STEELHOUNDS Jeff Christian goals and fast start not enough in Wichita

Sunday's 3-2 defeat to the Wichita Thunder followed a 6-3 loss to Tulsa.
WICHITA, Kan. - The Youngstown SteelHounds used a pair of second period Jeff Christian goals to mount a 2-0 lead but couldn't hold on in a 3-2 loss to the Wichita Thunder Sunday at the Kansas Coliseum.
Wichita (23-12-5) has won four of five against the SteelHounds (15-22-2) this season.
Simon St. Pierre made his first start since Dec. 22nd but showed no rust in the first period, stopping all 13 shots. Sebastien Laplante made seven saves in the period for Wichita. Jeff Christian set the tempo early with a big hit on Wichita defenseman Daniel Tetrault that led to a fighting major penalty just 28 seconds into the game. The Hounds gave Wichita four power play chances in the period but between strong penalty killing and good goaltending, Youngstown kept Wichita off the scoreboard.
Scoring chances
Youngstown got some scoring chances in the second period, due in large part to some strong play from J.F. Labarre. The Hounds notched the game's first goal when Jeff Christian banged home a Darryl Lloyd miss that bounced hard off the glass behind the net and right to the side of the cage where Christian was standing. It was Christian's league-leading 35th goal of the season. Lloyd and Chris Richards got the assists at the 13:34 mark of the period. Labarre created the Hounds second goal picking off a pass and finding Christian in the left circle. Christian buried a slap shot by Laplante for his second goal of the period and 36th of the season. Labarre got the assist at the 16:30 mark. Wichita connected on its eighth chance when the Hounds were unable to clear a loose puck, setting up a target shot from Jason Duda who scored his 17th goal of the season assisted by Joe Blaznek and David Lizotte.
The Thunder tied the game early in the third on Blaznek's 31st goal of the season. Duda got the assist at the 5:13 mark. Wichita took the lead at the 8:38 mark with Darren McMillan scoring his first goal since opening night. Ryan McLean and Duda were credited with the assists.
Saturday
On Saturday, the SteelHounds mounted an early charge with a pair of shorthanded goals but fell flat in the second period, allowing three goals in a 6-3 loss to Tulsa (19-16-3), which has won five straight. Chris Richards had a goal and an assist for the Hounds.