Gameday: Adirondack vs. Manchester
April 9, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Adirondack Thunder News Release
TONIGHT'S MATCHUP: Tonight's matchup is the 15th and final meeting between Adirondack and Manchester this season, with the Thunder holding a 17-15 advantage in points from a 7-4-2-1 record. The top two teams in the East Division met last evening, with the Thunder pulling out a 4-3 win in Manchester.
10 YEARS WAS LONG ENOUGH: The Thunder clinched the first playoff berth in franchise history with last night's win over Manchester. The playoff berth marks the first time since 2006 that an Adirondack team will play in the postseason, with the UHL's Adirondack Frostbite the last to see playoff action. The Thunder will now look to become the first Adirondack team since 1992 to win a playoff series, dating back to the Adirondack Red Wings days.
LIKE MIKE: Thunder forward Michael Kirkpatrick netted another multi-point game, his second in as many games and his 16th of the season, leading all Thunder players. With one game remaining, Kirkpatrick is currently the only Thunder player to appear in all 71 games to date and he sits two points shy of the 60-point mark. The North Sydney, NS native leads all Thunder scorers with 58 points, which also sits third in the league for first-year players.
THE BIG SHORT-HAND: Adirondack forward Greg Wolfe picked up his second shorthanded tally of the season, making him the only Thunder player with multiple shorthanded tallies. Wolfe's tally, the eighth this season by a Thunder player, was his fifth goal in five games during the month of April. The Michigan State graduate's tally moved him to 15 goals on the season, making him the fourth Thunder player to hit the 15-goal plateau this season.
I LOVE YOU, MANCH: Thunder forwards Michael Kirkpatrick (6-5-11) and Greg Wolfe (5-5-10) have led the team against the Monarchs this season as both players have collected double-digit point totals in head-to-head matchups. Defenseman Patch Alber has led the way from the blueline with eight assists, tops amongst all skaters on both teams. Winger Louick Marcotte is tied with Kirkpatrick with five goals, coming from nine games played.
PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES: The Thunder punched their playoff ticket with last night's win but their first round opponent and seed in the Eastern Conference will be determined with tonight's results. The Thunder can finish as high as fifth in the conference and as low as seventh. With a win, the Thunder would clinch the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, regardless of other scores. With a loss, the Thunder would depend on the result of the game between sixth place Reading and seventh place Wheeling for their seed and could also face second seeded South Carolina or third seeded Manchester.
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ECHL Stories from April 9, 2016
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