GLENS FALLS, NY - Sebastian Vidmar celebrated his 28th birthday in style - by netting three goals to help his team down the Maine Mariners for the second straight game. Between Vidmar's hat trick, goals from Joe Masonius and Jordan Kaplan, and a 34 save performance from Alex Sakellaropoulos, the Thunder pulled off a 5-2 victory over the Mariners on Sunday afternoon at Cool Insuring Arena.
It took just 4:07 into the game for the Thunder to take the lead. Patrick Grasso developed an odd-man rush in the offensive zone and found Joe Masonius for his sixth of the season and his second in as many games. The assist was Grasso's 20th of the season and 40th point.
Maine responded thanks to a Brendan St-Louis shot that deflected off of Mariners' forward Nick Jermain and into the net. Exactly one minute later, the Mariners took a 2-1 lead thanks to a powerplay goal by defenseman Marc-Olivier Duquette.
With just 1:34 left in the first, Sebastian Vidmar took advantage of a rebound and ripped the puck past Mariners' netminder Stefanos Lekkas to tie the game at 2-2. Shane Harper and Blake Thompson earned the assists.
In the second period, Adirondack was awarded a powerplay after Patrick Shea was called for tripping. With the man-advantage, the Thunder cycled the puck around the Mariners' end until Patrick Grasso found Jordan Kaplan with a wide-open net to put Adirondack ahead 3-2. Thompson once again had the secondary helper.
8:40 into the third period, Vidmar cashed in for the Thunder with another powerplay goal to extend his team's lead to 4-2.
The Mariners pulled their goaltender with 3:23 left and just eight seconds later, Vidmar launched the puck from his own blueline into the empty net to put the icing on his birthday cake. Vidmar netted his 18th, 19th, and 20th goal of the season.
The Thunder finished the evening 2-for-3 on the powerplay and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.
Read the full box score HERE.
The Thunder travel to Portland, ME this Wednesday for another meeting with the Mariners at 7pm.
####RiseUpADK
Adirondack Thunder
Allen Americans
Atlanta Gladiators
Bloomington Bison
Cincinnati Cyclones
Florida Everblades
Fort Wayne Komets
Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Idaho Steelheads
Indy Fuel
Iowa Heartlanders
Jacksonville Icemen
Kalamazoo Wings
Kansas City Mavericks
Maine Mariners
Norfolk Admirals
Orlando Solar Bears
Rapid City Rush
Reading Royals
Savannah Ghost Pirates
South Carolina Stingrays
Tahoe Knight Monsters
Toledo Walleye
Trois-Rivières Lions
Tulsa Oilers
Utah Grizzlies
Wheeling Nailers
Wichita Thunder
Worcester Railers