T-Birds Offense Runs Dry in Providence

January 19, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Thunderbirds News Release

Springfield Thunderbirds goaltender Vadim Zherenko vs. the Providence Bruins
(Springfield Thunderbirds)

Things did not get off to a pleasant start for the T-Birds when Jeff Viel rudely greeted Vadim Zherenko with a glove-side goal just 36 seconds into the action to give Providence a quick 1-0 lead.

Springfield was given multiple chances to get back into the game as the Bruins succumbed to three straight penalties in the opening half of the period, but Brandon Bussi and the Providence defense kept it at 1-0 thanks to nine opening-period saves from their goaltender, including a beautiful post-to-post denial on a one-timer Dalibor Dvorsky.

After the clutch penalty killing, the Bruins bolstered their lead further when Tyler Pitlick picked the top corner on Zherenko at 14:50 to make it 2-0. Less than three minutes later, as a power play expired, Brett Harrison added a back-door tap-in to push the home team's lead to 3-0 after 20 minutes.

Neither team could find paydirt in the middle frame, though the T-Birds came close as Corey Schueneman and Samuel Johannesson each rang the iron on a pair of wrist shots that beat Bussi but not the post. Zherenko settled down in the middle stanza with nine stops, while Bussi continued his perfect night with 11 more stops against the T-Birds attack.

Pitlick would add his second goal and third point of the night at 8:38 of the final period to round out the scoring, and the T-Birds had no answers for Bussi, who finished off his third shutout win of the season with 25 stops.

The T-Birds return to home ice on Monday for a 3:05 p.m. matinee against the Bridgeport Islanders inside the MassMutual Center.

Fans can get their Thunderbirds tickets today by calling (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or by visiting www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.

Springfield Thunderbirds goaltender Vadim Zherenko vs. the Providence Bruins

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