Kansas City Mavericks earn 3 more wins to remain at the top of the ECHL standings

Another busy week saw the Mavericks continue to extend their lead in the ECHL standings. With four games in six days, Kansas City had ample opportunity to continue to add to its best season in a decade.

A Tuesday evening game kicked off the week for the Mavericks, who hosted the Utah Grizzlies. Revenge was on Kansas City’s mind after Utah ended Kansas City’s 10-game winning streak two weeks prior.

The game was not much of a contest from the opening faceoff, as the Mavericks continued their winning ways. The team was led by forward Jeremy McKenna, who found the back of the net three times for his second hat trick in a Mavericks sweater.

Kansas City now has five hat tricks from five different players this season, the most by any team in the ECHL.

Other goalscorers in the Mavericks’ 8-3 victory — the team’s 30th of the season — included Jacob Hayhurst, Jake Jaremko, Patrick Curry, Cade Borchardt and Justin Nachbaur. Goaltender Cale Morris recorded 23 saves for his ninth win of the season.

Kansas City recorded win No. 30 in the second-fewest games in team history (40). KC became the second team in the ECHL to hit the 30-win mark this season.

A quirky schedule followed, as Kansas City alternated road and home games with the Wichita Thunder over a three-games-in-three-days series.

The series began with a tough and physical game — with six five-minute major penalties for fighting in the first period. And the game remained competitive into the final frame, with the teams tied at 2-2.

Then a pair of familiar faces took control.

Curry scored a goal three minutes into the final period. The teams continued to exchange shots until David Cotton scored an empty-net goal with two seconds remaining — his second goal of the night — to wrap up the 4-2 win.

Wichita actually doubled Kansas City’s shots-on-goal output for the game, but Mavericks goaltender Jack LaFontaine stopped a club season-best 45 shots. It was LaFontaine’s first game with Kansas City in two months after spending a considerable amount of time in the AHL with the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

Then came Saturday’s game, as the series shifted back to a packed Cable Dahmer Arena.

More than 5,000 fans saw the Mavericks pick up their fourth straight win. In his second game after missing nearly two months due to injury, rookie forward Kyle Jackson scored a goal and recorded an assist, his first since December 6.

Max Andreev picked up the game-winning goal in the second period and Kansas City scored other goals from Nolan Walker and Cole Coskey. Kansas City left the arena with a 4-1 victory and its ninth against Wichita this season.

The Mavericks looked for the three-game sweep back in Wichita in a Sunday matinee.

The two teams alternated goals throughout regulation, and Kansas City picked up scores from Andreev, Jaremko and defenseman Marc-Olivier Duquette. Kansas City had 53 shots on goal in the game, the fourth-highest total in the ECHL this season.

A scoreless overtime period set up Kansas City’s second shootout appearance in five games. Wichita scored the lone goal of the shootout, as Kansas City wrapped up the busy week at 3-0-0-1 with a 4-3 loss.

Sitting at the top of the ECHL standings, the Mavericks are 32-8-2-1 (67 points) and back on home ice Wednesday night.

An honor and milestone for Nate Knoepke

Following a strong January on the ice, Mavericks defenseman Nate Knoepke was named the ECHL’s Plus Performer of the Month.

Knoepke led all ECHL players with a plus-14 rating in January. A player receives a “plus” if he is on the ice when his team scores a goal. He receives a “minus” when he is on the ice for a goal by the opposing team. The difference in those numbers is considered a player’s plus-minus rating.

Additionally, on Saturday against Wichita, Knoepke and teammate Justin Nachbaur played in their 100th professional games.

A thriving KC affiliation

The Mavericks and their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, are two of the hottest teams in their respective leagues. The Mavericks are 15-1-1-1 in their last 18 games and Coachella Valley is 11-2-2-2 in their last 17.

Last season, all three members of the affiliation – the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, Coachella Valley and Kansas City — made the postseason.

Up next for the Mavericks

Kansas City is at home for a big Western Conference matchup against Fort Wayne on Wednesday night at Cable Dahmer Arena before hitting the road for two games at the Rapid City Rush on Friday and Saturday.

Single-game tickets are available at kcmavericks.com or by calling 816-252-7825.