Gameday: Adirondack vs. Manchester
Published on April 18, 2016 under ECHL (ECHL)
Adirondack Thunder News Release
TONIGHT'S MATCHUP: Tonight's matchup is Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Manchester Monarchs and the Adirondack Thunder. The Thunder lead the best of seven series 3-0, extended with a 4-2 victory for the Thunder on home ice Saturday evening. The Thunder have the opportunity to close out the series tonight with a win over the Monarchs.
IT'S BEEN AWHILE: The Thunder are looking to become the first Adirondack team since 1994 to win a playoff series, dating back to the Adirondack Red Wings days. The Red Wings defeated the Springfield Indians in six games in their American Hockey League Northern Division Semi-Final series in the 1994 Calder Cup Playoffs.
REVENGE OF THE HEARD: Forward Mitchell Heard led the Thunder in Game 3 with a three-point effort (2-1-3), including both of Adirondack's first period goals and an assist on Ryan Lomberg's game-winning tally. Heard is now third on the Thunder with five points (3-2-5) over three games played, including a pair of multi-point games, and second in the ECHL with three goals in three games played.
THREE'S COMPANY: Forward Peter MacArthur matched Heard's three-point effort with a trio of assists in Saturday's victory. MacArthur's three points set a personal ECHL career playoff high for both assists and points and tied him with teammate Greg Wolfe for the Thunder lead with six points in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. In 18 career ECHL playoff games, MacArthur has collected 17 points (7-10-17), second most on the Thunder roster.
LOMB CHOPS: Thunder winger Ryan Lomberg tallied for the first time in the series with the game-winning goal in Saturday's 4-2 win. With Adirondack on the man advantage, Lomberg buried a Heard rebound to give the Thunder a two-goal lead that proved to be enough to win. Lomberg was second on Adirondack's roster during the regular season with 18 goals and fourth with 35 points.
SPECIAL K: The Thunder have thrived special teams in the first three games of this series, led by their penalty killing unit that has successfully killed off 11 of 12 infractions to date. Adirondack, which was six-of-seven on the penalty kill on Saturday, ranks second in the ECHL at 91.7% during the first round of the playoffs. Adirondack's power-play unit also scored for the second straight night in Saturday's win. On the man advantage, the Thunder rank seventh amongst playoff teams at 18.2%, slightly higher than their regular season average of 17.5%.
A LOOK AHEAD: Following tonight's Game 4, the series would shift back to Manchester for Game 5 if the Monarchs are victorious tonight. Puck drop would be slated for 7:00 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
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