Peca Propels T-Birds to Game 1 OT Win over Rocket

June 4, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Thunderbirds News Release

Springfield Thunderbirds mob Matthew Peca after his overtime winner
(Springfield Thunderbirds)

The T-Birds and Rocket reached the Conference Finals largely behind steady defense and stellar goaltending, and both things rang true in the opening 20 minutes of the series. The two clubs combined for only 11 shots on goal in a first period that also saw just one power-play for Springfield that went empty.

Joel Hofer and Cayden Primeau were both steady as the action picked up in the middle period. Springfield warmed with a 14-shot surge in the second, only to see the 22-year-old Primeau deny every chance, five of which came from MacKenzie MacEachern.

Laval, which did not earn a single power play in the first 39 minutes, finally found a way to beat Hofer at 15:11 when ex-Thunderbirds Danick Martel snapped a shot from the left circle over the blocker arm of the Springfield goalie to give the Rocket the 1-0 advantage into the final period.

The Thunderbirds would not give up on the game-tying mission despite the stellar play of Primeau. Despite numerous chances, the 1-0 score remained into the final three minutes. Then, on an innocent-looking shot from the blue line, Brady Lyle found a way to get a shot through traffic, off a deflection, through Primeau's legs to tie the score with just 2:56 left in the third.

Springfield had a golden opportunity to win the game when they drew a power play with 1:15 left in regulation, but Primeau and the Rocket penalty kill stiffened to get the game to overtime and then kill off the remaining 45 seconds to start the extra period.

The Thunderbirds would not drag out the drama much longer than that, however, and Matthew Peca - a former Laval centerman, played the role of hero at 9:32 of the extra period. After surviving a threatening sequence in their own zone, the T-Birds worked the puck to center. Matt Kessel carried it into the Laval zone and found Peca streaking to the net down the left-wing side. Peca took the feed and patiently waited for Primeau to drop to the ice before flipping a wrist shot into the upper part of the net on Primeau's glove side.

Peca's third goal of the postseason also goes down as the first playoff overtime winner in Thunderbirds history. Hofer improved to 5-0 this postseason by virtue of making 41 saves on 42 shots.

The full remaining schedule for the Eastern Conference Finals is as follows - games marked with an asterisk (*) will be played only if necessary.

Game 2: Sunday, June 5 - Rocket @ Thunderbirds, 5:05 p.m. - Click Here for Tickets

Game 3: Wednesday, June 8 - Thunderbirds @ Rocket, 7:00 p.m.

Game 4: Friday, June 10 - Thunderbirds @ Rocket, 7:00 p.m.

Game 5*: Saturday, June 11 - Thunderbirds @ Rocket, 7:00 p.m.

Game 6*: Monday, June 13 - Rocket @ Thunderbirds, 7:05 p.m. - Click Here for Tickets

Game 7*: Wednesday, June 15 - Rocket @ Thunderbirds, 7:05 p.m. - Click Here for Tickets

Thunderbirds playoff tickets are on sale now! To purchase your seats, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.

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Springfield Thunderbirds mob Matthew Peca after his overtime winner

American Hockey League Stories from June 4, 2022

• Peca Propels T-Birds to Game 1 OT Win over Rocket - Springfield Thunderbirds

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.

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