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Ugly Chapter
Posted on Wed, Dec. 28, 2005
UGLY CHAPTER
Thunder blows bloody game to OKC
BY KOLLEN LONG
The Wichita EagleThunder star forward Travis Clayton was wheeled off the ice on a stretcher during the third period of the team's 5-4 shootout loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday -- the result of one of the ugliest moments in the bitter rivalry between the teams.
Clayton, whose face was bloody from an apparent cut to the forehead, was conscious and moving his feet and fingers as he lay on the ice. He was taken by ambulance to Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis Campus.
Immediately after the game, Thunder coach Mark French said he had no update on Clayton's condition.
Oklahoma City, which rallied from a 4-0 deficit, forced overtime with three goals in a penalty-filled third period.
With the Thunder leading 4-1 and about 13 minutes remaining in the game, Clayton took a hit from Oklahoma City's Tyler Fleck just a few feet in front of the penalty box. Fleck received a match penalty for intent to injure and was ejected from the game.
"That was one game I don't mind losing," French said. "This is the second game in a row decided by a classless act in the third period, and it was the same player -- Tyler Fleck.
"We wanted to send them a message, and the message was sent. It's bad that they have to resort to goon tactics, but they do it like clockwork."
Clayton, tied for the team lead in points with 42 entering Tuesday , was unsteady but managed to get to his skates after the hit. Obviously dazed, he was helped back down to the ice by teammates and later treated by Sedgwick County EMS personnel.
Clayton, who left the ice to chants of "Travis, Travis," patted his wife's hand as the stretcher left the ice.
Playing before 7,156 fans, the largest weekday crowd in the Coliseum since the final game of the 1998-99 season, the teams piled up 210 penalty minutes -- ninth most in the 14-year history between the original Central Hockey League franchises. Three players were ejected from each team.
The Thunder had been dominating play up to the time of the incident, getting goals from Tyler Liebel, Tab Lardner and Clayton in the second period to take a 4-0 lead. The Blazers cut the lead to 4-1 with a second-period goal.
The Blazers began to chip away after Fleck's hit, finally cutting the gap to 4-3 with 2:04 to play and tying the game with only 15.5 seconds remaining.
The Thunder failed to score in the shootout.
Notes -- Thunder No. 1 goalie Sebastien Laplante was called up by the Iowa Stars of the higher-level American Hockey League for a game Monday night. He did not play. Laplante returned to Wichita in time for Tuesday's game but backup Volp, who had beaten the Blazers earlier in the season, started.... With his second-period assist, Duda passed Oklahoma City's Hardy Sauter for fourth on the CHL career scoring list.... Justin Chwedoruk's goal on the penalty shot was just the second against Wichita in the 14-year history of the rivalry. Marty Standish scored against Stephen Wagner in 2000.... Thunder forward Joe Blaznek had a five-game scoring streak against the Blazers this season snapped.
Oklahoma City 0 1 3 0 1 -- 5
Wichita 1 3 0 0 -- 4
First period
Scoring--1. Wichita, Wiebe 5 (Duda, Clayton) 12:40 pp. Penalties--Wichita, Blaznek (tripping) 5:29; Oklahoma City, Goulet (hooking) 8:15; Oklahoma City, Flamminio (slashing) 10:02; Oklahoma City, Fleck (tripping) 10:25; Oklahoma City, Dumba (tripping) 5:16; Oklahoma City, Centomo (delay of game) 15:39; Oklahoma City, Standish (hooking) 17:26; Oklahoma City, Beausoleil (fighting) 20:00; Wichita, McLean (instigation, fighting) 20:00.
Second period
Scoring--2. Wichita, Liebel 7 (Lizotte, Lardner) 6:12 pp; 3. Wichita, Lardner 8 (Fairbarn, Liebel) 12:01; 4. Wichita, Clayton 14 (Duda, Wiebe) 14:06 pp; 5. Oklahoma City, Chwedoruk 1 17:19 penalty shot. Penalties--Oklahoma City, Earl (holding) 5:49; Wichita, Duda (hooking) 7:58; Oklahoma City, Flamminio (crosschecking) 12:10; Oklahoma City, Prosofsky (spearing, game misconduct) 13:10; Wichita, Hanson (holding) 18:19.
Third period
Scoring--6. Oklahoma City, Earl 7 (Thomas, Flamminio) 9:19 pp; 7. Oklahoma City, Johnston 10 (Thomas, Prosofsky) 17:56 pp; 8. Oklahoma City, Dumba 10 (Beausoleil, Prosofsky) 19:45. Penalties--Oklahoma City, Fleck (interference) 1:01; Oklahoma City, Dearle (fighting) 5:05; Wichita, Cox (fighting) 5:05; Oklahoma City, Fleck (match penalty, intent to injure) 6:56; Oklahoma City, Standish (roughing, fighting, game misconduct) 6:56; Wichita, Tetrault (misconduct) 6:56; Wichita, McMillan (misconduct, fighting) 6:56; Wichita, Duda (roughing, misconduct) 6:56; Wichita, Bain (fighting, fighting, game misconduct) 6:56; Oklahoma City, Dustin (fighting, game misconduct) 6:56; Wichita, Liebel (slashing) 6:56; Wichita, McLean (slashing) 7:52; Wichita, Wiebe (interference) 11:22; Oklahoma City, Earl (fighting) 13:49; Wichita, Wiebe (fighting) 13:49; Wichita, McLean (elbowing, rough, misconduct) 14:00; Wichita, Fairbarn (crosschecking) 17:13; Wichita, Murphy (elbowing) 20:00.
Overtime
Scoring--none. Penalties--Oklahoma City, (Beausoleil) :07.
Shootout
Oklahoma City--Lukajic, no goal; Dumba, no goal; Prosofsky, goal; Thomas, no goal; Beausoleil, goal. Wichita--Liebel, no goal; Fairbarn, no goal; Blaznek, no goal; Duda, no goal.
Shots--Oklahoma City 8-9-17-3--37, Wichita 20-14-7-1--42
Power play--Oklahoma City 3-9, Wichita 3-11.
Goaltending--Oklahoma City, Centomo 37 saves on 41 shots; Wichita, Volp 16 saves on 20 shots.
Att--7,156.
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