GAMEDAY: ADIRONDACK (0-1) at MANCHESTER (1-0)
April 15, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Adirondack Thunder News Release
GAMEDAY: ADIRONDACK (0-1) @ MANCHESTER (1-0) Apr 15th 2017, 13:04
WHO: 1 - Adirondack Thunder (0-1) @ 4 - Manchester Monarchs (1-0)
WHAT: 2017 KELLY CUP PLAYOFFS - NORTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS
WHEN: Saturday, April 14, 2017 @ 6:00 PM
WHERE: SNHU Arena - Manchester, NH
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: ECHL TV - AUDIO: HITS 95.9 - TWITTER: @ECHLTHUNDER
TONIGHT'S MATCHUP: The Thunder are back at it tonight as they take on the Manchester Monarchs in Game 2 of their North Division semifinal series. Manchester was victorious last evening by a 3-1 final on home ice as the two teams kicked off a Round 1 series for the second straight season.
FOR THE FIRST TIME: The Thunder saw nine of their 17 players in last night's game make their professional playoff debut. Three Thunder players (Ryan Culkin, Brett Pollock and Stepan Falkovsky) recorded their first career professional playoff points in the defeat. Two additional players (Brock Montgomery and J.P. Anderson) made their Thunder playoff debuts after bringing previous professional playoff experience to the team.
THE INCREDIBLE CULK: Adirondack defenseman Ryan Culkin opened the 2017 playoff scoring for the Thunder last evening as he netted a power-play goal late in the second period to get his team on the board. The tally was Culkin's first in postseason action, coming in his first career professional playoff game. The 6-2 defenseman amassed 13 points (1-12-13) in 16 regular season games with the Thunder.
ALONG CAME POLLOCK: Thunder forward Brett Pollock recorded the primary assist on Culkin's goal, the first assist and point of his professional playoff career. Pollock, who rejoined the Thunder from Stockton of the AHL in late March, collected 31 points (15-16-31) in 61 games with the team this season. The 6-3 winger previously helped lead the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings to a Memorial Cup Championship in 2014.
STEP BY STEP: Thunder defenseman Stepan Falkovsky collected his first career postseason point last evening, with an assist on Culkin's goal, as he returned to the Adirondack lineup for the first time since mid-March. In his first professional season, the 6-7 Belarus native collected 32 points (21-11-32) from 52 games played. Falkovksy's 21 goals led all ECHL defensemen during the regular season.
ANDER-SON OF A GUN: Thunder netminder J.P. Anderson turned aside 21 of the 23 shots he faced in last night's loss. Dating back to regular season play, Anderson has allowed two goals or less in each of his last five starts. The 6-0 goaltender finished the 2016-17 season ranked fourth in the ECHL in both goals against average (2.47) and save percentage (.918) among qualified goaltenders.
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF: The Thunder and Monarchs are squaring off in Round One of the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the second straight season. The two teams met in the 2016 Kelly Cup Playoffs in reversed roles, with Manchester entering as the North Division Champions and Adirondack as the lower seed. Last season's series ended in five games with a 4-1 Adirondack victory.
ECHL Stories from April 15, 2017
- Game Recap: Game Two Goes to Walleye in Old-School Affair - Kalamazoo Wings
- Komets Drops Mallards 3-1, Take Two Games to None Series Lead - Quad City Mallards
- Monarchs Down Thunder, 4-2 - Manchester Monarchs
- GAMEDAY: ADIRONDACK (0-1) at MANCHESTER (1-0) - Adirondack Thunder
- Komets Rally, Win Game One 4-3 - Fort Wayne Komets
- STEELHEADS: Steelheads Ground Eagles in Game 1 - Idaho Steelheads
- Americans Fall to Grizzlies in Game 2 - Allen Americans
- Game Recap --- Idaho Claims 1-0 Series Lead with 4-2 Win over Eagles - Colorado Eagles
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