THUNDER COME FROM BEHIND AGAIN FOR THIRD STRAIGHT OVERTIME WIN

Manchester, NH – The Adirondack Thunder won for the third straight time in thrilling fashion as they came from behind to sink the Manchester Monarchs by a 4-3 final in overtime on Tuesday evening at the Verizon Wireless Arena. Greg Wolfe scored in the final minute before Ryan Lomberg won it just 17 seconds into overtime with his second goal of the game.

The Monarchs opened the scoring 5:19 into the game as they put home a loose puck in front after a series of saves from Adirondack netminder Drew Fielding. Matt MacKenzie’s point shot and a pair of rebound chances were denied by Fielding, but the puck trickled through the crease and Derek Arnold was finally able to bury it for his 15th goal of the season. MacKenzie and Gasper Kopitar collected the helpers on the play, the sixth point of the season for Kopitar against the Thunder.

Manchester doubled its advantage midway through the second period as the home side capitalized on a well-executed rush into the offensive zone. Monarchs forward Mark Anthoine moved well through the Adirondack defense and saw his shot find the iron, but Tyler Gjurich was on hand to bury his first career ECHL goal on the rebound in his first game of the season with the Monarchs. The helper for Anthoine marked his fifth of the season.

Adirondack cut its deficit in half as they converted on the power play for the eighth time in the last nine games. After the Thunder worked the puck down low, Lomberg pulled it out of a scrum, drove to the net and roofed a backhanded shot over Manchester netminder Michael Houser for his eleventh goal of the season. Defenseman Ryan Constant collected the lone assist on the play, his 15th power-play point of the season.

The visitors would tie the game just over a minute later as Michael Kirkpatrick buried the Thunder’s second power-play goal of the game at the 5:45 mark of the third. After the Monarchs failed to clear their own zone, Kirkpatrick collected the puck at the point, dragged it around a Manchester defenseman and fired a rocket over Houser’s left shoulder for his 25th tally of the season. The goal, which came unassisted, moved Kirkpatrick into sole possession of fifth in the ECHL in goals on the season, two shy of Jack Downing for the league lead.

The Monarchs would re-take the lead with a power-play tally of their own just past the halfway point of the final stanza. With Adirondack killing an extended penalty, the Monarchs were able to capitalize as Zac Larazza redirected home a Michael Boivin point shot for his 15th tally of the season. Boivin and Kopitar collected the helpers on the play, the second assist of the night for Kopitar.

With Fielding pulled for the extra attacker, Adirondack found an equalizer with less than a minute to play in regulation, coming off the stick of Greg Wolfe. Defenseman Mathieu Brodeur held the puck in the offensive zone and fired a shot on net, which Houser denied, but the rebound fell right to Wolfe for his tenth goal of the season, making him the sixth Thunder skater to reach the ten-goal plateau this season. Brodeur and Alber had the helpers on the play, the 26th of the season for Alber.

The Thunder headed to overtime for the third straight game and unlike the previous two they did not take long to get their win. Just 17 seconds into the extra session, Lomberg weaved into the Manchester zone, fell to his knees, got up and fired a wrist shot past Houser for his second goal of the night and his first career overtime winner. Wolfe and Alber each completed multi-point games with the assists on the play.

The Thunder end their run of four straight road games with three wins and return home on Thursday against Elmira. The teams then travels to Lake Placid for the first professional game in Lake Placid history on Sunday, March 13, with puck drop slated for 7:00 p.m.

Full Season Tickets for the 2016-17 Adirondack Thunder season are on sale now for just 13 dollars per seat no matter where you sit. Experience Adirondack Thunder Hockey in a more affordable way than ever before. Sign up by March 31st and pay even less. And Full Season Ticket Holders have exclusive access to 2017 CCM/ECHL All Star Classic tickets. For more information and to get your seats now, call 480-3355 extension 1. Experience Thunder Hockey like never before.

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