Harper's Hatty Helps Thunder Hold Off Growlers, 7-4

GLENS FALLS, NY – Shane Harper netted his first hat trick as a member of the Thunder while Patrick Grasso and Tyler Irvine each tallied a pair of goals to help Adirondack knock off the Newfoundland Growlers for the second straight night. Mareks Mitens stopped 31 shots to propel his team to victory on Wednesday night at Cool Insuring Arena.

The Thunder needed only 15 seconds to score the first goal of the game as the line of Nick Rivera, Tyler Irvine, and Patrick Grasso got the puck in the offensive zone right off of the opening faceoff. Growlers' netminder Evan Cormier stopped the initial shot but the rebound found Grasso in the slot for his 18th of the season and first of the game. 

Tyler Irvine extended the Thunder's lead to 2-0 at 14:15 of the first period. Rivera and Grasso earned the helpers to make it two points each for the entire line in the opening frame.

Newfoundland responded with just 1:33 left in the first period on a slapshot by Noel Hoefenmayer. 

The Growlers netted the next two goals, one by Todd Skirving on the powerplay at 5:55 of the second period, and another by Marcus Power at 12:37 to put Newfoundland ahead 3-2.

Just 1:34 later, Shane Harper led a rush into the offensive zone and sauced a pass over to Pete MacArthur. MacArthur dished the puck back to Sebastian Vidmar who then went back to Harper to complete the tic-tac-toe effort to tie the game at 3.

Orrin Centazzo's snipe just 53 seconds later on the powerplay gave the Growlers a 4-3 edge. Adirondack wasted little time in responding as Jake Ryczek found Shawn Weller in the offensive zone. Weller centered a pass right into the slot for Harper for his second of the game to make it 4-4. 

While the Thunder were on the powerplay early in the third period, Nick Rivera sent Jordan Kaplan in front of the net. As Kaplan made his way towards the crease, he backhanded a pass across to Patrick Grasso for his second of the game to put the Thunder ahead 5-4.

The Thunder added some insurance later in the period after a steal by Tyler Irvine at the blue line sending him on a breakaway. Irvine made no mistake on the chance to make it 6-4. 

Shane Harper added an empty-net goal to secure the hat trick and the win for Adirondack.

The Thunder finished 1-for-5 on the powerplay and 1-of-3 on the penalty kill.

Read the full box score HERE.

Adirondack continues their homestand this Friday against the Maine Mariners at Cool Insuring Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm.

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