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In hockey news
Thunder gets well at homeBY KOLLEN LONGThe Wichita EagleSporting a Thunder jersey, Santa Claus dropped the ceremonial first puck, and fans tossed more than 1,000 teddy bears on the ice after the team's first goal as a benefit for needy children.
The holiday spirit was certainly in the air Friday night at the Kansas Coliseum.
The struggling Thunder even received an early Christmas present -- a welcome visit from the lowly Fort Worth Brahmas, who are last in the Central Hockey League in virtually every important category.
There was no domination, but the Thunder played well enough to win 4-2, allowing the team to snap a season-high three-game losing streak, all on the road, and head into Christmas with a positive feeling.
"We talked before the game that those games are over and we're starting over with a clean slate," forward Travis Clayton said. "We're going to get this thing rolling again."
After arriving in town at about 7:30 a.m. on Friday, following a 5-2 loss at Bossier-Shreveport on Thursday night, the Thunder mustered enough energy to score three first-period goals before holding off Fort Worth for a league-leading 12th victory at home.
"It was a struggle," coach Mark French said. "After those three games on the road, we're not going to get where we need to be all in one night. It wasn't pretty by any means, but we took a step in the right direction."
If the team's play lacked aesthetic value, as French suggested, Clayton was the perfect symbol. After the game, he sported a cut and bloodied forehead -- marks from a second-period altercation that resulted in his first fighting major of the season.
"We stuck our noses in there tonight and got a big victory," said Clayton, who had two goals and an assist.
Two of the first-period goals scored by the Thunder (15-7-3) came courtesy of the highest-scoring line (Clayton, Jason Duda and Joe Blaznek) in the CHL.
On the game's first goal, Clayton hustled along the boards and flicked the puck across the ice to Jason Duda, who scored with 10 minutes, 17 seconds left in the first period. After a Fort Worth goal, Clayton scored off his own rebound 42 seconds into a power play to put the Thunder back on top. Blaznek had the second assist on both goals.
Just 45 seconds after Clayton's goal, the Thunder made Fort Worth pay for failing to clear the puck when Ryan Coghlan scored, pushing the margin to 3-1. Fort Worth scored the only goal of the second period, trimming the margin to 3-2.
The Thunder had an opportunity to put the game away when, with about eight minutes left in the third period, the team went on a four-minute power play. But the Thunder managed only two shots, the first coming with 58 seconds left.
"We didn't generate much, and that was disappointing," French said. "We just couldn't get entry into the zone, and then we started rushing things."
The Thunder held on behind goalie Sebastian Laplante, and Clayton scored an empty-net insurance goal with 11 seconds left.
Laplante rebounded after getting pulled in the first period of the Bossier-Shreveport loss on Thursday. He made 31 saves and helped hold Fort Worth to an 0-for-6 performance on the power play.
"I put him back in there tonight and, just like those other guys (Clayton, Duda, Blaznek), you knew he was going to respond," French said.
Notes --The fourth-annual teddy bear toss netted 1,148 stuffed animals. The previous three brought in a combined 1,800.... Fort Worth dropped to 0-2 under new coach Guy Larose, an NHL veteran who replaced the fired Al Sims.
Fort Worth 1 1 0 -- 2
Wichita 3 0 1 -- 4
First period--Wichita, 1. Duda 12 (Clayton, Blaznek) 9:43; 2. Fort Worth, Stillman 9 (Hartinger, Lee) 11:27; 3. Wichita, Clayton 12 (Duda, Blaznek) 18:10 pp; 4. Coghlan 5 (Murphy, Wiebe) 18:55. Penalties--Wichita, Fairbarn (hooking) 1:07; Fort Worth, Sokol (holding) 5:32; Wichita, Clayton (hooking) 11:41; Fort Worth, Mason (hooking) 13:27.
Second period--5. Fort Worth, Seal 6 (Brand, Reynolds) 11:09. Penalties--Wichita, Lizotte (roughing) 2:48; Wichita, Clayton (tripping) 5:51; Fort Worth, Hartinger (unsportsmanlike conduct) 11:54; Wichita, Liebel (roughing) 11:54; Wichita, Clayton (fighting) 13:03; Fort Worth, Mason (hooking, fighting) 13:03; Wichita, Lizotte (charging) 13:03; Fort Worth, Dececco (interference) 14:37; Wichita, Lizotte (slashing, fighting) 17:15; Fort Worth, Reynolds (fighting) 17:15; Fort Worth, Coutu (crosschecking) 19:23.
Third period--6. Wichita, Clayton 13 (Duda) 19:49. Penalties--McLean (hooking) 2:26; Wichita, Murphy (fighting) 11:48; Fort Worth, Seal (hooking, elbowing, fighting) 11:48.
Shots--Fort Worth 15-8-10--33, Wichita 10-8-11--29. Power play--Fort Worth 0-6, Wichita 1-6. Goaltending--Fort Worth, Davidson 25 saves on shots 28; Wichita, Laplante 31 saves on 33 shots. A--5,492.
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