Adirondack Thunder Defeat Atlanta Gladiators 4–1 Behind Brannon McManus’ Four-Point Performance
The Adirondack Thunder opened a three-game series with a 4–1 victory over the Atlanta Gladiators on Friday night at Gas South Arena, powered by a four-point performance from forward Brannon McManus.
McManus scored two goals and added two assists for his second career four-point game, helping Adirondack take control early and maintain the lead throughout the night.
Atlanta started T.J. Semptimphelter in goal, while Jeremy Brodeur made the start in net for Adirondack.
Thunder Strike Early
Adirondack set the tone in the opening minutes, applying pressure in the offensive zone and controlling possession. The effort paid off when McManus opened the scoring just 2:19 into the game.
McManus finished a centering pass from Tag Bertuzzi, with Connor Hutchison also assisting on the play. The goal, McManus’ 19th of the season, gave the Thunder a 1–0 lead.
Adirondack carried that advantage into the first intermission while outshooting Atlanta 11–6.
Gladiators Answer but Thunder Respond
The Gladiators tied the game early in the second period when Brendan Less scored his second goal of the season just 41 seconds into the period. Less fired a shot from the right circle past Brodeur, with assists from Chad Nychuk and Mike McNamee.
Adirondack quickly regained momentum.
Bertuzzi restored the Thunder lead at 3:01 of the second period, finishing a rush opportunity created by McManus to make it 2–1.
Late in the period, Bertuzzi struck again, converting a pass from McManus and Jacob Graves with 1:55 remaining to extend the lead to 3–1.
Despite being outshot 16–7 in the second period, Adirondack carried the two-goal advantage into the final frame.
McManus Seals the Win
Atlanta attempted to rally in the third period, but McManus delivered again. The forward scored his second goal of the night just 1:47 into the period, pushing the Thunder lead to 4–1.
From there, Adirondack relied on strong goaltending and defensive play to close out the victory.
Brodeur finished with 32 saves on 33 shots for the Thunder, while Semptimphelter stopped 21 of 25 shots for the Gladiators.
Atlanta went 0-for-4 on the power play but successfully killed all three Adirondack opportunities.
Three Stars of the Game
First Star: Brannon McManus — 2 goals, 2 assists
Second Star: Tag Bertuzzi — 2 goals, 1 assist
Third Star: Brendan Less — 1 goal
The teams continue their three-game series in Duluth as the Thunder look to build on Friday’s strong performance.
