The Adirondacks Thunder crowned a comeback with three goals at the very end of the game to beat the Trois-Rivières Lions 3 to 2, Tuesday at the Colisée Vidéotron.
At the dawn of the holiday break, the troop of Marc-André Bergeron had hinted at great things by triumphing 2 to 1 against the Worcester Railers. They appeared to be heading for a second consecutive win halfway through the day’s duel, but couldn’t protect a 2-0 lead.
Ryan Smith shook the ropes behind Philippe Desrosiers for the second time in the game with 1 min 45 s. to be sold on the clock. The 25-year-old striker outsprinted Bradley Johnson to escape and silenced the Lions home.
However, the meeting got off to a good start for the Montreal Canadiens’ school club in the ECHL.
After knocking on the door of Isaac Poulter several times, but without success, the Lions were delivered by Anthony Beauregard. Freshly demoted by the Laval Rocket, the Mauricie team’s top scorer took advantage of a superb discount from Santino Centorame.
Early in the second half, Chesterville native Nicolas Larivière doubled the Trois-Rivières lead. He made Poulter and the four red jerseys surrounding him look bad by threading the needle easily around the net.
The Thunder did not give up, however, tying the game with two goals resulting from deflections in front of the net. On massive attack, Colin Long cut the hosts’ lead in half by grazing a shot from former Sherbrooke Phoenix glory Xavier Parent.
Smith then reset the counters by redirecting a strike from Nick Rivera.
In addition, forward Connor Chaulk played his first game with the Trois-Rivières team. He spent the last season with Blaze de Conventry, in the British Premier League.
The Lions will conclude 2022 by playing three games in as many days. They will face the Thunder (twice) and the Maine Mariners.