GLENS FALLS, NY – February 15, 2023 – Mitch Fossier and Tim Doherty registered three points each, but Patrick Grasso scored at 2:55 of overtime to give the Adirondack Thunder a 5-4 win over the Maine Mariners on Wednesday night at the Cool Insuring Arena.
Adirondack grabbed the 1-0 lead at 3:34 of the opening period when Thunder captain Shane Harper got to the front of the net swatted home a feed from Patrick Grasso past Francois Brassard. It took just over a minute for the Mariners to get it back, however, with Nick Master setting up Conner Bleackley for a one-timer from just beyond the Thunder goal crease at 4:43. Bleackley’s goal was his second in as many games after none in his first 20. Late in the period, the Mariners went to the power play, and capitalized to take the lead, when Tim Doherty found Mitch Fossier with a cross ice pass and Fossier finished under the cross bar.
Five combined goals were scored in the second period, bringing the game to a 4-4 draw. Just 1:04 into the frame, the Mariners stretched their lead to two when Fossier and Doherty connected again, the former taking the puck away from Thunder defenseman behind the net and setting up the latter for his 100th ECHL point. Just 54 seconds later, Grasso followed up Harper’s drive to the net and brought the Thunder back to within one. The Mariners scored another milestone goal at 4:01 of the period, as Tommy Munichiello joined Fossier and Doherty’s line, and cashed a rebound off the pad of Isaac Poulter for his first ECHL goal, in his third game. The Thunder controlled the remainder of the period and got a power play goal from Shawn Weller at 9:00 and an even strength tally from Brandon Schultz at 14:18 to tie the game at four heading to the third.
After a scoreless third period, Harper set up Grasso at 2:55 of overtime to give Adirondack the victory. Harper and Grasso finished with four points each while Fossier and Tim Doherty had three each for the Mariners. With Reading’s loss to Norfolk, and the Mariners gaining a point, Maine moves into a second place tie in the North Division.
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