THUNDER COMEBACK FALLS SHORT IN LOSS TO WORCESTER

GLENS FALLS, NY – Jake Linhart and Conor Riley tallied goals in the final period, but the Thunder couldn’t push a third across in an eventual 4-2 loss to the Worcester Railers Friday night at Cool Insuring Arena.

After Worcester jumped out to a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes of play, defenseman Jake Linhart got Adirondack on the board with a power-play goal at 7:25 of the final frame. With the Thunder on a 5-on-3 advantage, John Edwardh found Linhart at the center point where he ripped a wrist-shot by Railers goalie Evan Buitenhuis for Adirondack’s first goal.

Riley, in his first game back in the lineup off a six-game suspension, made it a one-goal contest less than four minutes later. ECHL All-Star Mike Szmatula carried the puck behind the net and tried a wraparound shot that deflected off a stick and high into the air. Riley used his hand-eye coordination to bunt the puck in for his 15th score of the season and a 3-2 game.

Even with exerted pressure in the game’s final minutes, that was as far as the Thunder would get. Barry Almeida iced the outcome with an empty-net tally in the final minute for the 4-2 final.

Adirondack could not match Worcester’s pace through the first 40 minutes that led to the three-goal Railers advantage. Tommy Panico scored the only goal of the opening frame when he converted on a rebound opportunity for his second goal of the season.

Worcester netted a pair in the middle stanza off the sticks of Josh Holmstrom and Ryan Hitchcock. Holmstrom doubled the Railers lead to 2-0 when he finished a one-timer off a pass from Connor Doherty after a nice individual effort. Doherty streaked down the center lane and fed a backhand for Holmstrom who’s quick shot beat Evan Cormier, making his first start in a Thunder sweater. Hitchcock made it 3-0 after he collected his own rebound and snapped one by Cormier for his third tally of the season.

The Thunder charged hard in the final frame, but could only muster the pair of goals. Cormier finished with 31 saves in his Adirondack debut.

The two teams are back in action tomorrow night after a bus trip to Massachusetts. Puck drop is slated for 7:05 p.m. from DCU Center in Worcester. For the latest Thunder news, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ECHLThunder.

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