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AHL Springfield Thunderbirds

Cross Caps Comeback Win for T-Birds Before Sellout Crowd

April 2, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Thunderbirds News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Springfield Thunderbirds (36-20-5-2) once again got an extra-time victory thanks to heroics from their captain in a 4-3 win over the Belleville Senators (31-24-4-0) on Saturday night inside a sold-out MassMutual Center crowd of 6,793.

After waiting for 62:50 of game action to get the game's first goal on Friday in the 1-0 overtime win in Providence, the T-Birds went to the offense much sooner this evening. After going to an abbreviated power play, James Neal and Matthew Peca quickly worked the puck from the left point down to a wide-open Dakota Joshua in the right circle. With only goalie Michael McNiven to beat, Joshua made no mistake with a forehander to the blocker side to give Springfield the 1-0 lead just 4:53 into action.

The Senators did themselves no favors in taking three minor penalties in the opening period, but the Belleville penalty kill did do some damage of its own at 8:22 when Clark Bishop intercepted a puck deep in the Springfield zone, cut to the front of the crease from the left corner on his backhand, and slipped it through Joel Hofer to tie the game, 1-1.

The 1-1 deadlock stood up until the teams switched ends in the middle period. At 4:34 a simple point shot from the left side by Tommy Cross fell down to the ice out of McNiven's equipment, where Nikita Alexandrov alertly pounced on it to jab it across the line and give Springfield its second lead, 2-1.

Once again, the pesky Sens would have a reply. After McNiven held the fort with 16 saves on 17 second-period shots, his club got him an equalizer at 11:41. With Springfield unable to complete a clean change, Egor Sokolov and Roby Jarventie moved in on Hofer in a 2-on-0 rush. The pair worked a perfect give-and-go, with Jarventie finishing the play away from a desperately-flailing Hofer to tie the game, 2-2, a score that held into the final period.

Belleville vaulted to its first lead of the evening in short order when Jake Lucchini one-timed a slapper from the left circle into the top corner over Hofer's glove just 1:21 into the third, making it 3-2 Senators.

The Thunderbirds had trouble getting offense established until the game entered its final minutes. Finally, with matching minors resulting in 4-on-4 play, Springfield got even as Peca and Cross moved the puck off the left-wing wall, and Neal turned with it in the slot and snapped a wrist shot over McNiven's glove to tie the game with 3:26 to go, 3-3.

Springfield's torrid overtime streak continued, as Cross capped off a perfect tic-tac-toe passing play to seal the win with 51 seconds left in the extra session. Sam Anas entered the zone on the right wing, hitting Hugh McGing with a cross-seam saucer pass on the left side. Cross streaked down the center lane, and McGing found him with a perfect setup, and the captain deflected it over McNiven's glove to seal Springfield's eighth overtime win of the season and their sixth consecutive win in games decided during the 3-on-3 overtime.

The Thunderbirds go for the sweep of the three-game series when they and the Senators rematch on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. for Sensory-Friendly Sunday presented by CHD. With the win on Saturday, Springfield's magic number to clinch a Calder Cup playoff berth fell to 10.

For more ticket information, to become a 2022-23 Springfield Thunderbirds ticket package member, or to purchase single game tickets, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.

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