MAVS HIT ROUGH PATCH AGAINST THUNDER, DROP FRIDAY NIGHT TILT

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – The Kansas City Mavericks were defeated by the Wichita Thunder Friday night by a final score of 7-3. Mavericks rookie Bryan Lemos scored his first professional goal in the first period. The Mavericks and Thunder faceoff again Saturday night for Joker vs. Batman Night, in which the Mavericks will don specialty Joker-themed jerseys. 

Wichita opened the scoring on a power play goal from forward Chris Crane at the 6:35 mark of the first period. Defenseman Garrett Schmitz and Patrik Parkkonen assisted on the goal. The Mavericks evened the game on a fluky goal, when defenseman Kevin McKernan shoveled a puck towards the Wichita net, the puck popped over Wichita’s defensemen and goaltenders and ended up in the net, evening the game at 1-1. It was McKernan’s first goal of the season. The goal was unassisted. Kansas City took a 2-1 lead with 2:12 left in the period on a redirection by rookie Bryan Lemos on a Cliff Watson slap shot. The goal was Lemos’s first as a professional. Watson picked up the lone assist on the goal. 

The second period began and Wichita quickly tied the game on a goal from Spencer Dorowicz at the 1:54 mark of the middle frame. Stefan Fournier and Ostap Safin assisted on the goal. The Thunder regained the lead on a shorthanded goal from Billy Exell at the 5:47 mark of the period. Peter Crinella picked up the lone assist on the goal. They continued to pressure Kansas City as the period went on, extending their lead to 4-2 on a Fabrizio Ricci goal. Crinella and Exell assisted on the goal. The Mavericks made it a one-goal game yet again, when forward Michael Parks came streaking into the offensive zone, splitting the defense and beating Wichita goaltender Mitch Gillam to make it 4-3. Mavericks forward Rocco Carzo assisted on the goal.

The Thunder scored three unanswered goals in the third period from Dorowicz, Brendan Smith and Safin to take home the 7-3 win.

The Mavericks and Thunder play the second game of their three-in-three weekend series Saturday night at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena at 7:05 p.m. Saturday night is Joker vs. Batman Night, as the Mavericks will don specialty Joker jerseys, paying homage to the greatest villain in the DC Universe. The Mavs will travel to Wichita to face the Thunder at INTRUST Bank Arena in Downtown Wichita on Sunday afternoon. 

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