The Adirondack Thunder and Maine Mariners met for the first time during the 2024-25 season after meeting 11 straight times between the end of the 2023-24 regular season and the first round of last year’s Kelly Cup Playoffs. Just seconds after the opening faceoff, we would have our first PP as Carter Johnson was sent off for a faceoff violation three seconds into the game; however, the Thunder couldn’t convert on the man advantage. On Friday the 13th, the Adirondack Thunder would allow the game’s opening goal for the 13th time this season as Evan Vierling would net his fifth goal while extending his point streak to four games. Ten minutes after the Vierling goal, Brooklyn Kalmikov came down the wing and fired a shot that beat Tyler Brennan for his sixth of the year to give Maine a 2-0 goal lead. The Thunder would finally get on the board at the 17:49 mark as Tag Bertuzzi, who was up in Utica but hadn’t played since November 27th, would net his second goal of the year in his first game in a Thunder uniform since October 26th; however, any momentum the Thunder had was quickly erased as Maine got a PP 23 seconds later and would convert as Jimmy Lambert netted his seventh of the year to cap off a four-goal first period.
“It’s huge, the momentum is with us right away and we were able to get a couple power-plays and we ended up scoring, obviously not ideal to start on the kill but a big kill gave us a lot of momentum”
Evan Vierling on the being able to kill off the penalty the Mariners took three seconds into the game
In the second, it would be a penalty-filled period with a combined six minors taken between the two teams. The Mariners would have the best chances as they would be rewarded with a five-on-three for 51 seconds but couldn’t find the back of the net. It was a rough night for the Thunder as they gave the Mariners six PPs on the night; however, they would kill off five of them for one of the things that got right for the Thunder on Friday night. After 28 combined shots on goal by both teams in the opening 20 minutes, Adirondack and Maine would combine for 13 in the second period; the six shots on goals that Maine allowed to Adirondack in the second was the least amount of shots they gave up to an opponent this season.
“Unforturnately “Inconsistencey” is the word that comes to mind. We see spurts of a really good ice hockey team then we see spurts of a sleepy team that doesn’t engage and we need more games of full engagement, I don’t believe we are an 8-11 team but your record is somewhat reflective of how you play and that shows an inconsistent team and hopefully we can rectify that here in the next little bit”
Head Coach Terrence Wallin on the team’s play so far this season despite being third in the league in shots against
In the third, all three goals scored would come in the second half of the period as Brooklyn Kalmikov would feed Christian Berger for his second goal of the year and first since November 3rd against Reading Royals. Adirondack would get a PP with a little over six minutes remaining. It would be Alex Young sitting on the doorstep to extend his point streak to five games as he picked up his sixth goal of the season to give the Thunder a glimmer of hope. Still, it wouldn’t be enough as Patrick Guay added an empty netter, and Ryan Bichel made 27 saves for his sixth win. Adirondack and Maine will meet again tomorrow night as the Adirondack Thunder will host their annual Teddy Bear Toss Game.
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