Thunder advance after triple OT win
GLENSFALLS, N.Y. » When the postseason began, Drew Fielding had taken on a part-time coach’s job, his season apparently over after suffering a serious mid-April groin injury.
First one and then another goaltender in front of him was knocked out of action.
Fielding stepped between the pipes and delivered a win in his first contest back in over a month. On Monday, he played the game of his life, an amazing 53-save performance in the Thunder’s dramatic, 3-2, triple- overtime victory against the Manchester Monarchs, which advanced Adirondack to the ECHL’s Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.
The best- of-seven series against the Florida Everblades opens in the Sunshine State on Friday and Saturday, followed by Games 3, 4 and 5, if needed, in Glens Falls next Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (May 16, 18 & 19).
After four games at home, the Thunder went to Manchester bruised and beat up, for Games 5 and 6, with the series tied at two wins apiece. It was easy to think Adirondack might have hosted its last game of the year.
No one, except perhaps Coach Brad Tapper, his players and staff, thought the Thunder would end the series in the Monarchs’ own building. It happened 8:08 into the third overtime when defenseman Mathieu Brodeur broke a seemingly endless tie almost 4.5 hours after the first puck drop.
Forward James Henry went right-to-left behind the Manchester net, turned around and saw Brodeur coming down the right side. Henry’s pass was right on the mark and Brodeur capitalized by lifting it into the top right corner for the win.
The assist was Henry’s teamleading 12th of the playoffs, while forward Paul Rodrigues collected a helper on the scoring play, also.
The only regular-season encounter between the Thunder and Everblades was a pivotal three-game series in Glens Falls from Jan. 2427. Florida came in with the best
overall record in the Eastern Conference, while Adirondack had struggled through a roller- coaster of ups and downs during the first half.
But t he Thunder sensed the importance of the series, which took on a playoff- type atmosphere. They won the first game, 4-2; the second, 5- 4, in an overtime shootout; and lost the third, 4-3, in overtime before a sold- out full house -- earning five out of six points against one of the league’s best teams.
Afterward, Tapper said the Thunder realized they were now capable of beating anyone.
“We became men during that series,” he said. “We weren’t boys any more.”
They proved it again during their hard-fought series against Manchester. Now they’re one step away from the Kelly Cup Finals.