Jets Let Lead Slip Away in Loss to Thunder

(Jamestown, NY)      Bruce Statton continued his hot hand with two goals and an assist to extend his point streak to six games but the Philadelphia Thunder erased a two goal third period deficit to upset the Jamestown Jets 7-6. Dan Igielinski added a goal and two assists and John Andhor had a goal and an assist for the Jets.

The Jets took an early one goal lead on a goal by Captain Dan Igielinski. Newly acquired forward Nick Donovan gained control of a loose puck and fed a beautiful no look pass in front to Igielinski who was crashing the Thunder crease and Igielinski deflected it over the pad of Thunder goalie Kevin Wierda.

Philadelphia answered quickly on a bad angle shot by defenseman Alex Unrue. Unrue floated a wrist shot towards the Jamestown goal and it bounced over the pad of starting net minder Ethan Adamczyk stunning everyone in attendance. Philadelphia struck a second time after a Jets giveaway allowed Evgeni Limanisky to skate all alone in front to beat a sprawling Adamczyk.

Philadelphia added to their one goal lead on a power play goal by Zach Brainard after Alex Stahl took a high-sticking penalty in the Thunder zone. Bruce Statton narrowed the gap to one goal for Jamestown with a power play goal on a nice feed by veteran forward John Andhor.

Less than two minutes later Statton returned the favor and fed a pass to Andhor who tied the game with a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle. Joe Rohm scored his 11^th goal of the season with just over two minutes left in the period to give the Jets a 4-3 lead.

The Jets extended their lead early in the third when their big guns got involved in the scoring. Nate Hughes fed Jon Gratton who rifled a slap shot past Wierda to give Jamestown their largest lead of the game. The two goal lead was short lived as Zach Brainard took over the game. Brainard scored two consecutive goals before the period was half over to tie the game at 5-5.

Bruce Statton continued his unbelievable streak of goal scoring to give the Jets back on top with just over eight minutes left to play. It took less than a minute for Philadelphia to tie the game on a goal by Luis Valenzio.

The goal prompted Jamestown coach Dennis Canfield to take a tie timeout but the strategy would prove unsuccessful. Zach Brainard added to his unbelievable night with a wrist shot into the top corner with just over three minutes left the play. Jamestown pulled their goalie with under a minute remaining but failed to beat Kevin Wierda who posted his first win of the season.

The Jets and Thunder will meet again Saturday night at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena with faceoff set for 7:35 p.m.

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