Friday at Reading
Despite what the scoreboard may have said, Eamon McAdam kept the Thunder in the game on Friday night and gave them a chance to come back. Adirondack would allow 19 first period shots and McAdam would make 18 of those saves, including an incredible save on Reading Garret Mitchell at the 8:16 mark of the opening frame.
Alex Carrier, who was scratched during the last two games, would give the Thunder some energy after a very exciting and well-matched fight with Mitchell. Despite Carrier getting an extra two for boarding, it would be James Henry who was serving the penalty who would get the Thunder on the board after forcing a turnover from Garret Cockerill and scoring on the breakaway to cut the lead to one.
Cockerill would, however, make up for his mishap early in the third as he would launch a shot from the point past Eamon McAdam to make it a 3-1 game. Adirondack would respond quickly as Mike Szmatula would get credit for a knuckle puck that would find its way past Reading Kirill Ustimenko to cut the Royals lead back to one. That’s as close as the Thunder would get as they would drop this one by a score of 4-2. As a quick little note to close things, Adirondack killed off all six power plays they allowed to Reading and went one for five when taking the power play.
Goals:
First Period:
REA: 14:34 Gooch (6) from Beaudry
Second Period:
REA: 4:34 Mackin (12) from DiChiara
ADK: 13:56 Henry (8) unassisted
Third Period:
REA: 3:25 Cockerill (4) from Low and Swavely
ADK: 4:28 Szmatula (15) from Sissons and Summers (PP)
REA: 18:41 Mackin (13) (EN)
Saturday vs Worcester
The Adirondack Thunder finished their final game before the All-Star break with a commanding 5-0 victory over the Worcester Railers at home. Matt Salhany would get the Thunder on the board less than two minutes game after taking a gorgeous pass for John Edwardh. Adirondack’s scoring wouldn’t end there as Ara Nazarian would find a loose puck on the side of the net to double the Thunder’s lead. They would finish with an outstanding 24 shots in the period while holding the Railers to only 10.
Adirondack’s goal scoring would continue in the game’s second period in Glens Falls as Mike Szmatuala would get his stick on a point shot from Tommy Parran to deflect it in to make it 3-0 Thunder. The Salhany- Szmatala-Edwardh line, which continues to shine, would find the back of the net once again as Matt Salhany would find his own rebound to make it a 4-0 game. Surprisingly, the first penalty between the two teams wouldn’t come until the 18:34 mark as Ara Nazarian and Kyle McKenzie would each be sent off the ice while called for roughing.
The third period would get a little chippy, but not before the Thunder’s top line would strike again as Matt Salhany would feed John Edwardh who would pick up his first goal since returning to Adirondack. Edwardh would finish the night with while netting one goal and adding three assists. Salhany would get two goals and an assist while Mike Szmatuala would finish with a goal and two assists which isn’t shabby seeing that the Thunder have had trouble scoring all season.
At the 14:46 mark, Yannik Turcotte, the Railers goon, would sucker punch Charlie Curti who at the time was on the bench. Alex Carrier would answer to Turcotte and the two of them would drop the gloves. Turcotte unsurprisingly would get a two, a five and a ten. It wouldn’t be a shock if Turcotte gets suspended once again by the ECHL.
Eamon McAdam would stop all 25 shots he faced for his first shutout of the year which hopefully carries into the second half of the season. Adirondack heads into the break two points behind Maine who also has three games in hand on them for that fourth and final playoff spot.
Goals:
First Period:
ADK: 1:49 Salhany (11) from Edwardh and Szmatuala
ADK: 11:55 Nazarian (7) from Walker and Summers
Second Period:
ADK: 1:13 Szmatuala (16) from Parran and Edwardh
ADK: 15:39 Salhany (12) from Edwardh and Szmatula
Third Period:
ADK: 8:38 Edwardh (12) from Salhany