The Adirondack Thunder are shaking things up after a 4-1 loss in Game 3 vs Maine Mariners. They have a number of lineup changes prior to Game 4 tonight. All four scratches from Friday will be in the lineup, as Connor Blake, Ryan Conroy, Alex Young, and Mac Welsher will all be scratched on Saturday. Matt Stief, Ryan Wheeler, Travis Broughman, and Timur Ibragimov will all be in the Thunder lineup on Saturday. This gives Adirondack some much-needed experience in their lineup, as all the rookies are coming out
There will be a lot of line up changes
Adirondack Thunder Head Coach Pete MacArthur after Friday Night’s game
Imbragimov is the biggest addition to the Thunder lineup after being sent down from Utica earlier in the week but was still dealing with a shoulder injury but will be good to go tonight. The Russian forward had a strong showing in 14 games with the Thunder putting up four goals and eight assists for 12 points, he would have similar numbers in Utica putting up six goals and seven assists for 13 points but that came in 35 games. Saturday will be Ibagimov’s first game since March 29th.
Matt Stief rejoins the Thunder backend and will make his first appearance of the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs, the Florida defenceman had an assist in five games during last year’s Kelly Cup Playoffs. In 70 games during the regular season, he put up four goals and 31 assists for 35 points.
Travis Broughman comes back into the lineup and will add some much-needed size up front and played in the first two games of the series but was scratched last night to make room for Filip Engaras, who came down from Utica. In 66 games this season, he put up 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points. Broughman had a goal and two assists for three points in last year’s Kelly Cup Playoffs
Ryan Wheeler, who became a forward this season, finished the season with 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points in 61 games. The New York Native has made a huge on the Thunder and has given MacArthur the option to play him on the backend or up front, but MacArthur recently mentioned that Wheeler will stay up front until the team desperately needs his skills on the backend.
