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AHL Springfield Thunderbirds

T-Birds Defiantly Bounce Back, Clipping Checkers, 5-2

February 26, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Thunderbirds News Release


Springfield Thunderbirds defenseman Scott Perunovich vs. the Charlotte Checkers
Springfield Thunderbirds defenseman Scott Perunovich vs. the Charlotte Checkers
(Springfield Thunderbirds)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Springfield Thunderbirds (26-20-2-4) bounced back in a big way with a 5-2 win over the Charlotte Checkers (30-18-3-2) on Sunday afternoon at the MassMutual Center.

The Thunderbirds wanted to make the prior night's game a distance memory, and the club responded with one of its finest periods of hockey all season. Matthew Highmore got Springfield up 1-0 with the fastest goal to start a game in Thunderbirds hockey, just 21 seconds in. The T-Birds' All-Star found his way to the edge of the blue paint and deflected a Matt Kessel shot past Mack Guzda for his 13th of the season.

The Thunderbirds' power play, which went 0-for-5 an evening ago, also picked itself up on its first chance of Sunday afternoon. Just seven seconds after the advantage began, Scott Perunovich one-timed a pass from Matthew Peca that beat Guzda to the near post and give the T-Birds a 2-0 lead at 5:19.

Charlotte wound up being outshot 21-3 in the opening period, but one of those three shots did break their goose egg when veteran Gerry Mayhew faked out a defender and beat Joel Hofer on a wraparound to the near post, giving the Checkers a power play goal at 7:43 to make it a 2-1 game.

However, despite the pushback by Charlotte, the T-Birds were undaunted, and Mathias Laferriere cashed in on a fortuitous bank shot off the inside of Guzda's leg at 13:39 to restore the two-goal lead. 3:26 later, Keean Washkurak joined in on the fun as he got to the edge of the crease to bang home a centering pass by Mikhail Abramov to give Springfield a 4-1 lead to end the first. Adam Gaudette joined Abramov with a helper, and each of the newcomers picked up their first point as T-Birds.

Charlotte again had a reply, as the AHL's leading goal-scoring defenseman Lucas Carlsson beat Hofer from the left circle after faking out a defender to open up the room to shoot. The Checker blueliner's 14th of the season made it a 4-2 game at 1:08 of the second.

The Checkers kept pouring on the shots in the middle period, registering 13 in the period after having just three in the opening frame. However, Hofer was there for the T-Birds to quell any chances for a momentum shift. After the Carlsson goal, Hofer stopped the next 12 shots to carry the 4-2 lead into the final period. J-F Berube replaced Guzda in the Charlotte net and kept Springfield off the board in the middle stanza.

Nikita Alexandrov had a shoot-first mentality en route to a game-high nine shots on goal, and it took until his final shot of the night to squeeze wrister through Berube's pads to round out the scoring at 8:45 of the third.

The T-Birds continue the lengthy homestand on Friday night as they welcome the Hartford Wolf Pack for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop at the MassMutual Center.

Thunderbirds fans can reserve their seats for upcoming games by calling (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visiting www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.

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Springfield Thunderbirds defenseman Scott Perunovich vs. the Charlotte Checkers
Springfield Thunderbirds defenseman Scott Perunovich vs. the Charlotte Checkers
   

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