The Tahoe Knight Monsters took on the Wichita Thunder on Wednesday. Puck drop was at 7:00 PM. The game was at the Tahoe Blue Event Center in Stateline, Nevada. It was the third game of the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Knight Monsters were coming off of a 8-1 victory over the Wichita Thunder. The Knight Monsters had a 2-0 Series lead over the Thunder. The Tahoe Knight Monsters finished the regular season with 88 points in 72 games and a record of 41-25-6. They finished 10th overall in the ECHL. They finished in 5th place in the ECHL Western Conference. They finished 3rd in the ECHL Western Conference Mountain Division. The Wichita Thunder finished the regular season with 89 points in 72 games and a record of 41-24-7. They finished 9th overall in the ECHL. They finished in 4th place in the ECHL Western Conference. They finished 2nd in the ECHL Western Conference Mountain Division. The Tahoe Knight Monsters 2025 playoff record was 2-0-0. The Wichita Thunder 2025 playoff record was 0-2-0. The all time record between the Tahoe Knight Monsters and Wichita Thunder was 3-4-1.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters had two more 2025 Kelly Cup Playoff wins. The Knight monsters were leading the series 2-0. The Tahoe Knight Monsters had scored twelve more goals during the postseason. The Wichita Thunder had allowed twelve more goals during the postseason. The Knight Monsters had the better goal differential in the postseason. The Tahoe Knight Monsters had 22 penalty minutes so far in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Wichita Thunder had 28 penalties so far in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
The Knight Monsters were an offensive powerhouse in Wichita. They scored fourteen goals in two games. In both games they scored four or more goals in a single period. This has been the best I have seen from the Tahoe Knight Monsters play since December. The Wichita Thunder had not a response for the Knight Monsters. The Knight Monsters have shown multiple time this season that they can play at a high level consistently. That got me hopeful for this game. I figured the Thunder will go down swinging. Weather that was by trying to score, trying to fight, or trying to injure players. The momentum was all on the Knight Monsters side. Momentum has huge implications during the playoffs. Special teams had become a big factor in this series. The Knight Monsters were the least penalized team in the ECHL during the regular season. The Thunder took a lot of penalties in the first two games. The Knight Monsters took advantage of that. I was hoping the Knight Monsters would continue to take advantage of the Thunder on the powerplay. I thought the Thunders struggles to stay out of the penalty box would continue. The Thunder gave it their all trying to make the playoffs. They didn’t seem to have any gas left in the tank here in the playoffs. The San Jose Sharks did not make the playoffs. As a result, they sent players down to the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL for the playoffs. This did raise some concern about the Wichita Thunder receiving AHL players. The Thunder had not received any players from the AHL prior to this game. Both teams had had a couple of days off. Would that be too much of a gap for the Knight Monsters to keep their momentum? Would it be enough time for the Thunder to adjust?
#1 Jesper Vikman got the start in net for the Tahoe Knight Monsters. It was his 45th game played this season. It was his 3rd playoff game this season. #33 Trevor Gorsuch got the start in net for the Wichita Thunder. It was his 33rd game played this season. It was his 2nd game of the playoffs. Joe Carroll would be available for the Thunder in this game after a one game suspension that caused him to miss game two on Sunday. On Wednesday, forward Spencer Blackwell was activated by the Thunder. Forward Declan Smith was placed on reserve by the Thunder.
There was a delay shortly into the game due to an equipment issue with Tahoe Knight Monsters goaltender. Seven minutes into the game, the Tahoe Knight Monsters took the lead. The first goal of the game was scored by #24 Isaac Johnson. His goal was assisted by #28 Logan Nelson.
With under seven minutes left in the second period, the Wichita Thunder tied the game. They tying goal was scored by #17 Ryan Finnegan. They tying goal was assisted by #21 Jay Dickman and #19 Joe Carroll.
With under six minutes left in the first period, the Thunder took the lead. The go ahead goal was scored by #22 Michal Stinil. This goal was assisted by #18 Kobe Walker.
With under four minutes left in the opening period, Joe Carroll of the Thunder received a penalty for roughing. There was a big open ice hit that led to Carroll grabbing one of the Knight Monsters players from behind, and a scrum ensued with everyone grabbing someone.
The score was 2-1 Wichita Thunder after the first period.
Two minutes into the second period, Brennan Kapcheck of the Tahoe Knight Monsters received a penalty for holding. Ten minutes into the second period, Isaac Johnson of the Knight Monsters received a penalty for high-sticking. With under eight minutes remaining in the second period, Will Zapernick of the Wichita Thunder received a penalty for tripping. On the powerplay, the Tahoe Knight Monsters tied the game. The tying goal was scored by #13 Simon Pinard. His goal was assisted by #96 Brennan Kapcheck and #21 Sloan Stanick.
With under three minutes left in the second period, Brennan Kapcheck of the Knight Monsters received a penalty for tripping. The Thunder retook the lead on the powerplay. #19 Joe Carroll scored the goal. #12 Peter Bates and #22 Michal Stinil got the assists.
The score was 3-2 Wichita Thunder going into the third period.
Under two minutes into the third period, the Wichita Thunder scored to take a two-goal lead. #51 Spencer Blackwell scored the goal. #29 Luke Grainger and #23 Mitchell Russell got the assists.
Six minutes into the second period, the Tahoe Knight Monsters scored. #13 Simon Pinard scored his second goal of the night. His goal was assisted by #96 Brennan Kapcheck and #21 Sloan Stanick. This goal brought the deficit down to one goal.
Eight minutes into the third period, Simon Pinard of the Knight Monsters, Jett Jones of the Knight Monsters, Nolan Kneen of the Thunder, and Spencer Blackwell of the Thunder all received penalties for roughing. With under five minutes left in the game, Dominic Dockery of the Thunder received a penalty for hooking.
On the powerplay, with under four minutes left in the game, the Tahoe Knight Monsters tied the game. #14 Patrick Newell scored the tying goal. The tying goal was assisted by #24 Isaac Johnson and #28 Logan Nelson.
Sixty minutes would solve nothing. The third period would end with the game tied at 4-4. The game would go into overtime.
Five minutes into overtime, Peter Bates of the Wichita Thunder received a penalty for tripping. On the powerplay, the Tahoe Knight Monsters scored to win the game. The overtime game winning goal was scored by #28 Logan Nelson. His goal was assisted by #96 Brennan Kapcheck and #13 Simon Pinard.
The final score was 5-4 Tahoe Knight Monsters. The Tahoe Knight Monsters now have a 3-0 series lead.
Despite the Tahoe Knight Monsters scoring first, the Wichita Thunder had the lead going into the second period. The Thunder kept their lead after two periods. The Knight Monsters came back from two goals down to force overtime. The Knight Monsters took advantage on the powerplay to win the game. Special teams were huge in this game. There were four powerplay goals in this game including the game winner. The Tahoe Knight Monsters forced overtime and won the game on the powerplay. It was a close game. The Thunder couldn’t hold onto their two goal lead. The Knight Monsters made the comeback to win their third game of the series. This was the first playoff overtime win Tahoe Knight Monsters history. The Tahoe Knight Monsters now have the opertunity to sweep the Wichita Thunder with a win in game four. The Knight Monsters only need one win in the next up to four games to advance to the second round of the playoffs.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters had twenty nine more shots. The Knight Monsters had a massive sixty-five shots on net. The Wichita Thunder had the better shot percentage. The Thunder had two more penalty minutes. #1 Jesper Vikman saved 32 shots for an 89% save percentage for the Tahoe Knight Monsters. #33 Trvor Gorsuch saved 60 shots for a 92% save percentage for the Wichita Thunder.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters lead the Wichita Thunder 3-0 in their first round series. Game four is on Friday, April 25th, at 7:30 PM. The Knight Monsters will have the opertunity to clinch the series with a win. The Kansas City Mavericks won 2-0 over the Tulsa Oilers on Thursday. That gave the Mavericks a 3-1 series lead. The Kansas City Mavericks will have the opertunity to clinch that series with a win tonight. The Toledo Walleye, the Toris-Rivières Lions, and the Florida Everblades have advanced to the second round.
The Tahoe Knight Monsters take on the Wichita Thunder for the fourth game of the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs on Friday, April 25th. It will be a home game for the Knight Monsters. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM. This will be a divisional game. It will be the second of up to three games in Tahoe.
Zac Electrifly 
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