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AHL Springfield Thunderbirds

T-Birds Topple Isles in Come-From-Behind Fashion

February 23, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Thunderbirds News Release


Springfield Thunderbirds center Keean Washkurak (right) vs. the Bridgeport Islanders
Springfield Thunderbirds center Keean Washkurak (right) vs. the Bridgeport Islanders
(Springfield Thunderbirds)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Springfield Thunderbirds (27-14-5-2) rallied from a 2-0 deficit to rattle off five of the final six goals in a 5-3 win over the Bridgeport Islanders (18-22-5-4) on Wednesday night inside the MassMutual Center. It was the T-Birds' team-record sixth straight win on home ice, and it extended their lead atop the Atlantic Division in the process.

Springfield opened up a shooting gallery in the opening period, launching 16 shots on Ken Appleby's net, but the Islanders netminder, fresh off a 30-save shutout on Sunday, was equally stellar to start Wednesday's clash.

The T-Birds outshot Bridgeport 16-5 for the period, but it would be the Islanders with the 1-0 lead after one period. Simultaneous with the end of Springfield's first power play of the game, Grant Hutton crashed the crease and saw a Simon Holmstrom shot and rebound carom off his skate and behind Joel Hofer to make it 1-0 Bridgeport at 16:51 of the first.

Early in the second period, the Islanders added to the lead on an odd-man rush, as Otto Koivula moved over the right-wing side, sliding a pass toward Chris Terry on the left side of the ice. While the T-Birds were in a position to block the pass, the deflection ended up right on the stick of Collin Adams between the circles, and the rookie beat Hofer glove-side to make it a 2-0 game just 46 seconds into the middle frame.

The game moved to 4-on-4 at 6:29 after a dust-up involving Richard Panik and Josh Wesley in a tense stretch of the contest, and Springfield used the extra open ice to get back in the game. At 7:56, captain Tommy Cross took an interchange along the left-wing wall from Hugh McGing, cut in front of Appleby's goal, and lifted a gorgeous shot under the crossbar for his fourth goal of the season and a catalyst for the T-Birds' second-period comeback to make it 2-1.

Just 3:37 later, operating at 5-on-5, the T-Birds got the game back even as Calle Rosen walked the tightrope at the left point to keep the puck in the offensive zone, shimmy to the middle ice, and find Sam Anas in the right circle. From there, the T-Birds' shot leader made no mistake, beating Appleby for his first goal in 12 games, deadlocking the affair, 2-2. Through 40 minutes, Springfield registered an incredible 37 shots on goal to just 17 for Bridgeport.

The Thunderbirds would finally vault to the lead for the first time at the 4:28 mark of the final period. After drawing a delayed penalty on the wall in the neutral zone, Alexei Toropchenko bulled his way over the right-wing side before firing a shot from the right circle. Appleby got a piece, but the rebound leaked into the blue paint, where Mackenzie MacEachern opportunistically pushed it across the line to make it a 3-2 game in Springfield's favor.

After assisting on the go-ahead goal, Toropchenko would add the eventual game-winner at 10:04 of the period. Nathan Walker won a board battle along the right-wing wall, walked toward the slot, and fired a shot off the leg pad of Appleby. Toropchenko reached out to pull in the rebound, spun, and fired it into the vacant goal to extend the Springfield advantage to 4-2.

Former Thunderbirds captain Paul Thompson cut the Springfield lead to 4-3 with a power-play goal at 16:19, but that would be as close as the Islanders would get.

After killing a Thunderbirds' power play late in the game, Bridgeport's last-ditch effort came up short, and MacEachern put the icing on the cake with an empty-net goal for his third point of the night with just 8.6 seconds to go. Springfield ended the night with a team-record 50 shots on goal in the victory; Appleby was saddled with the loss despite 45 saves on the evening.

Springfield's five-game homestand continues as the next four contests will pit them against four different Atlantic Division opponents. Following the tangle with the Islanders, the T-Birds host Hartford and Charlotte on Friday and Saturday, respectively, before welcoming the Hershey Bears and Providence Bruins on the weekend of March 4-5.

For more information on the Springfield Thunderbirds and to learn more about becoming a 2022-23 ticket member, please visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com or call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) to speak to a Thunderbirds representative.

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Images from this story

Springfield Thunderbirds center Keean Washkurak (right) vs. the Bridgeport Islanders
Springfield Thunderbirds center Keean Washkurak (right) vs. the Bridgeport Islanders
   



American Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2022


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