Thunder 7, Scorpions 6 (OT)

I hope you didn't turn on your radio or head for the exits midway through this one...though I wouldn't have blamed you. Needless to say, having deja vu of the worst kind on the same night the Scorpions have what could be a critical breakthrough in this early season is -- well -- beyond words.

This obviously was not a game that Randy Murphy would be proud of, but the effort the Scorpions showed to erase a 6-goal deficit was definitely something they can feed off of. After 4 and 1/2 terrible periods of hockey, the Scorpions managed to show both their coach and themselves what they're capable of. The team I saw in that third period is a force to be reckoned with, it's just an issue of whether they can hang on to that confidence.

Observations:

• Wichita might not have had the firepower that Odessa did the night before, but these guys were quick! Part of it can be attributed to sloppy offensive zone play by the Scorps, but credit the Thunder in springing a number of odd-man man rushes with sheer speed. Bruce Bilodeau's squad has a killer transition game
• It's been pretty rare in the past season and change to see Andrew Martin have two consecutive bad outings, but something just wasn't clicking this weekend. No one expected him to stop everything he saw, but I think there were a few goals over the past two nights that Marty definitely wants back
• Torren, Torren, Torren... you're not supposed to play favorites, but how can you not love this kid? And I can say "kid" because he's even younger than I am! Both of Torren Delforte's goals in the third period were absolutely beautiful. The first goal to make it 6-5 was the best individual effort of the season thus far, as Delforte sidestepped two or three checks coming out of the corner, undressed a defenseman, then fought off another to get his own rebound and put a backhand top shelf on Krister Toews. Absolutely electrifying. On the game-tying goal, Delforte sniped that short-side corner on Toews, but the real credit goes to Dylan Row. He hit the line and dangled right through two defenders, drawing a third to him and freeing up Delforte, whom he hit with a tape-to-tape backhand pass. If Row can play with that kind of aggressiveness and confidence, he could be a big contributor at both ends
• Mitch Stephens finished the game with 3 assists, but it's fair to say that his bad luck as of late continued. Twice Stephens missed from in close, including a look at a wide-open net, and both times Wichita took the puck the other way and scored on the insuing rush. That's gotta hurt, especially considering Stephens probably could've put up 5 or 6 points tonight
• Quick roster note: rookie forward Neil Trimm cleared immigration, so he was in the lineup tonight and Matt Cosmos was waived. He picked up his first career point on Jamie Herrington's goal early in the third and was a +1 on the night. Randy Murphy is still awaiting clearance on John Mazzei, which means that several guys are likely still fighting for roster spots.
• Kevin Graber is definitely making a name for himself in the Southwest division. A ref's job is never easy, but there's something to be said for letting the guys play
• Interestingly enough, the Scorpions were the only Southwest Division team to grab a point tonight. Who'd a thunk it?

Elsewhere:

• Scott Sheppard single-handedly dismantles Odessa. As James Yodice was pointing out, I'm sure the half-day bus ride didn't help the Jacks' cause
• Tulsa pulls in almost 17k to the new BOK Center, only to have OKC spoil the party.
• Laredo climbs out of the basement in the Southeast with a defensive battle in Corpus. Every part of that sentence sounds weird