ADIRONDACK WHEELS PAST NAILERS IN SECOND STRAIGHT OVERTIME WIN

Glens Falls, NY – The Adirondack Thunder won in overtime for the second straight night as Desmond Bergin’s goal 20 seconds into the extra session powered the hosts to a 3-2 win over the Wheeling Nailers on Saturday afternoon at Cool Insuring Arena.

Forward Brian Ward scored twice as he extended his goal streak to three games while defenseman Desmond Bergin also found the back of the net for Adirondack. Goaltender Drew Fielding made 31 saves as he earned his team-leading 16th victory of the season.

The Nailers opened the scoring late in the first period after Adirondack was unable to capitalize on 3:51 of consecutive power-play time. Wheeling forward Reid Gardiner skated down the left wing, into the attacking zone and fired a wrist shot past Fielding from the top of the left-hand circle for his 27th goal of the season. The tally was recorded as unassisted.

Adirondack came back with a goal of its own early in the second period as Ward collected his 27th tally of the season. After a Thunder power play expired, defenseman Mathieu Brodeur’s shot deflected off of Wheeling netminder Adam Morrison and through the crease, where Ward tapped it in at the back post for the goal. Brodeur and forward Kenton Miller collected the assists on the play, Miller’s first helper as a member of the Thunder.

Wheeling took its second lead of the evening 3:31 into the third period as forward Troy Joesphs scored his 13th goal of the season. After he took a feed from defenseman Danny Fick, Josephs skated down the left wing and around the Adirondack Thunder defense, before he beat Fielding on the short side for the goal. Fick collected the lone assist on the play, his 18th helper of the season.

Adirondack returned fire less than two minutes later as Ward tallied his second goal of the evening at the 5:22 mark of the third period. Forward Shane Conacher slid a drop pass to Ward at the top of the right-hand circle, where he beat Morrison high on the blocker side for his 28th tally of the season. Conacher and forward Troy Bourke collected the assists on the play as Conacher set the Thunder single-season franchise record with his 40th helper of the season.

After the score remained deadlocked through regulation, Bergin ended the game just 20 seconds into the extra session as he scored the overtime game-winning goal for the second straight game between Adirondack and Wheeling. Thunder forward James Henry fed a streaking Bergin through the slot, where he deked to his forehand and fired past Morrison on the stick side for his 14th goal of the season. Henry tallied the lone assist on the play, his 31st of the season.

The Thunder are back in action tomorrow afternoon as they head north of the border to take on the Brampton Beast in a 2:00 p.m. faceoff at the Powerade Centre. Visit ECHLThunder.com or call 518-480-3355 x1 to get tickets for all upcoming Thunder home games.

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