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AHL Springfield Thunderbirds

Resilient T-Birds Outlast Senators for 4th Straight Win

November 3, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Thunderbirds News Release


Springfield Thunderbirds' Nathan Walker and Belleville Senators' Jiri Smejkal and Mads Sogaard in action
Springfield Thunderbirds' Nathan Walker and Belleville Senators' Jiri Smejkal and Mads Sogaard in action
(Springfield Thunderbirds)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The Springfield Thunderbirds (5-4-0-0) outlasted the Belleville Senators (3-3-0-1) in a wild affair by a score of 6-3 Friday night at the MassMutual Center.

Vadim Zherenko got the start in the net for the T-Birds and was terrific once again, turning away 30 shots on 33 attempts on the night against Belleville shooters. On the opposing end, Senators goaltender Mads Sogaard gave up four goals on a total of 31 Springfield shots in the contest.

In the first period, the two teams were evenly matched in the shots-on-goal department at 14 apiece. However, the Senators broke through first on their first of two power play opportunities. On a point shot through traffic from Max Guennette, Belleville forward Jiri Smejkal got his body on a shot that initially glanced off Angus Crookshank to tip it past Zherenko. The power-play marker came with 12:21 in the period and would be the only goal of the opening frame, as the visitors took a 1-0 lead into the dressing room.

It didn't take long for the T-Birds to strike in the second period. Almost two minutes into the second frame, defenseman Dylan Coghlan took a pass on the right side and fired it on Sogaard. After Sogaard made the initial stop, Coghlan was able to clean up the rebound and fire it back into the net, giving the blueliner his third goal of the year and third goal in as many games, tying the score, 1-1 at 1:47 of the period.

After Adam Gaudette took a slashing penalty, it was the penalty kill that went to work for the T-Birds. MacKenzie MacEachern broke the other way on a 2-on-1 with teammate Matt Kessel joining the rush after Kessel blocked a shot by Egor Sokolov. MacEachern slid a great saucer pass to Kessel over the defender's stick, and Kessel one-timed the pass through Sogaard. The shorthanded goal was Springfield's second of the season and gave the team a 2-1 lead at 7:22.

Following the Kessel goal, the T-Birds continued their strong play and added another goal to make it 3-1. MacEachern again had his fingerprints on it, as he located Mathias Laferriere alone in front of Sogaard. Instead of shooting, Laferriere patiently spotted a cutting Hugh McGing for a tap-in past Sogaard to give his team a two-goal lead at 13:12.

The Senators did not go away without a fight, making it a 3-2 game when Sokolov's power play shot found daylight under Zherenko's right arm off a beautiful spinning feed by former T-Bird Matthew Highmore. Sokolov's goal was his team's second on the man-advantage, making the score 3-2 with 4:16 to go in the period.

Belleville then got another one in the period's dying seconds, as Garrett Pilon sneaked a wrister over Zherenko to tie the game up at 3-3 with 2.9 seconds left in the middle period.

Despite relenting their lead, the T-Birds began the third undeterred. Belleville's Cole Reinhardt took a double minor penalty for roughing and elbowing and was sent to the sin bin, creating a pivotal swing in the game as Springfield went to the power play near the midpoint of the third. During the ensuing man advantage, T-Birds defenseman Joey Duszak hit Nathan Walker with a perfect stretch pass for a breakaway. Walker made no mistake on the shot, snapping a beautiful attempt over the blocker side of Sogaard, giving the home team a 4-3 lead.

Springfield's heavily taxed penalty kill then found a way to come up big in the final minutes of the game to seal the triumph. Captain Matthew Peca won a key draw in the defensive zone and found Walker with a short pass. With a full-length shot attempt, Walker drilled the back of an empty net after Sogaard left his crease for an extra attacker.

The T-Birds added on after Walker's second of the night as Will Bitten capped off the scoring with his first goal and point of the season with just 10 seconds to go.

Winners of four straight games, The T-Birds will continue their three-game weekend back at the Thunderdome tomorrow as the team takes on Lehigh Valley. The team will honor former captain and defenseman Tommy Cross for tomorrow's game, with the puck set to drop at 7:05 p.m.

Fans can reserve their seats to be a part of the Thunderbirds' hockey action for the 2023-24 season by calling (413)-739-GOAL (4625) or visiting www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.

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Images from this story

Springfield Thunderbirds' Nathan Walker and Belleville Senators' Jiri Smejkal and Mads Sogaard in action
Springfield Thunderbirds' Nathan Walker and Belleville Senators' Jiri Smejkal and Mads Sogaard in action
   



American Hockey League Stories from November 3, 2023


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