Thunder still making sense of season cut-short
GLENS FALLS, N.Y. » Thunder players are still absorbing the shock of their ECHL season’s abrupt end, even without a playoff berth on the horizon.
Some aren’t quite sure what to do next because of travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
They also can’t wait to get back on the ice to avenge a disappointing year for a team that never quite seemed to gel or get on track. Competitive in most games, the Thunder’s longest winning streak was a modest four games, and they also set a franchise record by dropping 11 straight during a horrible mid-season swoon.
“That was kind of a defining part of the season,” team captain James Henry said. “The competitor in all of us has that mentality where you want next year to be way better than this season.”
The Thunder (22-28-8-5) finished in fifth place. Tech
nically, they didn’t miss the postseason because there won’t be any.
If not for COVID-19, they’d be on the outside looking in for the first time in franchise history.
“It was a frustrating year,” forward Alex Carrier said. “Hopefully we can regroup and make sure next year is going to be a different story.”
Many questions have to be answered, first and foremost the fate of head coach Alex Loh, who just completed his second year on the job after spending three more as Adirondack’s associate coach.
“It’s not up to me,” he said. “We’ll see in the next couple of weeks. I’d love to come back obviously. I’ve found a home here. My wife and daughter have found a home here. We have some obvious things we can improve on, but I feel like we’re in a good position to make a run here.”
Defense was a glaring problem. The Thunder allowed 219 goals, 42 more than first-place Newfoundland. Only last-place Worcester allowed more (230) in the North Division.
Recruiting is an extremely tough job at the ECHL level. Every coach wants to find the best talent possible, but in the process, these are the players most apt to get called up to the AHL, as the Thunder found out early last fall.
“Three of our top six forwards didn’t make it out of the first weekend this year,” Loh said. “You just try to find the best players you can get and hope to have them as long as you can.”
Adirondack was also beset by injuries, missing players such as All-Star forward Robbie Payne, veteran forward Conor Riley and defenseman Michael Sdao for extended periods.
Through it all, the Thunder still did well at the turnstile by averaging 3,238 fans per game, comparable to or more than much larger market such as Reading, Greenville, Norfolk, and Portland.
“Every night there was always a big fan base, a big crowd,” Payne said. “They were very knowledgeable. The history here is very extensive. I think their knowledge of the game made playing the game more fun. When there was a good play made they knew exactly what had just happened. You could feed off of that. I really liked that part of the organization, the fan base here.”
The Thunder also achieved one of their main goals as a developmental team by sending more than a dozen players up to the AHL. Goaltender Evan Cormier even had a brief stint with the NHL-affiliated New Jersey Devils.
Cormier was enjoying a post-game meal at O’Toole’s Restaurant, in Queensbury, when Loh called to say the Devils wanted him. Cormier thought he’d be going to Binghamton, the Thunder’s AHL affiliate where he’d played earlier in the year.
But he was about to realize a lifelong dream, as New Jersey needed him for the next day’s NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes. Racing to pack his bags, he drove through the night to Newark, arriving just in time to catch a plane bound for Phoenix.
“It was very emotional for me,” Cormier said. “I was really excited to call my dad and brother to let them know I got the call. They were goalies as well, so they know what I’m going through.”
Nick Hutchison joined the Thunder only a week before the season ended, following the completion of his four-year NCAA career at Canisius College, near Buffalo. His pro debut couldn’t have been much better as he scored a goal and assist, with family and friends on hand from his native Long Island.
That success gave Hutchison a taste of what’s possible so that a year from now the Thunder will not only be in playoff position, but genuine contenders for a league title.
“This was a good experience to look back on and use it as motivation to keep going,” he said.