The two teams combined for 16 goals and at least five in each period.
There was no shortage of goals in Wichita Saturday as the Thunder outslugged the Tahoe Knight Monsters 9-7 at INTRUST Bank Arena.
Luke Grainger, Jeremie Bucheler and Joe Carroll led the way with three points. Nolan Burke and Jay Dickman notched two goals apiece.
The two teams combined for at least five goals in each period. Burke started it off for the Thunder 2:34 into the contest, putting in a shot from the right circle past Tahoe goaltender Jordan Papirny.
Troy Loggins, who finished with a hat trick in a losing effort, tied the game for the Knight Monsters at 5:39, with Isaac Johnson getting the assist.
Dickman potted his first of two on a man advantage at 8:15 for a 2-1 Wichita lead six seconds after the power play began.
Grainger increased the lead to 3-1 at 10:51 of the opening period, firing in a wrister from the right circle for his fifth of the season.
With less than a minute remaining in the period, Dillon Boucher sent a one-timer past Papirny off a pass from Jake Wahlin for a 4-1 Wichita lead.
The scoring fireworks continued into the middle frame. Declan Smith put the Thunder ahead 5-1, slamming home a rebound off a Grainger shot.
The Knight Monsters struggled to get off the deck, scoring four of the next five goals in the period to cut the lead to 6-5.
Peter Bates put Wichita’s lead back to 2 at the 4:12 mark of the third period, slipping home a backhand off a loose puck for his 15th of the season.
Jett Jones trimmed the Knight Monsters’ deficit to one after redirecting a Simon Pinard pass into the twine.
Burke and Dickman put the game away with a goal apiece for a 9-6 lead before Loggins earned his hatty at 19:59 for the eventual 9-7 final.
It was the third time this season the Thunder scored nine goals in a game and second time in a week. Wichita moved within two points of Tahoe in the standings and tied for third with the Tulsa Oilers with 60 points.
Wichita went 2-for-5 on the power play, while the Knight Monsters were a perfect 3-for-3.