THUNDER INCH CLOSER TO PLAYOFF BERTH WITH 5-4 WIN OVER ADMIRALS

GLENS FALLS – Shane Bull scored his first professional goal and Matt Stief recorded three points as the Adirondack Thunder defeated the visiting Norfolk Admirals on Friday night, 5-4, in front of 4,198 at Cool Insuring Arena.

Shane Bull scored his first professional goal in the first period to give the Thunder a 1-0 lead. Bull intercepted the puck in the neutral zone and went in on a two-on-one rush with T.J. Friedmann and fired a wrist shot by goaltender Oskari Salminen. The goal came just 2:46 into the game, unassisted.

Norfolk answered to tie the game later in the first period as Carson Musser sent a long range shot from the left point, through traffic and into the net for his seventh of the year. Keaton Jameson and Josh McDougall were awarded the assists at 5:36 of the first frame to even the score 1-1.

The Thunder came back with a late goal to take the lead into the intermission. Tristan Ashbrook’s shot was kicked to Shane Harper, and he beat Oskari Salminen on the rebound to give Adirondack a 2-1 lead with 1:13 left in the first. Ashbrook and Mike Van Unen were given the assists, and the Thunder took the one-goal lead into the second period and the assist was Van Unen’s first professional point.

Just 34 seconds into the second period, T.J. Friedmann buried a rebound goal to give the Thunder a 3-1 lead. Ryan Wheeler and Connor Blake were awarded assists on Friedmann’s fifth of the year. The assist was Blake’s first professional point to help give the Thunder a two-goal advantage.

Keaton Jameson pulled the Admirals within one after the Thunder struggled to get the puck out of the defensive zone. The goal was Jameson’s 12th of the year with assists from Kameron Nault and Simon Kubicek and the Thunder took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.

Adirondack took a 4-2 lead as Matt Stief stepped up in the offensive zone and rifled a shot over the shoulder and just under the cross bar of goaltender Oskari Salminen. The goal was Stief’s fourth of the year with Shane Harper collecting the lone assist at 5:30 of the third.

Just over two minutes later, the Thunder cashed in on a power play to take a 5-2 lead. Oskari Salminen made the original save, but Adirondack kept jamming at the loose puck and Tristan Ashbrook got the final touch for his 24th of the year with assists from Yushiroh Hirano and Matt Stief at 7:58 of the third.

Norfolk scored twice to get within one as Denis Smirnov and Danny Katic each tallied power-play goals at 12:27 and 15:22 of the third period and the Thunder lead was decreased to 5-4. Adirondack pinned Norfolk in its defensive zone late in regulation to hang on for the win.

With wins by Maine and Trois-Rivieres, the Thunder did not clinch a playoff berth Friday despite the win.

The Thunder return home tomorrow and Sunday to continue the series against Norfolk. Fans can enjoy drink specials on Friday and Saturday, and Sunday is a 3 p.m. puck drop and FREE postgame skate with Thunder players after the game!

The 2023-24 regular season schedule is HERE.

Single game tickets and season tickets for the 2024-25 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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