-0.

In the second, Houle added to the lead just 29 seconds into the frame. Noah Beck danced around Landon McCallum at the blue line, fired a shot on net and Shane made the save. He couldn’t find the rebound, which popped into the crease. Houle pounced on it and made it 2-0.

Just over a minute later, David Cotton cut the lead to one. Jake McLaughlin raced up the ice and peeled back in the corner. McLaughlin fed a pass to Cotton at the right faceoff dot, and he beat Ross for his third of the year to make it 2-1.

Wichita re-gained a two-goal margin at 16:50 with a marker from Spencer Blackwell. Michal Stinil lifted a pass up in the air that got behind the defense. Blackwell beat Luke LaMaster to the puck and unloaded a shot past Shane to make it 3-1.

Kansas City fought back into the contest early in the third. Jackson Jutting took a shot that was initially blocked at the left point. He stayed with the play and fired it through traffic at 1:31 to make it 3-2.

Beck recorded his first of two at 3:32. Wichita won a faceoff to the left of Shane. Beck got to the loose puck in the slot and scored his fourth of the year to make it 4-2.

Jack Randl cut the lead back to one once again on the man advantage at 5:35. Bobo Carpenter let a shot go from the left circle that caught Ross’s leg pad. Randl got to a loose puck and put home a rebound for his fifth of the campaign to make it 4-3.

Wichita was awarded another power play when Hudson Wilson was called for slashing. He broke Smith’s stick in two pieces and gave the Thunder another opportunity. Kyle Crnkovic made a great play to steal the puck in the slot and kept the play alive. Bates fed it back to the blue line and Beck put one past Shane from the high slot for his fifth of the year to make it 5-3.

Smith added an empty netter at 19:25 and Wichita earned a 6-3 victory.

Wichita snapped a three-game road losing skid and evened the season-series with Kansas City at one win apiece.

Beck and Smith each tallied two goals and an assist. Blackwell scored his second of the year. Houle finished with a goal and an assist.

Wichita recorded two power play goals in a game for the first time this season and finished 2-for-6. Kansas City was 1-for-3 with the man advantage.

The two teams play once again tomorrow night at Cable Dahmer Arena to close a three-game series. Opening faceoff is set for 6:05 p.m.

Single game tickets for all games are on sale now. Our next homestand takes place starting on Wednesday, October 29 against the Florida Everblades. Buy tickets by clicking HERE.