WORCESTER – Erik Middendorf scored in the third round of the shootout and Vinnie Purpura stopped Zach White as the Adirondack Thunder defeated the Worcester Railers in a shootout, 4-3, on Tuesday afternoon at DCU Center. The win was Adirondack’s third in a row.
Erik Middendorf got the scoring going for the Thunder on a power play in the first period. Matt Stief fired a wrist shot through traffic and Middendorf tipped it by goaltender Henrik Tikkanen for the lead. The goal was Middendorf’s third of the year with Stief collecting the lone assist with 8:28 left in the first.
Adirondack took a 2-0 lead as a bad pass was intercepted by Yushiroh Hirano and he sent a shot through the legs of Tikkanen from the hash marks. The goal was Hirano’s second of the year at 13:14 of the first and the Thunder took the lead into intermission.
Worcester scored back-to-back goals in the second period to tie the game. Jake Pivonka fired in a wrist shot on the power play to get the Railers on the board just 1:48 into the second as Colin Felix sat in the penalty box. Ashton Calder tied the game late in the second on an odd-man rush at 16:38.
Ryan Smith responded shortly after for the Thunder to take a one-goal lead into the third. Smith was denied by Tikkanen but sent his follow up chance just under the cross bar for his fourth of the year. T.J. Friedmann and Grant Jozefek had the assists and Adirondack led 3-2 after 40 minutes.
In the third frame, Anthony Callin fired in a power-play goal to tie the game at three at the 3:30 mark. Trevor Cosgrove collected the lone helper and the Railers tied the game to eventually force overtime.
After no scoring in overtime, Erik Middendorf scored in the third round of the shootout and Vinnie Purpura denied Zach White for the 4-3 victory. Vinnie Purpura stopped 23 of 26 in the win and Henrik Tikkanen stopped 52 of 55 shots in the loss.
The Thunder return home this Friday, November 10 against Norfolk and Sunday, November 12 against Trois-Rivieres. On Friday, fans can enjoy $3 Labatt Blue Light and on Sunday, the first 3,000 fans get a NYRA / Saratoga Racetrack 64oz. Cooler Jug. Stay after the game for a postgame autograph session. Get your tickets at www.echlthunder.com/tickets.
The 2023-24 regular season schedule is HERE.
Single game tickets and season tickets for the 2023-24 season are on sale now! For more information on ticket packages, call the front office at 518-480-3355 or visit www.echlthunder.com/tickets. For all the latest Adirondack Thunder news, follow the team on all social media @ECHLThunder.
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