Thunder fall to Monarchs

MANCHESTER, N.H. >> The Adirondack Thunder allowed three goals with less than two minutes left in regulation to drop a 4-1 decision to the Manchester Monarchs on Wednesday.

The teams were tied at 1 when Manchester’s Matt Marcinew led a two-on-one charge after a Thunder turnover and ripped a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle for the game-winning score.

Netminder Cam Johnson got a piece of the initial shot, but the puck glanced off his glove and trickled into the net.

By losing, Adirondack (10-4) stays in second place two points behind Newfoundland in the ECHL’s North Division standings. The Thunder will attempt to bounce back on Thursday at Worcester.

The team was playing without

head coach Alex Loh, who has been called away by a family matter. He’s scheduled to return later this week.

In his absence, Associate Coach Pete Dineen is Adirondack’s acting head coach.

Manchester’s Spencer Watson got the scoring started on Wednesday with a goal at 16:16 of the first period. With the Monarchs charging the offensive zone, Chaz Reddekopp centered a puck toward the Thunder net that got deflected in front.

Watson found the loose puck on the side of the net and jammed at the rebound for a 1-0 Monarchs lead.

Adirondack’s Conor Riley tied it at one goal apiece when he converted on a second-chance opportunity for his team-leading sixth goal of the season. Riley led the Thunder rush down the right wing, cut toward the center of the ice and fired a shot that got stuck in the feet of defenseman Eric Schurhamer. Riley regathered the puck and fired a wrist shot that beat Chris Driedger to tie the game. Dennis Kravchenko collected the lone assist on the goal for the Thunder.

Marcinew scored the game-winning goal late in the third period before Nic Pierog and Marcinew added empty-net tallies for the 4-1 final score.