ECHL Game Recap: Reading Royals vs Adirondack Thunder | 12/07/2024

The Adirondack Thunder came into Saturday Night needing a win after an abysmal performance on Friday Night. For the first time all season, Head Coach Pete MacArthur would give the nod to David Fessenden, who would make his first career start after signing with Adirondack in the off-season. The Parker, Colorado native would be tested right off the bat as the Reading Royals would get to breakaways in the opening five minutes of the game but Fessenden would stop both attempts to keep the Thunder from collapsing early and would stop all 15 shots he saw in the opening frame. Adirondack would only get six shots on goal, but one of those would find the back of the net as Kevin O’Neil fed Stephen Calisti, who netted his first career pro goal to give Adirondack a 1-0 lead at the 17:09 mark of the opening period.

It was Teddy Bear Toss night in Reading, and things weren’t looking good after a scoreless first period, but it would be a Mason Primeau tip-in at the 13:19 mark that sent the bears flying and tied the game up at one. Just like in the opening frame, the Reading would almost double up the Thunder in shots on goal, as after 40 minutes of play, the Royals were outshooting the Thunder 28-13, but we would head to the third period tied up at one. In the third, Adirondack would get their chances, but every time they would get a power play, they would take a penalty, and finally, on a four-on-three, it would be Jake Smith who would find the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season to give Reading a 2-1 lead, and it is now the third straight game that Adirondack has surrendered a PP goal.

The Thunder, down one with less than ten minutes to go, would get a two-on-one as Patrick Polino came out of the box and got a two-on-one with Kevin O’Neil, but it would be O’Neil who kept it himself and found the back of the net as he continued his strong play as he now as nine points in his last ten games and that goal would send the game into overtime. As the OT period was ending, Poilino would feed Ryan Conroy in front for his fourth of the year to send the Thunder back to Glens Falls with the extra point. The star of the night would be David Fessenden, who made 40 saves for his pro debut in the win. This is huge for the Thunder, as they know they have three reliable goaltenders on their roster. With the win, Pete MacArthur ties Alex Loh for the most regular season wins as an Adirondack Thunder Head Coach (86).