AHL Springfield Thunderbirds

Exemplary Ellis Catapults T-Birds Back into Win Column

Published on January 26, 2024 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Thunderbirds News Release


Springfield Thunderbirds' Colten Ellis and Hugh McGing celebrate win
Springfield Thunderbirds' Colten Ellis and Hugh McGing celebrate win
(Springfield Thunderbirds)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The Springfield Thunderbirds (19-17-3-2) rode a spectacular performance from a recent call-up in net to a 3-1 win over the Charlotte Checkers (20-16-4-0) on Friday night at the MassMutual Center.

Colten Ellis, recently recalled from ECHL Orlando, jumped into the crease for the T-Birds in his first AHL action since Jan. 15, 2022, and the third-year pro did not look out of place. A busy offensive attack by the visiting Checkers got the young goaltender a quick sweat with 15 first-period shots. The 23-year-old Ellis had answers against every opportunity, including a bevy of great Charlotte chances on the game's first power play.

After surviving the man-down situation, the T-Birds responded with a home run on offense. Calle Rosen spotted a lurking Jakub Vrana with a two-line saucer pass from his own zone. Vrana made an incredible catch of the pass before calmly and defiantly snapping a forehand shot through Spencer Knight's blocker hand at 9:20, giving Springfield the 1-0 lead, which stood after 20 minutes despite a 15-5 shot disparity in Charlotte's favor. It was Vrana's sixth goal in his first 13 games as a T-Bird.

The only shot to elude Ellis came off a quick face-off play just 2:13 into period two. Skyler Brind'Amour cleanly won control back onto the stick of Patrick Giles, who wasted no time in releasing a perfect shot into the top corner over Ellis' glove, tying the game, 1-1. The goal was the eighth of the year for Giles.

However, Charlotte would be unable to parlay that into any momentum, and just 1:38 later, the T-Birds retook the lead. Rosen again found himself in the middle of things, walking a puck to the middle of the blue line before letting a wrister go toward the crease. Captain Matthew Peca positioned himself right at the top of the blue paint and deflected it past Knight to restore the Springfield lead, 2-1, at 3:51. Peca's goal, his ninth of the year, broke an eleven-game goalless drought.

From there, Ellis was the star of the festivities, as the two clubs battled tooth-and-nail without any change in score into the waning minutes of the third. Knight was also terrific in the third, helping fend off back-to-back Springfield man advantages. The T-Birds responded in kind with a penalty kill of their own with less than seven minutes remaining, and after Charlotte could not equalize things, Mathias Laferriere finished the night with an empty-net tally in the final minute, his second goal in as many games.

The T-Birds now sit just one point behind the Checkers in the Atlantic Division standings. The clubs rematch in front of a sold-out crowd on Saturday night for M&T Bank Hometown Heroes Night. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. and can be seen locally on CoziTV, one of the networks of Western Mass News.

Fans can reserve seats for Thunderbirds hockey action throughout the 2023-24 season by calling (413)-739-GOAL (4625) or visiting www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.

-- SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS -

Check out the Springfield Thunderbirds Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Images from this story

Springfield Thunderbirds' Colten Ellis and Hugh McGing celebrate win
Springfield Thunderbirds' Colten Ellis and Hugh McGing celebrate win
   



American Hockey League Stories from January 26, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central