ADIRONDACK STYMIED IN LOSS IN MANCHESTER

Manchester, NH – The Adirondack Thunder saw their five-game point streak come to an end with a 5-0 defeat to the Manchester Monarchs on Friday evening at SNHU Arena.

The Thunder were held scoreless for only the second time this season, the first since November 24, 2017 in Reading. Goaltender Olivier Mantha made 19 saves for the visitors in defeat.

The Monarchs opened the scoring midway through the first period with a pair of goals just 11 seconds apart. First, at the 10:08 mark of the first period, forward Spencer Watson skated around the Adirondack defense and went to his backhand to beat Mantha for the game-opening goal. Just 11 seconds later, the hosts struck again as forward Matt Schmalz tallied his 22nd goal of the season. Schmalz took a feed from defenseman David Kolomatis, shielded the puck around the Adirondack defense and beat Mantha through the five hole for the 2-0 advantage.

Manchester increased its lead to three goals exactly seven minutes into the second period as Watson collected his second tally of the evening. With the Monarchs on the man advantage, defenseman Alexx Privitera skated in from the right point and fed Watson at the back post for the redirect goal, his 23rd of the season. Privitera and forward Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman collected the assists on the play, Privitera’s 16th of the season.

The hosts added a pair of third-period goals to open up a five-goal advantage. Manchester struck first at the 8:08 mark of the final period as forward Michael Doherty led a 2-on-0 rush into the offensive zone and beat Mantha high on the glove side for his 17th goal of the season. The Monarchs scored again 3:17 later as forward Ryan Lough scored the first goal of his professional career. Forward Keegan Iverson entered the offensive zone and dropped a pass to Lough in the high slot, where he beat Mantha with a wrist shot for his team’s fifth tally of the evening.

The Thunder and Monarchs are back in action tomorrow evening as they square off at 6:00 p.m. at SNHU Arena. Adirondack is home next for a pair of games next weekend, beginning on Saturday, March 31 against the Reading Royals. Visit ECHLThunder.com or call 518-480-3355 x1 to get tickets for all upcoming Thunder home games.

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