WHEELING, WV – The Adirondack Thunder made history as they moved to 6-0 to open the 2015-16 season with a 4-1 win over the Wheeling Nailers. The Thunder became the first team in Adirondack professional hockey history to win six straight games to open a season.
The Thunder got out to a 1-0 lead midway through the first period as Gunnar Hughes redirected home his first career professional goal. A hard working shift from Alex Carrier got the puck to Mike Bergin at the point, where the RPI graduate faked twice before he fired a shot towards the net, which Hughes tipped home in front to score in his professional debut.Adirondack doubled its advantage at the 14:44 mark of the opening period, as Rob Bordson buried a power-play tally to make it 2-0 for the Thunder. Bordson positioned himself in front and put a David Shields rebound past Wheeling netminder Franky Palazzese for his fifth goal of the season. Shields and fellow defenseman Ryan Constant collected the assists on the play.
The Nailers got on the board with 2:50 left in the first, courtesy of forward Patrick McGrath, who put a rebound past Thunder goaltender Ken Appleby. A nice sequence in the offensive zone for Wheeling led to a shot from the point from Harrison Ruopp, which Appleby denied, but McGrath found the loose rebound and swatted it home with the backhand for his fourth career ECHL goal. Defense Brett Stern also collected an assist on the play.
The visitors regained a two goal advantage with the second period’s only goal, once again off the stick of Bordson. The Thunder moved the puck terrifically with the man advantage, as Flanagan went cross ice to Shields, who went back across the netmouth to an open Bordson, who slotted it home for the finish. The goal increased Bordson’s league leading point total to 11, while Flanagan collected his sixth assist of the season on the play.
The Thunder put the icing on the cake with just 2:20 to play in the third period as Mitchell Heard uncorked a twisted wrist shot from the slot past Palazzese to make it 4-1. Positioned between the circles, Heard took a feed from defenseman Joe Faust, took a stickhandle, and fired a wrist shot under the crossbar and into the back of the net to put the Thunder out of sight. Heard now has six points in five games since he joined the Thunder from Stockton.
Follow us on Twitter @prohockeynews
You must be logged in to post a comment.