Red-hot Thunder win fifth straight
GLENS FALLS, N.Y. >> The Thunder closed out 2018 the same way they started the season – red hot.
Dylan Walchuk’s goal at 7:10 of the first period brought a New Year’s Eve sell- out crowd of 4,808 to life, and Adirondack rode the momentum to a 3- 0 victory – their fifth straight – over the firstplace Newfoundland Growlers on Monday.
By winning, the Thunder moved to within a point of the top spot in the ECHL’s North Division standings.
“The boys fed off all the energy in the building and we were able to use that to our advantage tonight,” said Walchuk, who also closed out the scoring with a lategame empty netter, giving him three goals in just three games for Adirondack.
He started the season in Beijing, China and joined the Thunder two weeks ago in a trade with
the Jacksonville Icemen.
“It’s nice to go out there and help contribute right away with a new team,” Walchuk said. “All the guys have been really great welcoming me in. It was a really good experience in Beijing, playing over there and seeing how people live. Hockey is really growing there, so it was cool to be a part of that.”
“Jacksonville was completely dif ferent, going to the beach all the time, with palm trees all around. So it’s pretty night and day, but I love it here,” he said.
His first goal, from along the left boards, found the top left corner of New-
foundland’s net as it sailed past goaltender Michael Garteig’s blocker. The puck bounced off the wall, Walchuk spun and wasted no time firing it home for a 1- 0 Thunder lead.
Jake Linhart scored the Thunder’s second goal during a 5- on- 3 power play at 15:57 of the second period. The two-man advantage resulted from a Newfoundland bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct after Growler Emerson Clark was whistled for holding.
Shane Conacher rif led a long blast from the top of the slot that Linhart deflected in for his third marker of the season. It was the third game in a row that a Thunder defenseman has found the net.
Meanwhile, Adirondack held the Growlers to just
19 shots, the fewest in a home game this year, and Alex Sakellaropoulos, the league’s reigning Goaltender of the Week, stopped each one for his second shutout in three games.
“We haven’t given up a five- on-five goal in four games,” Coach Alex Loh said. “Any time you do that you’re usually going to win a few. We were blocking a lot of shots.”
The five-game win streak is the second-longest of the season for Adirondack, which jumped out to a 10-2 record to start the campaign.
Monday’s contest was the fourth in a seven-game homestand that continues Friday and Saturday against Manchester and Norfolk, respectively.
Fans were treated to a second intermission New
Year’s fireworks show and the game ended in similar fashion as two Newfoundlander players were escorted off the ice following a large melee near the Thunder net. Clark refused to exit and drew a 10-minute penalty for abusing officials, as it took two linesmen to wrestle him off the playing surface.
Loh said he was pleased with his team’s start-tofinish performance, especially Walchuk whose fresh start with a new team has given Adirondack a significant boost heading into the new year.
“You can look at his resume,” Loh said. “He has some skill, he put up some points in juniors. He’s gotten an opportunity here and when he’s been in the lineup he’s taken advantage. I’m really proud of him.”