THUNDER CLOSE 2016 WITH 5-2 DEFEAT AGAINST READING

Glens Falls, NY - The Adirondack Thunder dropped their final game of 2016 as they fell 5-2 to the Reading Royals in front of over 4,500 fans on Saturday evening at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

After a scoreless first period, Reading was first to find the back of the net at the 2:38 mark with a goal from forward Olivier Labelle, his 13th of the season. From deep in the Adirondack zone, forward Chris McCarthy brought the puck to the front of the net and dished a backhanded pass to a crashing Labelle, who sent a one-timer past the blocker of netminder Mason McDonald. McCarthy and Crandall were credited with the assists on the play, McCarthy’s 16th of the season.

Reading doubled their lead at the 7:27 mark of the middle stanza as they scored the first man advantage goal of the evening. Florian Iberer fired a shot from high in the zone that McDonald got a piece but could not keep out as it trickled over the line for Iberer's seventh goal of the season. Robbie Czarnik and Justin Crandall picked up the assists on the play for Reading, the 14th of the season for Czarnik.

The Thunder cut their deficit in half with a power play tally of their own midway through the second period. Forward Ty Loney redirected a Patch Alber shot on net, which was turned aside by Reading goaltender Drew Fielding, but Loney followed up on the rebound for his 12th goal of the season. Alber and Peter MacArthur picked up the assists on the play, the 12th of the season for both players.

Reading once again extended its lead over the Thunder to two goals as Czarnik scored his tenth goal of the season and tallied his second point of the night as he slipped a wrist shot past McDonald on far side of the net. Crandall and Iberer tallied assists on the play, the second point of the evening for Iberer.

After Reading forward Matt Willows scored on an empty net with 2:25 left in the game, the Thunder responded with a goal from Gunnar Hughes to make it a 4-2 game. Alex Fedoseyev fired a pass from behind the net to Hughes, who connected on a one-time bid from point blank range over the glove of Fielding for his fifth goal of the season. Fedoseyev had the lone assist on the play, his fifth of the season.

The Royals ended the scoring for the evening with an empty net goal from Justin Crandall for his fourth assist of the game.

The Thunder hit the road for three games next week, beginning on Wednesday evening in Norfolk against the Admirals. Adirondack Thunder individual and group ticket packages are also 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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