THUNDER BEAT READING 3-2 IN SHOOTOUT!

GLENS FALLS, NY – It took five rounds, but Brian Ward scored the shootout’s only goal as the Thunder won 3-2 in front of 4,401 fans on Friday night at Cool Insuring Arena.

After four rounds of nothing but saves from Cam Johnson and Angus Redmond, Ward came straight down the middle and put a backhand shot through the five-hole of Redmond for the lone goal of the shootout. Cam Johnson denied Alex Krushelnyski’s attempt to secure the win for Adirondack. 

Adirondack got off to an early start when Cullen Bradshaw potted his second score of the year midway through the opening period. John Edwardh carried the puck into the Thunder offensive zone and shifted a pass for Jakob Reichert on the right wing. The Bowling Green grad fired a cross-ice backdoor pass that Bradshaw redirected up and over the shoulder of Branden Komm, who started the game in net for the Royals.

The Thunder doubled their advantage less than three minutes into the second period on Kelly Summers’ first professional goal. Shane Conacher had the puck beneath the Reading cage and slid a pass in front of the net. The puck trickled by Conor Riley’s stick and right to Summers, who put a slap-shot on net that was tipped out in front of the Royals cage and by Komm for a 2-0 Thunder lead.

Reading charged hard at the end of regulation with a pair of goals in the game’s final two minutes. First it was Brayden Low who got Reading on the board when he cleaned up a rebound in front on an original shot from Josh MacDonald. 

MacDonald then gave the game a dramatic ending when he potted a wrist shot of his own with 0.5 seconds remaining in regulation. The puck was deflected in front of the Thunder net, MacDonald found it, spun and fired a shot by Johnson to tie the game at two with less than a second to go.

Neither team could manage anything in the overtime session before the Thunder went to a shootout for the first time this season. No skater on either team could solve the opposing goalie before Ward won it for Adirondack in Round 5.

Both teams travel back to Reading tonight to conclude the home-and-home set tomorrow evening in Pennsylvania. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 p.m. from Santander Arena.

###Adirondack Thunder Hockey – This Is Our Team