Wichita – The Colorado Eagles were able to get their offense back on track Thursday night, but Wichita goalie Jason Flick was up to the task.
The Eagles were shut out for the first time this season as the Thunder evened the Northern Conference finals at 2-2 with a 3-0 victory in Game 4 at the Kansas Coliseum.
The best-of-seven series returns to Loveland for Game 5 Monday night.
In Game 3 on Wednesday, the Eagles had only 17 shots, but Thursday Flick stopped 33 shots, including 17 in the second period.
The Eagles’ best scoring chance instead resulted in the Thunder’s game-winning goal four minutes into the second period.
Colorado defenseman Brad Williamson’s shot from just inside the blue line hit the crossbar with such force that it ricocheted back to the blue line, where Wichita forward Jason Duda picked it up.
Duda passed to defenseman Paul Esdale, who faked a slap shot as he crossed the blue line. Esdale left the puck for left winger Joe Blaznek, who put it past Tyler Weiman. Weiman finished with 23 saves.
Wichita center Mike Corneau scored in the third period, and former Eagles player Brad Patterson added an empty-netter in the closing seconds.
It was a relatively clean game, with only five penalties called.
Colorado 0 0 0 – 0
Wichita 0 1 2 – 3
First period – No scoring. Penalties – Desrosiers, Col (roughing), 1:53. Forsyth, Wic (roughing), 5:54. Mallette, Col (holding), 14:38.
Second period – 1, Wichita, Blaznek (Esdale, Duda), 4:03. Penalties – Duda, Wic (slashing), 8:27. Lephart, Col (interference), 13:46.
Third period – 2, Wichita, Corneau (Earl, Allison), 13:31. 3, Wichita, Patterson (Duda, Mazurak), 19:49 (en). Penalties – None.
Shots – Colorado 10-16-7 – 33. Wichita 13-9-4 – 26. Power-play opportunities – Colorado 0-of-2. Wichita 0-3. Goalies – Colorado, Weiman, 25 shots – 23 saves. Wichita, Flick, 33-33. A – 3,044.
