THUNDER EARN A POINT IN 4-3 SHOOTOUT LOSS IN IDAHO

Boise, ID – The Adirondack Thunder earned themselves a point in the standings but fell for the first time this season away from home in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Idaho Steelheads on Friday evening at CenturyLink Arena.

For the second straight game, Adirondack opened the scoring as Ty Loney continued his hot scoring run with the first goal of the evening. Forward Brian Ward carried the puck through the neutral zone and dished it over to Loney as he crossed the offensive blueline. The big winger carried to the top of the right-hand circle and slotted his wrist shot by Idaho netminder Brandon Komm’s blocker hand for his fourth goal of the season, the seventh straight road game with a point for Loney. Ward and Mathieu Brodeur picked up the assists on the play, the second in as many nights for both players.

Despite being shorthanded to open the second period, Adirondack created the first chance of the stanza as Ward generated a breakaway and was taken down for a penalty shot. The Haverhill, MA native swung in, went forehand-to-backhand and roofed a shot over Komm to double his team’s advantage. The tally for Ward, the first penalty shot goal of his professional career, was his eighth tally of the season, which tied him for second in the ECHL in goals.

With just over seven minutes gone by in the third period, the Steelheads moved to within one as Rob Linsmayer converted on a rebound opportunity to make it a 2-1 game. Adirondack netminder Mason McDonald turned aside a drive from the point from defenseman Anselmini but Linsmayer, positioned to McDonald’s right, banged home the puck for the goal, his fourth of the season. Anselmini and Zach Bell collected the assists on the play, the seventh of the season for Anselmini.

The Steelheads drew level at the 6:12 mark of the third as Will Merchant collected his third goal of the season with his team on the man advantage. Forward Jefferson Dahl hit Linsmayer below the goal line, where the Steelhead forward one-touched the pass to Merchant in front, who fired home for the game-tying goal. The assists on the play went to Dahl and Linsmayer, the team leading 11th on the season for Dahl.

Adirondack responded less than two minutes later, however, as Gunnar Hughes scored his first of the season to extend his point streak to four games. Thunder defenseman Mathieu Brodeur fired a shot from the left point that went wide of Komm’s net but directly to Hughes’ stick and the St. Lawrence graduate fired it home from the bottom of the right-hand circle to give the visitors a 3-2 lead. Brodeur and Loney collected the assists on the play, the second point of the evening for both skaters.

Idaho continued the string of quick scoring with just over three minutes to play in the third, as David Glen tied the game at three to ensure that both teams would receive a point. Defenseman Corbin Baldwin skated down the right wing and fired a pass towards the slot that Glen redirected past McDonald in one motion for his second goal of the season. Baldwin and Dodero collected the helpers on the play, the second of the night for Dodero.

After an overtime period that saw the Thunder bravely kill off a 4-on-3 Idaho power play, the game headed to a shootout, the third time this season for Adirondack. After neither team was able to convert in the first three rounds, Kyle Jean scored for Idaho in Round 4 while Ty Loney was unable to match and the Thunder were forced to settle for a single point.

The Thunder continue their Western road trip as they conclude their three games in Idaho tomorrow evening, with puck drop once again slated for 9:10 p.m. Following the game, the team, will head to Utah to begin a three-game set against the Grizzlies, beginning on Monday evening at 9:00 p.m. Adirondack Thunder individual and group ticket packages are available for just $13 per ticket in addition to new Thunder mini-packs, consisting of four tickets and a gift card to a local restaurant for just $65. Call 518-480-3355 x1 or visit ECHLThunder.com/tickets to customize a plan and reserve your seat locations today.

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