Bradshaw’s overtime game-winning goal pushes Adirondack past Reading
Reading, PA – Cullen Bradshaw scored with just 30 seconds remaining in overtime to push the Adirondack Thunder to their fourth straight victory, a 2-1 overtime win over the Reading Royals on Friday evening at Santander Arena.
The Thunder opened the scoring 9:54 into the game with the lone goal of the first period. Bradshaw won the puck in the offensive end and sent it to forward J.C. Campagna in the slot, who fired a wrist shot over the glove of Reading netminder Mark Dekanich for the game’s first goal. Campagna’s goal was his third of the season while Bradshaw collected the lone assist on the play, his 14th helper.
After more a period of scoreless hockey, Reading knotted the score at one with 6:31to play in regulation as they capitalized on the man advantage. The Royals goal came on a tic-tac-toe passing play as Robbie Czarnik fed Justin Crandall below the Adirondack goal line, where the ECHL All-Star Crandall one-touched the puck to Ryan Penny in the slot, who beat Adirondack netminder Mason McDonald for his 23rd goal of the season. Czarnik and Crandall collected the assists on the play, the 32nd helper of the season for both players.
With one point in the bank after regulation ended knotted at one, Adirondack claimed the crucial second point, courtesy of Bradshaw’s overtime winner with just 30 seconds remaining in overtime. Defenseman Ryan Culkin carried the puck around the net and sent a spinning pass through the slot to an uncovered Bradshaw, who buried the puck for the overtime game-winning goal. Bradshaw’s goal was his fifth of the season and second point of the evening, while Culkin and forward Brian Ward had the assists on the play, Culkin’s eighth of the season.
With the victory, Adirondack has now won four straight games as it improves 35-20-6-4 on the season. The Thunder now sit at 80 points on the season and will remain in second place in the North Division with a three-point cushion over the Manchester Monarchs.
The team will close out a two-game set in Reading tonight, before returning to the Northcountry for a home game on Tuesday against the Orlando Solar Bears at 7:00 p.m.
