Aidan Bender scored his first two goals, but the Twin City Thunder are still in search of their first victory of the season after closing out the season-opening Junior Bruins Shootout with a 4-2 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights on Monday at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
The Thunder went 0-3 at the Shootout but Monday’s game was their closest contest of the weekend and the Twin City offense had its highest scoring output of the season.
For the third straight game, the Thunder fell behind. Knights forward William Jasmin scored the first of his three goals to account for the lone tally of the first period.
Bender tied the game with the only goal of the second period. His power-play marker was assisted by Roman Wainwright and Ervin Terwilliger.
Justin Ryan, who assisted each of Jasmin’s goals, recorded one of his own to open a high-scoring third period. Jasmin made it 3-1 with 13 minutes left.
Bender scored an even-strength goal that was assisted by Terwilliger with just under five minutes to play.
Ryan fed Jasmin for the final goal with 11 seconds left.
Chance Uzzell assisted on the two earlier third-period goals for the Knights, and Andrew Piccirillo provided an assist on Jasmin’s opening goal.
Stefan Carney stopped 34 of 38 shots in goal for the Thunder, including denying Sacha Trudel on a penalty shot in the third period. Tade Carman made 32 saves for the Knights.
SUNDAY NO-FUN DAY
The Thunder’s middle game of the Junior Bruins Shootout on Sunday wasn’t a memorable one. The Mercer Chiefs scored two goals apiece in the first and second periods and rolled to a 4-1 win over Twin City.
Cullen McCormick scored his first goal of the season in the first minute of the third period, which finally got the Thunder on the scoreboard. Wainwright and Bender each picked up their first assists on the goal.
Ethan Byrne and Ryan McKenna scored in the opening period for Mercer, and Gavin Bloder and Tyler Agnew lit the lamp in the middle frame.
Carney turned away 32 shots for Twin City, which held the Chiefs scoreless in seven power-play opportunities. The Thunder were 0 for 3 on the man-advantage. Jeffrey Kreidler only allowed Twin City shot past him out of the 24 he faced.
Twin City returns to action Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in Wayne, New Jersey, against the Jersey Hitmen.
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