THUNDER COME BACK TO EARN POINT BUT FALL 3-2 IN OVERTIME

Manchester, NH – The Adirondack Thunder came from behind once again to earn a crucial point on the road but fell 3-2 in overtime to the Manchester Monarchs on Friday evening.

Defenseman Desmond Bergin and forward Brian Ward found the back of the net for Adirondack, with Ward’s goal extending his point streak to eight games. Goaltender Drew Fielding stopped 22 of the 25 shots he faced in defeat.

Adirondack skated out to an early lead courtesy of Bergin’s 11th goal of the season 3:06 into the game. With the Thunder stationed in the offensive end, forward Terrence Wallin won a battle along the right-hand boards and fed Bergin at the right point, where he walked in and wired a slap shot past Manchester netminder Charles Williams. Wallin and center Brian Ward collected the assists on the play as Ward extended his scoring streak to eight games.

The Monarchs returned fire in the second period to knot the score at one 8:12 into the middle stanza. After Manchester won a faceoff in the offensive zone, defenseman Eric Schurhamer fed a cross-ice feed to partner Colton Saucerman, who fired past Fielding from the right-hand circle for his fourth goal of the season. Schurhamer and forward Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman collected the assists on the play, Schurhamer’s 13th of the season.

Manchester took its first lead of the game 5:10 into the third period as forward Matt Schmaltz collected his 16th goal of the season. LaVallee-Smotherman controlled possession of the puck behind Fielding’s net and, after he shook free of the Adirondack defense, fed the puck to Schmaltz in front who buried for the go-ahead goal. LaVallee-Smotherman and forward Matt Marcinew collected the assists on the play, LaVallee-Smotherman’s second helper of the evening.

The Thunder came back to knot the score at two as Ward converted with a power-play goal, his 22nd of the season. With Adirondack on the man advantage, Wallin fired a pinpoint cross-ice feed to Ward in the left-hand circle, where he snapped his shot past the blocker of Williams for the tying goal. Wallin and forward Shane Conacher collected the assists on the play, Conacher’s team-leading 31st helper of the season.

After the two teams were unable to break the deadlock in regulation, Manchester found the game-winning goal 13 seconds into overtime. With the hosts on the power play after an Adirondack penalty late in regulation, Matt Leitner fed Zac Lynch for a tap-in goal off of an odd man rush to give the Monarchs the extra point. Leitner and defenseman David Kolomatis collected the assists on the play, Leitner’s 26th of the season.

The Thunder are back in action this weekend with a pair of home games tomorrow and Sunday. Puck drops at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow evening at Cool Insuring Arena as Adirondack battles Reading. Arena. Visit ECHLThunder.com or call 518-480-3355 x5 to get tickets for this weekend or any remaining regular season home game.

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Adirondack Thunder Hockey – This Is Our Team