Thunder set for series at Admirals
GLENS FALLS, N.Y. » The Thunder open a crucial three-game weekend series at Norfolk, a next-to-last place team, on Friday.
But Coach Brad Tapper isn’t taking the Admirals lightly.
“This is a team that’s come on really well,” he said. “You can’t underestimate them. You can’t just think you’re going to take six points. You’ve got to take it period by period.”
Norfolk is lead by one of the ECHL’s most savvy coaches, veteran Robbie Ftorek, a former U.S. Olympian, NHL player and coach, and Albany River Rats head coach. His battles with Adirondack teams date back to the 1990s, when the Red Wings and Rats fought tooth and nail in the former Northway series.
The Thunder (26-18-2-2) enter the weekend in a three-way tie for second place in the ECHL’s North Division, four points behind Manchester. Norfolk (17-23-5-1) has won only six of 21 contests on home ice this year.
Tapper, however, knows the Thunder must play all-out, every minute of every game, following a disappointing performance in their last game, an 8-3 loss at Manchester on Saturday.
“We did not compete,” he said. “Our will wasn’t there. It was men against boys. Guys have to step up.”
Adirondack is 2-0 in their only contests against the Admirals this year.
However, the Thunder lineup has undergone a plethora of changes since the teams last met.
Forward Pierre-Luc Mercier is one of only two players to appear in every Thunder game this year.
“Everybody’s different,” he said. “That’s where having a solid game plan is important. Regardless of who you’re playing with, if you stick with the system everybody’s going to be in the right spot.”
One of Adirondack’s newest additions, goaltender Tomas Sholl, earned his first ECHL career victory in last Friday’s win at Worcester. After falling behind early, 2-0, Sholl held the Railers scoreless the rest of the way as Adirondack came back to win, 3-2, in overtime.
Sholl has earned at least one start this weekend.
“If you’ve got a good attitude you fit in here,” Tapper said.