Reading, PA –The Adirondack Thunder set the ECHL shutout record at 251 minutes and 51 seconds without allowing a goal in a 3-1 win over the Reading Royals on Monday afternoon at Santander Arena in Reading, PA. The Thunder shutout streak spanned five games, dating back to the third period of a 4-2 win over South Carolina and ended midway through the third period in today’s win.
The Thunder and Royals skated to a scoreless first period as 17 shots were thrown on net between the two teams. Ken Appleby turned aside eight Reading shots while Martin Ouelette made nine saves for the Royals. The best chances of the period came on a late Adirondack power play, where the Thunder hit the post twice but could not score.
Adirondack opened the scoring early in the second period as Peter MacArthur continued his hot hand with a silky smooth goal 3:07 into the middle stanza. MacArthur took an outlet feed from defenseman Mike Bergin, pulled a toedrag on a Reading defender and put a wrist shot past Ouelette and under the crossbar for his fourth goal of the season. The goal for MacArthur was his fourth point in his last five games, while Bergin collected his fifth helper of the season with the lone assist.
The Thunder added doubled their lead late in the second period off the stick of forward Ben Johnson. The Thunder worked the puck in the offensive zone up to defenseman Mathieu Brodeur at the right point, where the hulking defenseman fired a shot on net that Johnson redirected in front of Ouelette for the goal. The tally was the second of the season for Johnson, his first since he returned from an injury on Saturday, while Brodeur collected his 11th point of the season with the assist.
The Royals ended Adirondack’s shutout streak at 251:51 as Joey Sides beat Ken Appleby with 7:50 to play in the third period to cut the Thunder lead to 2-1. Reading forward Brandon Alderson fired a shot from the point that got blocked in front of Appleby, where the puck deflected directly in to the path of Sides and the Royals’ winger slotted it into an open net. The goal for Sides was his second of the season while Alderson and Derik Johnson collected assists on the play, the fourth helper in eight games for Alderson.
The visitors capped off the scoring with just six seconds left as Mitchell Heard slotted the puck into an empty net off of an assist from Gunnar Hughes to push the score to 3-1.
The Thunder are back in action at the Glens Falls Civic Center on Friday as they host the Manchester Monarchs to begin a three-in-three set with their division rival. Friday is $10 ticket night where all tickets in the Silver and Gold End sections are just $10 at the Civic Center Box Office. The Thunder will then travel to Manchester on Saturday for games on Saturday and Sunday at Verizon Wireless Arena.
Don’t miss out on the speed, skill, strength and sounds of Thunder hockey with a partial season flex or mini ticket plan today. The Adirondack Thunder have several mini-packs on sale now, consisting of two or four tickets, combined with a taste of downtown gift card. Send a jolt into your holidays with the gift of Adirondack Thunder hockey. For more information on all Thunder ticket plans, call 518-480-3355 x1 or visit echlthunder.com.
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