Relentless T-Birds Erase 2-Goal Deficit to Win in Ott's Debut
AHL Springfield Thunderbirds

Relentless T-Birds Erase 2-Goal Deficit to Win in Ott's Debut

Published on January 23, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Thunderbirds News Release


Springfield Thunderbirds' Matt Luff
Springfield Thunderbirds' Matt Luff
(Springfield Thunderbirds)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Springfield Thunderbirds (14-19-4-2) battled relentlessly from a 3-1 deficit to knock off the Toronto Marlies (21-15-2-2) in overtime, 4-3, on Friday night inside the MassMutual Center in head coach Steve Ott's debut behind the T-Birds bench.

The Marlies, fresh off a two-game sweep of the Iowa Wild, picked up where they left off at 5:26 of the opening period as Borya Valis gathered a loose puck near the crease on his backhand and nudged it under the pads of Vadim Zherenko to give Toronto the 1-0 lead.

Just 2:04 later, though, Springfield had a response, as Marc-Andre Gaudet wired a wrister through Artur Akhtyamov's glove following a clean draw win by Zach Dean, and the game was deadlocked, 1-1.

Toronto's recent hot streak on the power play caught up with the T-Birds later in the period. With just three seconds left on a man advantage with less than five minutes to go in the first period, Bo Groulx wheeled a perfect backhand feed into the slot, where Cedric Pare chipped a forehand shot through Zherenko to restore the Marlies' lead, 2-1.

The Marlies' All-Star netminder lived up to his billing in the second period, as Ott's team registered 16 shots at the Toronto net, including a pair of dangerous power play opportunities, but Springfield never could dent the cage in the middle period.

Unfortunately for the T-Birds, luck was not on their side late in the period. With an odd-man rush materializing for Toronto, a diving play prevented a cross-ice pass from reaching a crashing Marshall Rifai. However, the puck instead found its way right to Groulx in the low slot, and he nudged a backhander through Zherenko's legs and made it a 3-1 game at 15:45.

Later in the second, Rifai was in the middle of things again when he dropped the gloves with Simon Robertsson, but he crucially got himself ejected for an aggressor penalty for punching Robertsson while he was defenseless on the ice.

With Toronto down to just five defensemen for the third, the T-Birds continued swarming the Marlies' net, and at 7:51 of the third, Chris Wagner cut the lead down to 3-2, chipping a top-shelf forehander home off a nifty pass from Michael Buchinger.

After a delay of game penalty gave Springfield a power play, Matt Luff extended his season-long point streak to nine straight games, cashing in on a power play goal at 14:29, tying the score 3-3.

The game went into overtime, and in the opening minute of the extra session, Alek Kaskimaki raced down the right wing before slipping a pass across to Theo Lindstein, who elevated a forehander under the crossbar to complete the come-from-behind triumph.

The T-Birds continue their five-game homestand on Saturday against another Canadian opponent when the Belleville Senators make their lone trip to the Thunderdome this season; puck drop is set for 6:05 p.m. on Saturday.

Single-game tickets and ticket memberships for all remaining games in the Thunderbirds' 2025-26 season are available now - fans can order now by visiting www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com or by calling (413) 739-GOAL (4625).

-- SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS -

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Springfield Thunderbirds' Matt Luff
Springfield Thunderbirds' Matt Luff
   



American Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2026


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