ST. JOHN’S, NL – James Henry and Matt Salhany recorded multi-point nights, but the Adirondack Thunder could not finish the comeback in a 6-3 loss to the Newfoundland Growlers Friday night at Mile One Centre.
Newfoundland started the game as hot as possible, jumping out to a 5-0 lead behind goals from Marcus Power (2), Hudson Elynuik, Derian Plouffe and Zach O’Brien.
The beauty of the quintuplet was Power’s second tally of the game, his second score in less than three minutes. Power took a drop-pass from O’Brien while he was charging the slot, faked playing the puck between his legs, scooped down and roofed a forehand directly in front of the Thunder cage for a 2-0 Newfoundland lead.
Adirondack did its best to get back in the game with the next trio of goals. James Henry got the Thunder on the board just 25 seconds after O’Brien’s tally. Andrew Tessier took the initial shot from the left point that got deflected in front and over the body of Newfoundland goalie Eric Levine. The puck sat in the crease where Henry pounded it in for his ninth score.
Salhany gave the Thunder a pair less than three minutes later with a power-play tally. Blake Thompson put a shot on net from the right faceoff circle and Salhany got a stick on it in front. With the puck still out of the net, a Growlers defenseman crashed into Levine and pushed the puck into the cage.
Dylan Walchuk got Adirondack as close as it would get at 5-3 with a marker 72 seconds into the third period. Walchuk possessed the puck from the faceoff circle, circled around the blue line and lifted a screen-shot on net that found its way through and by Levine. The goal was Walchuk’s fifth since being acquired by the Thunder.
Giorgio Estephan tallied the games final goal midway through the final period for a 6-3 final.
Same time, same place tomorrow – the two team’s will skate in a rematch at 5:30 p.m. EST from Mile One Centre in St. John’s, NL.
###Adirondack Thunder Hockey – This Is Our Team
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