GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – The Manchester Monarchs tallied three second period goals to come back and defeat the Adirondack Thunder 4-2 Wednesday night at the Cool Insuring Arena.
The Monarchs (17-9-1-1) notched their first win against the Thunder (14-12-1-1) this season, evening the season series at one win apiece.
Adirondack opened the scoring at 7:13 of the first period on his team leading 14th goal of the season by Ty Loney. After a Monarchs face-off win in the defensive zone, Alexx Privitera cleared the puck up the right side wall where Terrence Wallin kept the puck in at the blue line. Wallin took a shot that was tipped in front of the net by Loney up and over the glove of Monarchs goaltender Charles Williams to give Adirondack a 1-0 lead.
The Monarchs answered back at 4:36 of the second period on the 14th goal of the season by Zac Lynch. Sam Kurker skated into the offensive zone along the right wall, made his way to the goal line and shoveled a pass to the slot for Lynch, who one-timed his shot past the extended leg of Thunder goaltender Chris Nell to tie the game at 1-1.
At 6:47 of the second period, the Monarchs took their first lead of the night on the sixth goal of the season by Matt Schmalz. Martin Nemcik collected the puck along the blue line and brought the puck to the top of the left circle. Nemcik wristed a shot wide of the net where the puck caromed off the end wall and out the right side where Schmalz shot the puck into the open net, to put Manchester up 2-1.
The Thunder tied things up at 15:14 of the second period on the seventh goal of the season by Pierre-Luc Mercier. Eric Neiley pursued the puck on a forecheck behind the Monarchs net where he played the body against Monarchs defenseman Justin Agosta. Neiley stole the puck and shoved it in front of the net where Mercier grabbed the puck in the slot and pushed it between the legs of Williams to tie the game at 2-2.
Manchester took back the lead at 18:18 of the second period on the12th goal of the season for Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman. Spencer Watson carried the puck into the offensive zone and dropped it off behind him at the top of the right circle. LaVallee-Smotherman picked up the puck and sniped a shot over the blocker of Nell to give Manchester a 3-2 lead.
The Monarchs added an empty net goal at 18:50 of the third period on the sixth goal of the season for Matt Leitner. Leitner received a pass from Lynch on a 2-on-1 while breaking into the offensive zone where Leitner fired the puck into the empty net to make it a 4-2 lead for the Monarchs.
The Monarchs travel to Reading, Pennsylvania to face-off against the Reading Royals on Friday, December 22nd at 7 p.m. to begin a two game series against the Royals.
Notes: Matt Leitner extended his point streak to nine games (5 goals, 11 assists)… Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman extended his point streak to four games (3 goals, 1 assist).
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