Sens' Netminder Merilainen Steals 1-0 Win over T-Birds
AHL Springfield Thunderbirds

Sens' Netminder Merilainen Steals 1-0 Win over T-Birds

Published on January 24, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Thunderbirds News Release


Springfield Thunderbirds forward Jakub Stancl vs. the Belleville Senators
Springfield Thunderbirds forward Jakub Stancl vs. the Belleville Senators
(Springfield Thunderbirds)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Springfield Thunderbirds (14-20-4-2) fired a season-high 40 shots on the net of the Belleville Senators (19-18-7-0) but could not find a goal, dropping a hard-fought 1-0 decision before a sellout crowd on Saturday night inside the MassMutual Center.

The T-Birds picked up where they left off from a night ago in the first period, keeping much of the territorial advantage. However, Belleville netminder Leevi Merilainen had answers to each of Springfield's 16 first-period attempts on net, while the Senator penalty kill successfully dispatched two T-Birds power plays.

At the other end, the Senators did not get the quantity of shots, but they were opportunistic at 11:17 as Jan Jenik got the puck on his stick from the low slot and lifted a shot over Georgi Romanov on the blocker side, giving Belleville the 1-0 lead into the intermission break.

After they saw Belleville's penalty kill go 2-for-2 in the first, the T-Birds followed suit in the second, dispatching back-to-back Senator power plays. Lamentably for the T-Birds, their best opportunity came when Hugh McGing and Zach Dean had a shorthanded 2-on-0, but they never could get a shot directed on Merilainen's net, and Springfield was forced to head to the final period down 1-0. Romanov, meanwhile, did his job in turning aside 15 Belleville shots to keep his team within a single goal.

Belleville spent much of the final period defending in their own zone, and the Senators also went shorthanded twice more, but Merilainen continued to throw up a force field in front of the net. With Romanov at the bench for an extra skater, Merilainen and the Sens' defense successfully navigated the late-game turbulence, handing the T-Birds just their second shutout defeat of the season.

The T-Birds return to home ice for the final two games of the homestand on Friday, Jan. 30 and Saturday, Jan. 31 against Lehigh Valley and Hartford, respectively.

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).

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Springfield Thunderbirds forward Jakub Stancl vs. the Belleville Senators
Springfield Thunderbirds forward Jakub Stancl vs. the Belleville Senators
   



American Hockey League Stories from January 24, 2026


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