Comeback Keeps Point Streak Alive, Thunder Fall in Shootout

November 8, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Bloomington Thunder News Release

BLOOMINGTON, Illinois - For the third straight game, the Bloomington Thunder would need overtime to settle the score against their opponent. This time, the Muskegon Lumberjacks were the opposition and the Thunder forced the game to a shootout on Saturday night at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum. Bloomington (6-5-3) fell 2-1 to the Lumberjacks (4-6-0), but extended their point streak to six straight games, going 3-0-3 in that stretch.

Battling back from a 1-0 deficit, the Thunder would score in the third period with just over five minutes to play in the game. A shot from Brogan Rafferty (Quinnipiac University) redirected off of Logan Lambdin and into the net to tie the game up. Lambdin scored the game-tying goal twice in their last three games, giving him a team leading five on the season.

During the first, the Thunder had chances including Alec Mehr hitting the post and Steven Merl would be denied on a feed from Van Barr (Western Michigan University). Barr was later also stopped by Joey Daccord (Arizona State University) with 1 second left in the period. The puck rested on the goal line before Daccord knocked it away with the paddle of his stick.

The first goal was not scored until after the halfway point of the game and followed a great defensive play by the Thunder. Matt Foley (Yale University) broke up a 2-on-1 with a sliding block but was followed by Jacob Coleman's (Robert Morris University) second goal of the season. Logan Drevitch sent one to the front of the net where Coleman redirected it to break the scoreless tie at 10:51.

In overtime, the goaltenders continued to steal the show. Hayden Lavigne (University of Michigan) made a few cross crease saves during the game including one on Trevor Hamilton (Penn State University) to keep the clock running in the extra frame. It was one of 30 saves he made in the game.

Also in overtime, Jake Durflinger had his chance to end it but was taken out on a great defensive effort on a puck lying in the crease. Daccord stopped 29 in the game to grab his fourth win of the year.

Two stops in the shootout brought the decision to the third round where Matej Paulovic (Dallas Stars) and Bailey Conger (St. Lawrence University) traded backhanded goals to keep the skills competition going. Colin Adams (University of North Dakota) earned the final goal in the shootout and Daccord stopped Jake Slaker (St. Lawrence University) to give the Lumberjacks back-to-back overtime wins.

The Thunder hit the road for a three game road trip with the first stop in Waterloo on November 13th at 7:05 p.m. The Black Hawks topped the Thunder 4-2 in their only meeting at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum during the Thunder home opener on Sept. 25. This will finish the season series between the teams.

Bloomington Thunder Skate against the Muskegon Lumberjacks

United States Hockey League Stories from November 8, 2015

• Power Play Propels Phantoms over Gamblers - Youngstown Phantoms
• Buccaneers Fall Late - Des Moines Buccaneers
• Steel Top First-Place Dubuque - Chicago Steel
• Lumberjacks Win 2-1 in a Shootout - Muskegon Lumberjacks
• Comeback Keeps Point Streak Alive, Thunder Fall in Shootout - Bloomington Thunder
• Storm Power Play Guts RoughRiders, 4-1 - Tri-City Storm

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