The Adirondack Thunder advanced to the ECHL Eastern Conference Finals in six games over the Norfolk Admirals in the North Division Finals. Let's take a closer look how the Thunder got it done.
The Adirondack Thunder are back in the ECHL Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the 2017-18 season after defeating the Norfolk Admirals in the North Division Finals.
The Thunder dropped the first two games but responded with four straight wins to clinch the series.
Adirondack will play the Florida Everblades in the Eastern Conference Finals, who have won back-to-back Kelly Cup championships. The two teams last met in the Conference Finals during the 2018 Kelly Cup Playoffs, with Florida taking the series in five games.
Before closing the book on the Division Finals, let's take a closer look at how Adirondack got it done.
Shots On Goal
This series saw both teams take control of the shots on goal game. However, it did not always translate on the scoreboard.
Norfolk outshot Adirondack in Games 1, 3, 4, and 6 but came away with wins in only one (Game 1). However, the underlying numbers in some of the other games are a bit misleading, given Norfolk's emphasis on shot volume in the third period in an attempt to overcome large deficits.
In Game 4, the Admirals outshot Adirondack 16-6 in the third period but fell 5-2 on the scoreboard. The same can be said for Game 6. Norfolk forced 55 shots on goal in Game 3, but Adirondack stopped 54--not much you can do about that. Overall, Adirondack was outshot 213-177, with Game 3's shot volume playing a significant role.
Timeliness of Goals
Adirondack became the team that controlled how the third period would be played out as the series unfolded.
Norfolk led the way in the first two games, outscoring the Thunder 7-1 in the final 20 minutes of play. However, Adirondack flipped the script, outscoring the Admirals 6-0 in the third period over the final three games.
Overall, Adirondack outscored Norfolk in the first period, 5-2. However, the second and third periods were much closer than the series might suggest. Norfolk held the slight edge in goals in the second period, 8-7, but both teams scored seven times in the third.
Distribution of Goals
Adirondack's Ryan Smith had a breakout series against Norfolk after scoring no goals in the seven-game series against Maine in the first round. The 27-year-old scored six of the Thunder's 20 goals in the series, including three game-winning goals.
Yushiroh Hirano found the back of the net three times throughout the series, as did Filip Engaras, who had a hat trick in Game 6. Tristan Ashbrook and Shane Harper scored twice, while Ryan Wheeler, Erik Middendorf, Andre Ghantous, and Zach Walker scored once.
On the other side, Thomas Caron, Keaton Jameson, Stepan Timofeyev, Mathieu Roy, and Austen Keating all scored twice in the series for Norfolk. However, after six different skaters found the back of the net in Game 1, the Admirals' goal total dwindled as the series progressed.
Special Teams
Both teams held their own on special teams throughout the series. Adirondack converted on four of its 23 (17.4%) power-play chances, with half of those in Game 1. Meanwhile, Norfolk potted four goals on 19 power-play chances (21.1%), including three in losing efforts.
Engaras had the most timely power-play conversion of the series, giving Adirondack a 3-1 lead in the second period of Game 6.
Poulter Bounces Back
Issac Poulter had a challenging first two games in this series, allowing ten combined goals. However, the Adirondack goaltender silenced any doubters with outstanding performances, beginning with a 54 of 55 performance in Game 3.
Jeremy Brodeur backstopped Adirondack to a series-tying win in Game 4 before Poulter took it the rest of the way. The latter stopped 52 of 54 between Games 5 and 6 and 158 of 171 (0.924 SV%) in five games.
Poulter will face Florida's Cam Johnson, who has been an absolute workhorse thus far, in the Eastern Conference Finals.