THUNDER BEST THE BEAST TO COMPLETE PERFECT WEEKEND

Brampton, ONT – The Adirondack Thunder completed a perfect three-in-three weekend as they skated to a 3-2 victory over the Brampton Beast on Sunday afternoon at the Powerade Centre.

Defenseman Desmond Bergin scored the game-winning goal for the second straight game while forwards Austin Orszulak and Kenton Miller also found the back of the net in the victory. Goaltender Olivier Mantha made 32 saves as he improved to 3-1-1 on the season.

Brampton opened the scoring less than five minutes into the game as forward Brandon Marino tallied his 17th goal of the season at the 4:22 mark of the first period. After Adirondack was unable to clear its own zone, defenseman Jordan Henry’s shot from the point was turned aside by Mantha, before Marino slotted home the rebound from close range for the game’s first goal. Henry and forward Alex Foster collected the assists on the play, Foster’s 20th of the season.

Adirondack came back with a pair of first-period goals to take a 2-1 lead into the intermission. First, just 11 seconds after Marino’s goal, Orszulak knotted the score at one with his fifth tally of the season. Forward Pierre-Luc Mercier threaded a cross-ice pass to Orszulak in front, where he beat Brampton netminder Marcus Hogberg for the goal. The Thunder struck again with 5:04 left in the opening period as Miller, stationed in front, redirected a shot from defenseman Mathieu Brodeur past Hogberg for a power-play goal, Miller’s second tally as a member of the Thunder.

The Thunder added an insurance tally just past the halfway mark of the third period as Bergin scored a five-on-three goal for the 3-1 advantage. Bergin and forward Troy Bourke crisscrossed at the top of the right-hand circle, before Bourke fed Bergin for the one-timer, which was placed over the shoulder of Hogberg for Bergin’s 15th tally of the season, which ties him for second in the ECHL in goals by a defenseman. Bourke collected the lone helper on the play, his 17th of the season.

The Beast cut the Adirondack advantage back to a single goal with 3:44 left in regulation as forward Brandon MacLean beat Mantha on a rebound to cut the score to 3-2. Defenseman Willie Corrin skated down right wing and fed MacLean in front, who saw his first effort turned aside, but the 6-3 winger knocked home the rebound for his 17th tally of the season. Corrin and defenseman Cody Donaghey collected the assists on the play, Corrin’s 15th of the season.

Adirondack is back in action next weekend as it heads to New Hampshire for a pair of tilts against the Manchester Monarchs on Friday and Saturday. Visit ECHLThunder.com or call 518-480-3355 x1 to get tickets for all upcoming Thunder home games.

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Adirondack Thunder Hockey – This Is Our Team