MANCHESTER, NH – Cullen Bradshaw scored just 21 seconds into the game but the Thunder couldn’t keep pace with Manchester in a 6-3 loss to the Monarchs on Friday night at SNHU Arena.
The Thunder got on the board when Bradshaw converted a rebound in the game’s first minute. Matt Salhany took the original shot that bounce off of Monarchs goaltender Charles Williams. Bradshaw was available to clean up the rebound for his 11th score of the season and a 1-0 Thunder lead.
Manchester scored three straight goals during the remainder of the opening period. Forward Sam Kurker potted the first two Monarchs goals with impressive shots on each. First, he beat newly-signed Thunder netminder Arthur Brey with a wrist-shot down the right wing before he gave Manchester a lead on a flick of the wrists shot from in front of the net at 7:28 of the 1st. Daniil Miromanov made it 3-1 when he redirected a Kurker pass past Brey late in the opening 20 minutes.
Jake Linhart pulled the Thunder to within a goal on the team’s first shot of the middle frame. Jakob Reichert slid the pass to the defenseman at the center point where he wristed a shot by Williams for his fifth score of the season.
Monarchs captain David Kolomatis answered with a shot from the point that found the back of the net on the power play. Manachester planted a few bodies in front of Brey who was unable to see the puck before going in for a 4-2 lead.
Nik Olsson brought Adirondack within a score once more when he beat Williams with a wrist-shot from the left wing with less than five minutes to play in the second. Salhany collected his second assist of the night, giving him 15 points (3g-12a) in nine games played against the Monarchs this season.
Manchester scored the final two tallies of the night, the first coming from a deflection off the high-stick of Nic Pierog. With no video replay in Manchester, the goal stood to make it a 5-3 game. Kurker completed the hat trick for the only goal of the third period and a 6-3 final in favor of the Monarchs.
The two teams will run it back once again tomorrow evening in Manchester. Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m. from SNHU Arena. For the latest Thunder news, follow the team on all social media @ECHLThunder.
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