Shen grad Alber back with Thunder
Thunder’s home opener at 7 p.m. tonight
GLENS FALLS » Patch Alber will have plenty of fan support when the Adirondack Thunder take on Manchester tonight in their home opener.
The former Shenendehowa and Boston College star’s parents, Larry and Debbie, seldom miss a game, although Alber’s new bride, Kayla — they were married this summer — is the most important member of his cheering section.
The Thunder are looking for their third straight win against Manchester, after defeating the Monarchs twice last weekend in a pair of season-opening road games.
“It’s hard to beat any team three times in a row,” said Alber, 27, a fourth-year pro defenseman. “We’ve just got to continue to work harder. They’re going to get chances. We can’t give them extra ones.”
He and fellow Clifton Park native Peter MacArthur, Adirondack’s captain, are among the returning veterans that comprise nearly half the team’s roster.
“We’re very fortunate that a lot of guys wanted to come back to build on what we did last year; that the way the season ended wasn’t good enough,” Alber said. “It’s not easy at this level to get players to come back. It says a lot about the coaches and this organization. I know for me, it was a very easy decision.”
“It’s kind of unique to play pro hockey right where you grew up,” he said.
Alber played under Shenendehowa coach Juan de la Rochoa from 2003-2005 before going on to skate for the Boston Jr. Bruins followed by four years at BC.
He won two Section II ice hockey titles while at Shenendehowa and was named to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association All-State team. His 22 assists during the 2004-05 season were the seventh most all-time, for a single season, among Plainsmen defensemen.
Last spring Alber recorded three helpers in the Thunder’s 12-game playoff run that ended with a heartbreaking, double-overtime loss to
South Carolina in the Eastern Conference semifinals. His 30 regular-season points tied him with Mathieu Brodeur for most by an Adirondack blueliner.
“Every year you try to get a little better,” he said. “This year I’m really working on getting more shots through from the point, to create more scoring chances for the forwards.”
As a returner, he’s also counted on to set the standard for younger players both on and off the ice.
“There’s a lot of similarities between this year’s team and the one we ended with last spring,” Alber said. “We’ve got the same hardwork ethic, the same tenacious style of play. We’re definitely a lot younger, too. Every year when you come back to a team there’s a little more onus on you to lead by example, to show younger guys what it means to be a pro and how to take care of yourself over the course of a long season.”
The Thunder won last Friday night’s season opener, 4-3, in a shootout as rookie goaltender Mason McDonald earned his first career win. McDonald was in net the next night, too, when Adirondack beat Manchester, 5-3.
“Any time you can win the first two games of the season it’s a big plus,” Alber said. “Being on the road helped the guys gel together. But I know all the guys are really excited about the fan support we have here, too.”