GLENS FALLS, NY – The Adirondack Thunder completed their two-game set with the Newfoundland Growlers Friday. In true Thunder fashion, their opponent got on the board first, but a quick response followed by continued hard work gave the home team the edge in this one, and Adirondack took down Newfoundland 3-2 for the second game in a row.
For the eleventh time in thirteen games, Adirondack’s opponent scored first. With less than a minute left in the first period, Orrin Centazzo picked up a rebound in front of Thunder netminder Jake Theut and easily put it into an open net.
🚨 GOAL 🚨
POWERPLAY SCORIN' ORRIN 🔥#STANDonGUARD pic.twitter.com/so7H6HHxnc
— Newfoundland Growlers (@NLGrowlers) November 26, 2022
In their quickest response of the season, the Thunder tied the game only 25 seconds later. Sebastian Vidmar backhanded the puck from behind the net right to Xavier Parent‘s stick, and the rookie buried it to send the teams into the first intermission tied 1-1.
Xavier Parent tied the game late in the first! pic.twitter.com/LZtreAd430
— Adirondack Thunder (@ECHLThunder) November 26, 2022
The Thunder opened the second period with another quick goal. Nick Rivera backhanded the puck in front of the Growlers net and it bounced off the post and in for the 2-1 lead less than a minute in.
Well, that's one way to do it. pic.twitter.com/SBkl61s5BA
— Adirondack Thunder (@ECHLThunder) November 26, 2022
Adirondack continued its strong play throughout much of the second period and held the lead until late in the frame. With less than two minutes remaining in the stanza, Parent handed the puck to Pavel Gogolev, who took off on a breakaway and beat Theut with a shorthanded tally to even the score 2-2.
🚨 GOAL 🚨
SHORTHANDED GO(AL)GOLEV 👌#STANDonGUARD pic.twitter.com/xB4QHXy4he
— Newfoundland Growlers (@NLGrowlers) November 26, 2022
As is the case in all good rivalries, things got pretty heated and tensions boiled over in the third period. At one point, Yannick Turcotte was mixing it up with Nathan Noel and wanted to drop the gloves, but Noel declined and Turcotte skated away calling him a chicken. Noel did end up going with Jake Ryczek, however, and by the end of that ordeal, four players (two from each team) had received roughing minors, with Ryczek picking up a double-minor and a ten-minute misconduct for his role in it.
Shortly after that, Chris Martenet charged Parent, and Rivera and Wayne Létourneau came in to defend their teammate. Two more roughing calls came out of that scuffle. By the time all was said and done, the teams combined for seven roughing minors on the night, all coming within less than five minutes of each other.
Things settled down again and rookie defenseman Jarrod Gourley wasted no time getting the lead back for the Thunder. With Martenet still in the box for his charge to Parent, Gourley’s shot through traffic beat goaltender Dryden McKay for the 3-2 lead.
The winner 🔥
Back-to-back wins over the Growlers pic.twitter.com/VDWxBtGbYJ
— Adirondack Thunder (@ECHLThunder) November 26, 2022
Gourley continued his strong play the remainder of the third, blocking several shots during a Newfoundland power play within the final two minutes. The Growlers were able to hold off the Growlers, thanks in large part to those late blocked shots, and the two-game sweep was complete.
Parent ended the game with three points (one goal, two assists). Theut made 28 saves for Adirondack while McKay was impressive in net for Newfoundland, making 36 saves on the night.
Welcome Back Rivera!
In his first game back from an injury that had sidelined him since October 30, Rivera looked like himself again, laying down big hits, forcing turnovers, defending his teammates, and even getting on the scoreboard.
Rivera: It was a big weight off the shoulders. It sucks coming to the rink and not being able to participate with teammates, especially teams that are this close.”
Head Coach Peter MacArthur on Rivera’s return: “It was awesome, just having him back in the room. He’s a smart player. He wore a letter for three years in college, he got an A, the C, so he’s a guy that we count on for more than just his on-ice play, so it was refreshing to have him back.”
Next Up
The Thunder (4-6-2-1) face the Reading Royals (8-5-1-0) for the third time this season Saturday night. After a poor performance in Reading last weekend, with regulation losses both Friday (5-2) and Saturday (3-2), the Thunder will be looking to redeem themselves, while the Royals will be aiming to put together a win streak following their 1-0 win in Maine Friday.
