THUNDER EXTEND WIN STREAK TO SEVEN IN 5-2 WIN OVER GROWLERS

ST. JOHN’S – Shane Harper and Patrick Grasso each had two points as the Adirondack Thunder defeated the Newfoundland Growlers on the road from Mary Brown’s Centre on Thursday night, 5-2. The victory was Adirondack’s seventh win in a row.

The Growlers took a 1-0 lead 12:10 into the first period on the power play. Jackson Berezowski trailed on the rush and beat Jeremy Brodeur for his 11th goal of the season. Zach O’Brien and Isaac Johnson were given the assists.

Shane Harper tied the game on the power play with his sixth goal of the season in the opening period. Harper took the puck and stepped up to the hash marks and fired a wrist shot by goaltender Dryden McKay to even the score, 1-1. Assists on the power-play goal were credited to Patrick Grasso and Yushiroh Hirano and the game was even at one after 20 minutes.

In the second period, Jordan Escott tapped in a pass on a two-on-one rush for a 2-1 lead. After a turnover in the Thunder offensive zone, Zach O’Brien went down the ice with Escott and set him up for his third of the year. The goal came just 1:30 into the second from O’Brien and Todd Skirving and the Thunder trailed by one to start the third.

Just 3:37 into the third period, grant Jozefek tipped in a Ryan Orgel shot from just inside the blue line to tie the game at two. The goal was Jozefek’s third of the year from Orgel to even the score, 2-2.

Under one minute later, Shane Harper forced a turnover in the offensive zone and set up Patrick Grasso and he blasted a slap shot by goaltender Dryden McKay for a one-goal lead. The goal was Grasso’s 16th of the year from Harper and Tristan Thompson at 4:25 for a 3-2 lead.

Another offensive zone turnover helped give the Thunder a two-goal lead. Ryan Smith took the puck after Josh Victor lost an edge and set up Timur Ibragimov and he found Yushiroh Hirano who sent a one timer into the net. The goal was Hirano’s 10th of the year from Ibragimov and Smith at 13:04 for a 4-2 lead.

Erik Middendorf added to the lead with an empty-net goal late in regulation in the 5-2 victory. Jeremy Brodeur stopped 29 of 31 shots in the win.

The series in Newfoundland continues Saturday and ends Sunday. After two weeks on the road, the Thunder return for a home tripleheader January 26 – 28 at Cool Insuring Arena! Drink special on January 26 and 27 with Affiliate Night on January 27. The Thunder will wear special New Jersey Devils themed jerseys with a special appearance from the Devils’ mascot, NJ Devil!

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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