GLENS FALLS, N.Y. — The Adirondack Thunder seem to like life on the edge.
Last weekend at Allen, Texas, they coughed up late third-period leads in three straight games but still managed to earn four points with an overtime win and two extra-session losses.
On Wednesday, at Maine, a comfortable 3-0 lead quickly vanished when the Mariners scored two quick goals to set up a nail-biting third period. The Thunder eventually won, 5-2, thanks to a pair of late-game empty-netters.
In the process, they moved to within a single point of wrapping up the ECHL’s North Division title. Pending the outcome of this weekend’s action, they might even wind up with the Eastern Conference’s best record, giving them the home-ice advantage for the first three rounds of Kelly Cup playoffs, if they advance that far.
The regular season ends with three straight contests against Maine, starting Friday night in Portland. Then it’s back to Glens Falls for home games on Saturday (7 p.m.) and Sunday (3 p.m.)
“These games are a good test for us to gain momentum and put us on the right foot going into playoffs,” rookie forward Andre Ghantous said. “Day by day we’re just trying to work on the details. You can never be satisfied where you’re at. Our end goal is to win a championship.”
Adirondack’s postseason begins at home on Friday and Sunday (April 19, 21) against an undetermined opponent.
Norfolk has a firm grasp on second place while Worcester, Trois-Rivieres, and Maine are battling for the last two playoff spots.
Thunder forward Tristan Ashbrook recorded three points in Wednesday’s victory at Maine, giving him 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in the last 13 contests.
His empty-netter sealed the deal with more than two minutes remaining in the game. The shot would have made billiards champion Willie Mosconi proud. Deep in Adirondack’s defensive zone, Ashbrook fired a puck off the right sideboards and the angle was perfect as the disc sailed down the ice and straight into Maine’s wide-open goal for a 4-2 Thunder lead.
Despite having the East’s best record, no Adirondack players were named to the First and Second All-ECHL Teams, announced Thursday.
While some players might have been deserving, Coach Pete MacArthur is more concerned about the team’s postseason performance.
Several key players — Patrick Grasso, Grant Jozefek, and Mike Gillespie — are still out with injuries and their playoff availability is questionable.
In the meantime, recently signed rookies such as Ghantous, Mac Welsher, and Eric Alarie, fresh out of the college ranks, have stepped up and made major contributions.
The Thunder have used 55 different players throughout the season.
“Hockey’s hard,” MacArthur said. “When you have so many guys in and out of your lineup, the hardest thing to replicate is the D (defensive) zone.”
Sunday’s contest will be the seventh in 10 days for Adirondack, whose regular season comes to a grueling end. They’re trying to wrap up the division and conference lead before then, to take some of the pressure off and give players who need it an extra day of rest.
“We’ll use as many bodies as we can, but it’s something these guys are used to,” MacArthur said. “They do it all year long.”
