Conor Riley couldn’t specifically remember those games and asked around amongst his teammates as they prepared for the game. Nothing stuck out to anyone.

Asked to what he attributed the messiness of the game, Pete MacArthur didn’t know: “I have no idea. I can’t answer that,” he said.

Once it did devolve, taking some of the Thunder players out of the game as well as Gladiators — Adirondack had 14 active players and two goalies by the end, Atlanta had 12 and one goalie — the important thing was being able to play through it.

“There’s a fine line,” MacLean said. “Sometimes you can get too involved in it and lose focus on the game and on the other side, sometimes you let the team take it to you. We balanced it well.”

The Thunder didn’t sink to the level of stick penalties, slashing and tripping players in attempts to get back at them or out of frustration. They had nine power plays in the game and only gave up the three. Instead, they kept playing their game. They kept looking for and creating chances, and kept scoring.

Atlanta is an extreme long-shot to make the playoffs and didn’t have much to play for. The Thunder are right in the thick of it, moving into third with the win and within three points of first-place Brampton.

Follow Diana C. Nearhos on Twitter @dianacnearhos.

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