THUNDER UNABLE TO SOLVE ROYALS IN 5-1 DEFEAT

Glens Falls, NY - The Adirondack Thunder were unable to solve the Reading Royals for the sixth time this season as the visitors skated to a 5-1 victory over Adirondack on Friday evening at Cool Insuring Arena.

Forward James Henry scored the only goal for Adirondack, which fell to 0-5-1-0 against Reading on the 2017-18 season. Goaltender Drew Fielding turned aside 18 of the 19 shots he faced in 40 minutes of relief work.

Reading defenseman Nolan Zajac opened the scoring 6:59 into the game as he skated in on a shorthanded breakaway and beat Adirondack goaltender Nick Riopel through the five hole to give Reading a 1-0 lead. After he picked the puck up at center ice, Zajac moved around the Adirondack defense and fired a shot from the top of the left-hand circle for his sixth tally of the season. Adam Schmidt and Matt Willows picked up the assists on the play, the 11th of the season for Willows.

The visitors added two additional goals before the end of the first period, beginning with their second of the evening 8:19 into the game. The Royals doubled their lead as Ryan Penny hit Derek Whitmore on a breakaway and the Reading captain beat Riopel high on the blocker side for the goal. Reading added a third tally 2:29 from the end of the period as an uncovered Matt Wilkins took a pass in the low slot from Willows and placed his shot into the back of the net for the goal. Willows picked up the lone helper on the play, his second of the evening.

After a scoreless second period that saw Adirondack throw a season-high 21 shots on goal, Reading extended its lead to four goals just 39 seconds into the third period. After the Royals created a turnover in the offensive zone, forward Alex Krushelnyski fed Mark Naclerio in front of Fielding and scored in a 1-on-1 situation for his tenth tally of the season. Krushelnyski picked up the lone helper on the play, his 11th assist of the season.

Adirondack got on the board 3:12 into the third period as it collected its fifth shorthanded goal of the season. Forward Terrance Wallin created a turnover at the left-hand half wall in the Thunder’s offensive zone and found a streaking James Henry in the slot, who beat Reading netminder Mark Dekanich high on the glove side to put the hosts on the board. Henry’s goal was his seventh of the season with Wallin collecting the lone helper on the play.

Michael Huntbrinker concluded the scoring on the evening as he added an empty net goal for Reading with two seconds remaining in the game. Krushelnyski picked up his second point of the game on the play with the only assist.

The Thunder are back in action again tomorrow evening as they host the Norfolk Admirals on Bill Dineen Night, with puck drop slated for 7:00 p.m. Adirondack is wearing specialty jerseys, which will be auctioned off live after the game. Tickets are available by visiting ECHLThunder.com or calling 518-480-3355 x1.

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