GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – The Adirondack Thunder played three games this past week, but had only one opponent, the Maine Mariners. The two teams faced off in Glens Falls Friday before traveling to Portland for the next two contests, Saturday and Tuesday.
The Week That Was
Friday, December 6: Neither team scored in the opening frame during Friday’s contest, but all hell broke loose in the second. Six goals were scored between the two teams in the second period alone, with a grand total of nine on the night. Jake Elmer scored a hat trick for the Mariners, who also saw goals from Terrence Wallin and Ted Hart. Jake Linhart and Alex Carrier each scored a goal apiece, and Robbie Payne netted two for the Thunder. The Thunder battled back from a 4-1 deficit to tie the game and force overtime. Elmer completed his hat trick with the game-winner 3:30 into the extra session. The Mariners scored two fluke goals, both of which came at the expense of Thunder defenseman Charlie Curti. One deflected off his stick, and the other off his body. Goaltender Connor LaCouvee picked up the win for Maine, while Evan Cormier took the loss for Adirondack.
Saturday, December 7: Saturday’s game in Portland featured another nine-goal performance, but the goals came much earlier. The Mariners opened the scoring with a goal from Elmer only 2:15 into the game, but they soon found themselves with a 3-1 deficit. Colby Sissons and James Henry scored 36 seconds apart, and rookie defenseman Tommy Parran netted his first pro goal a couple minutes later to give the Thunder the 3-1 lead. Ryan Gropp and Ryan Ferrill both scored to tie the game for Maine before Adirondack regained the lead with a goal from Casey Pierro-Zabotel. Elmer scored his second of the night to tie it back up before Ty Ronning netted the game-winner at 11:40 of the third period. LaCouvee took the win for Maine, with Eamon McAdam on the losing side for Adirondack.
Tuesday, December 10: Both teams toned it down a bit for Tuesday’s game, with only five goals scored over the course of the evening. Hart scored late in the first period and Alex Kile scored early in the second to give the Mariners a two-goal lead, but power-play goals from Pierro-Zabotel late in the second and Payne late in the third forced overtime for the second time in the three-game set. Dillan Fox won it in overtime for the Mariners. Netminder Francois Brassard picked up the win for Maine, and Cormier took another overtime loss for Adirondack.
Notables
Maine’s Elmer had five goals, one assist, and 13 shots in the three-game series. Goaltender LaCouvee made 65 saves in his two victories.
Adirondack’s Tommy Parran celebrates after scoring his first pro goal.
Photo courtesy of Kristin Basnett
Adirondack’s Payne had three goals, three assists, and 15 shots on goal in the three games. Rookie defenseman Parran scored his first pro goal Saturday.
Quotables
head coach alex loh on the overtime losses: “anytime you get points in the standings, it’s huge. we had some changeover in the roster, had some changeover in the lines, so anytime you get a point, you’ve got to take it and move on.”
Transactions:
– Goaltender Evan Cormier was reassigned from the Binghamton Devils, so the Thunder traded Chris Nell to the Florida Everblades.
– Forward Hayden Verbeek was called up to the Laval Rocket.
– Defenseman Kelly Summers was loaned to the Binghamton Devils, so the Thunder signed Meirs Moore on the blue line.
– They claimed forward Dwyer Tschantz off waivers from the Mariners during their trip to Portland.
– Forward Alex Tonge came in via trade with Florida after James Phelan was loaned to Laval.
Upcoming Week
Friday, December 13: The Thunder take on the ECHL’s top team, the Allen Americans, for the first time ever. The Americans lead the Mountain Division with a 17-4-3-0 record, good for 37 points. The Thunder are currently fourth in the North Division with 26 points (11-10-2-2), 10 points behind the first place Newfoundland Growlers.
Saturday, December 14: It’s a rematch between the Thunder and Americans on Nickelodeon Night. Adirondack will be wearing special SpongeBob jerseys.
Tuesday, December 17: The Thunder head to St. John’s to take on the North Division-leading Growlers (18-8-0-0). It will be the second meeting of the season between the two teams. Newfoundland won 3-2 in Glens Falls back on November 20.
Wednesday, December 18: It will be the second of the two-game series with the Growlers. The Thunder then return home for another weekend with the Mariners.
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