Before the series even started, Adirondack already had some luck against them during their trip getting to St John’s, Newfoundland. The flight from Toronto took off on Monday, but as they were 20 minutes from Newfoundland, they were forced to turn back due to poor landing conditions. Adirondack didn’t get in until Tuesday afternoon for a Wednesday night game.
Wednesday Night
Penalties. That’s what cost the Thunder in Wednesday’s 4-3 regulation loss to the Growlers in Newfoundland. It would be Alex Jaeckle who would take two minor penalties within 3:45, however, the Thunder would be lucky enough to kill them off. As the famous saying goes, the third power play chance in the opening frame would get the Growlers on the board as Dylan Vander Esch put one past Cormier after finding the rebound.
The Growlers would continue their on slot in the second as Miles Gendron would sneak one through the five-hole of Cormier to make it 2-0 Newfoundland. A little under four minutes later, Brady Ferguson would score an absolutely beautiful goal to put the home team up by three. Down three to Newfoundland would be tough to come back for, but the Thunder would give it the old college try. Colby Sissons would get the Thunder on the board on a shot from the point and get Adirondack on the board.
Seven minutes later, Ara Nazarian would find a loose puck and put it into the empty side of the net to cut Newfoundland’s lead to only one. The Growlers would add one more before the end of the period as Marcus Powers took a one-timer from Cole Conrad off the face-off to give Newfoundland another two-goal lead. The Thunder would look to come back as they pulled Cormier with about three minutes to go and it would be Conor Riley who would get the Thunder to within one which is as close as they would get as they would win this one 4-3. Cormier would make 34 saves in his first start with the Thunder since Valentine’s day.
Goals:
First Period:
NFL: 16:03 Vander Esch (7) from Johnston and Bradley (PP)
Second Period:
NFL: 3:15 Gendron (4) from Bourque
NFL: 6:54 Ferguson (21) from O’Brien
ADK: 8:29 Sissons (7) from Payne and Walker
ADK: 15:46 Nazarian (11) from Payne and Larsson
NFL: 18:25 Power (23) from Conrad
Third Period:
ADK: 17:33 Riley (9) from Curti and Sissons
Friday Night
Adirondack’s struggles against Newfoundland would continue on Friday night as they lost their second game of a three-game series against the first place Growlers. With the win, the Growlers became the first team in the North to clinch a spot in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
The Thunder would be badly outplayed in the opening period despite Newfoundland only holding a 10-7 shot advantage. Justin Brazeau would open the scoring on a shot from the high-slot that would find its way through traffic and past McAdam to give the Growlers an early lead. John Edwardh would get a pass from Matt Salhany and put it past Maksim Zhukov to tie the game at one.
Adirondack would get a huge opportunity to take a lead heading into the first as Micheal Sdao would feed Salhany on a breakaway and would find the back of the net. However, the Growlers would respond just 0:36 later and make it a tie game after one period of play.
After a scoreless second period, the Growlers almost got on the board early on a goal that seemed to have counted, but after a long meeting between the referees, it would be ruled no goal. However, it would be puck luck that got the Growlers a 3-2 lead as a puck would bounce off the chest of Todd Skirving and get past McAdam on a shot that he should have had. Matt Bradley would add another goal 1:15 seconds later and Brady Ferguson would get the empty netter. McAdam would make 28 saves on 32 shots in the loss.
Goals:
First Period:
NFL: 3:33 Brazeau (26) from Bourque and Conrad
ADK: 8:57 Edwardh (17) from Salhany and Curti
ADK: 18:22 Salhany (26) from Sdao (SH)
NFL: 18:58 T.Bradley (14) from M.Bradley and Conrad (PP)
Second Period: No Scoring
Third Period:
NFL: 12:08 Skirving (4) from T.Bradley and Gendron
NFL: 13:27 M.Bradley (10) from Neugold and Skirving
NFL: 18:05 Ferguson (22) from Estephan (EN)
Saturday Night
Well, Adirondack does not like playing Newfoundland and rightfully so as they have yet to beat the Growlers this season after suffering yet another sweep. The Thunder this weekend loved giving Newfoundland at least a one-goal lead before they started to get their legs moving. Today, let’s try being down 4-1 after one period of the play. The Thunder goal was courtesy of Jake Linhart as he and Ryan Walker had a two-on-one opportunity and would capitalize.
It would be a goalie change that would spark the Thunder on Saturday as Evan Cormier would be pulled after giving up four goals on 18 shots in the opening frame in favour of Eamon McAdam. Momentum would be on the Thunder’s side in the middle frame as at the 8:09 mark, Ara Nazarian would rip a one-timer from Matt Salhany and put it past Angus Redmond to make it a 4-2 game. It would take less than three minutes before their next strike as Robbie Payne would continue his hot-streak in his first series since returning from injury to make it a one-goal game. Now, after giving up 18 shots in the first, Adirondack would hold the Growlers to only seven in the second period.
It would be a power-play goal by Zach O’Brien that would ultimately give the Growlers some momentum halfway through the third on Jaeckle’s fifth penalty in the past two days. Dylan Vander Esch would make sure it was sealed as he would add an insurance goal to make it 6-3 Newfoundland. Eamon McAdam would make 18 of 20 saves in relief of Cormier.
Goals:
First Period:
NFL: 0:46 Ferguson (23) from Bourque and O’Brien
ADK: 13:37 Linhart (5) from Walker and Edwardh
NFL: 14:35 O’Brien (21) from Ferguson and Estephan
NFL: 15:53 Power (24) from Powers
NFL: 18:52 Brazeau (27) from Power and Conrad
Second Period:
ADK: 8:09 Nazarian (12) from Salhany and Payne
ADK: 10:32 Payne (12) from Pierro-Zabotel
Third Period:
NFL: 7:58 O’Brien (22) from Bradley and Brazeau (PP)
NFL: 10:45 Vander Esch (8) from Melindy and Conrad
Adirondack will head back to the states and look to get back in the win column on Tuesday night as they host the Worcester Railers at 7:00pm.