PORTLAND- Matt Salhany scored an empty net goal with 1:32 left in the third period that turned out to be the game winner on Saturday night, as the Adirondack Thunder slipped past the Maine Mariners 3-2 at the Cross Insurance Arena to even the best of seven North Division Semifinal Playoffs at 1-1 as the series will now shift to New York.
Adirondack, who was outplayed in huge stretches on Friday night (outshot 51-16) in Game 1 and lost in overtime, wouldn’t trail in this one. Justin Taylor would tip-in a point shot by Kevin O’Neil on the powerplay at 4:32 of the first period to make it 1-0 Thunder, before Jacob Hudson answered to even it up for Maine 1:27 later. The guests took the lead for good on a second goal of the period for Taylor at 13:41. Adirondack, who was outshot 20-6 in the middle stanza on Friday, carried the play in the second on this night with a 19-4 edge in shots and maintaining their one goal lead. The Mariners had a chance to tie it with a powerplay with 12:09 left in the third, but they were turned away and are now 0-9 on the series with the extra man. Maine would then take back to back penalties to give the Thunder a 5 on 3 advantage for 53 seconds, but the defense with the help of netminder Luke Cavallin were able to kill it off. They would pull Cavallin with about three minutes to go for an extra attacker that would lead to the empty net marker by Salhany at 18:28. The hosts weren’t done quite yet, as Antonio Venuto scored with the extra attacker with 38 seconds left. Adirondack though was able to hold on in the final seconds including a huge shot block by Taylor to tie up the series.
Taylor also added an assist for a three point night in the Adirondack win. Jeremy Brodeur, fresh off his 49 save performance on Friday, would stop 26 of 28 shots. Brookyln Kalmikov, Jacob Perreault, Owen Gallatin, and Loke Johansson each had an assist for Maine. Cavallin made 32 saves. Game 3, 4, and 5 will be at the Cool Insuring Arena in Glen Falls, NY on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday with all face-off times set for 7 p.m. The Mariners will need to win at least one of those on the road to bring the series back to Portland for a possible Game 6 and Game 7.
