THUNDER HIT ROYAL FLUSH IN 4-2 WIN OVER READING

Glens Falls, NY – The Adirondack Thunder moved into a tie for second place in the North Division after a 4-2 victory over the Reading Royals on Friday evening at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

The Thunder opened the scoring with just over two minutes to play in the opening period as Dennis Kravchenko wired home his 12th goal of the season. After the Thunder forced a turnover in the Reading defensive zone, Kravchenko collected the puck at the left-hand point and fired a slapshot past Reading netminder Martin Ouelette for the game’s first goal. Kravchenko’s goal was recorded as unassisted.

Reading knotted the score at one 4:23 into the middle stanza as Ian Watters collected his seventh tally of the season. As the Royals moved the puck into the offensive zone, forward Matt Willows sent a pass from the right-wing boards to Watters in front, where the Pickering, ONT native slotted it past Adirondack netminder Tom McCollum for the goal. Willows collected the lone assist on the play, the 21st helper of the season for Willows.

The visitors took their first lead of the evening just 21 seconds into the third period as Ryan Penny netted his 17th goal of the season to put Reading ahead 2-1. Defenseman Florian Iberer fed Penny with a pass and the Royals’ forward entered the attacking zone and fired a wrist shot past McCollum from the right-hand circle for the go-ahead goal. Iberer and Willows collected the assists on the play, the second of the evening for Willows.

Adirondack drew level at the 6:47 mark of the third period as it converted with its second unassisted tally of the evening. After a scramble in the offensive end, the puck fell to defenseman Kevin Lough on the right-hand boards, where the Colgate graduate walked into the circle and fired a slap shot past Ouelette for his second goal of the season. Lough’s goal, which came unassisted, was also his second goal in three games, dating back to last Saturday in Atlanta.

Less than five minutes later, the Thunder struck again to regain their one-goal advantage just past the halfway mark of the third period. With Adirondack on a power play, forward James Henry buried a rebound in front off a shot from Kravchenko for his 14th goal of the season. The assists on the play went to Kravchenko and forward Brock Montgomery as the UMass-Amherst product Kravchenko collected multiple points for the third time in four games.

Kravchenko then capped off a three-point game with the empty net goal with less than a minute remaining.

The Thunder remain on home ice tomorrow evening for the 2017 Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame Induction ceremony as they host the Brampton Beast at 7:00 p.m. at the Glens Falls Civic Center, with tickets prices at 2 for $19.81. 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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