ECHL North Division Semifinals Recap: Maine Mariners vs Adirondack Thunder | Game Five

The Adirondack Thunder and Maine Mariners played their first elimination game of the series, as the Mariners had a 3-1 series lead. For Adirondack, they needed a hot start to get off on the right foot, and that’s what they did. Adirondack would outshoot the Mariners 8-1 in the opening ten minutes of the game. At the 10:10 mark of the second period, Grant Loven would be called for a questionable cross-checking penalty, sending the Mariners to their first PP of the game. It would take the Mariners just 32 seconds to convert as Jacob Hudson netted his third goal of the series, extending his point streak to five games. The Thunder needed a quick response, and less than three minutes later, it would be Matt Salhany who tipped in a shot from Justin Taylor to get Adirondack on the board. It would be a solid period for the Thunder as they held Maine to just three shots in the opening period

“Ya, I think we caused a turnover, it got on Soupy’s stick and he got it to Tayls and then I was just trying to beat my defenseman back to the net and that’s a veteran play, he’s shooting for a stick and luckily we got a tip-in”

Matt Salhany on Adirondack’s opening goal

Adirondack wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the PP to start the second. However, less than three minutes into the period, back-to-back penalties would give the Thunder a five-on-three for 1:47. The Thunder took advantage as Justin Taylor poked home a rebound to give Adirondack a 2-1 lead. It would once again be a strong defensive start to the period as Maine was held without a shot for the first five minutes of the period. Playoff hockey can take a toll on teams, as we saw in the second period, as Jacob Perreault and Brannon McManus both made visits to the locker room in the second period. This would cause a short, but rare delay as there wasn’t a trainer on either of the benches. Maine would tie the game at the 13:13 mark on a shot by Jacob Hudson from an impossible angle that somehow beat Jeremy Brodeur for his second of the game. Maine outshot Adirondack 13-10 in the middle frame.

“He’s Denis Potvin’s nephew. He plays hard, he plays honest, he plays the right way and he just keeps on going like the energy bunny so we’ll have to keep an eye on him on Tuesday

Head Coach Sylvain Cloutier when talking about how to contain Jacob Hudson

In the third, both teams would get their chances, but no one would find the back of the net. Maine would be the better of the two teams in the final frame. In the final minutes, Jacob Graves and one of the officials bumped into each other, but it was Graves who, later in that play, went out of his way to make contact with the official; shockingly, he wasn’t called for a penalty. 60 minutes wouldn’t be enough, as we headed to OT tied at two. Early in the extra frame, a clearing attempt from Michael Underwood would take a weird bounce and end up on the stick of Jeremy Hanzel as he beat Brad Arvanitis, but it wouldn’t go in. Justin Taylor found the loose puck and tapped it home for his second of the game and the game-winner. For Taylor, it was his first career OT goal in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Jeremy Brodeur made 30 saves as the Thunder forced a Game 6 in Portland on Tuesday Night.