ECHL: Adirondack Thunder Comeback Comes Up Short; Thunder Now Trail 3-1 in Series

The Adirondack Thunder dropped game four of the Kelly Cup Divisional Semi-Final round to the Newfoundland Growlers by a score of 5-3 and will face a win-or-go-home game on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 EST in Newfoundland. Adirondack got an early PP opportunity as Zach Solow went off for hooking at 1:38 but the Thunder couldn’t capitalize. The Growlers would get on the board first as Jack Badinin would find the back of the net at the 5:45 mark of the opening period. Newfoundland would continue their on-slot of goals as Zach O’Brien and Matt Helickson would score to make it 3-0 Growlers after the opening 20. However, Adirondack, for the first time since Game 1, Adirondack looked like they had life and got a five-on-three, and they took advantage of it as Patrick Grasso found the back of the net to open the scoring for Adirondack. The Thunder would get a lucky bounce just 2:11 seconds as Ryan Smith took a shot from center ice that somehow beat Dryden McKay and put the Thunder within one heading into the third period.

Adirondack would get a golden opportunity to tie the game early in the third as they would get a PP but couldn’t convert, and the Growlers would score shortly after the penalty as Zach O’Brien got his second of the game as Newfoundland went back up by two. Travis Broughman would respond less than a minute later, putting the Thunder back within one. Newfoundland would put the nail in the coffin with a five-on-three as Zach Solow picked up his second goal of the series to put the Growlers up 5-3, which would end up being the final score. Jake Theut picked up 20 saves in the loss, and it was the first game of the series in which neither goaltender got pulled.