AHL Springfield Thunderbirds

T-Birds Tripped Up on Opening Night by Wolf Pack, 3-1

Published on October 14, 2023 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Thunderbirds News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Springfield Thunderbirds (0-1-0-0) could not piece together enough offense on Opening Night, falling to the Hartford Wolf Pack (2-0-0-0) by a 3-1 final score on Saturday night at the MassMutual Center. It was the club's seventh straight Opening Night sellout crowd of 6,793.

The first period saw both teams forced into heavy special teams workloads, as the two squads combined for six man-advantages in the opening 20 minutes. Neither team's power play could solve the backstopping of Springfield's Malcolm Subban or Hartford's Dylan Garand.

Springfield's best chance came on its first power play when Adam Gaudette rang a shot off the crossbar over the shoulder of Garand.

Despite not having any luck with the power play, Hartford would break the ice at even strength in the period's final minute. After dodging neatly around a hip-check attempt, Adam Edstrom saw a passing lane to the crease from the left-wing circle and blistered a pass that fortuitously careened off a Springfield stick and past Subban, giving Hartford the 1-0 intermission lead at 19:26.

The T-Birds were outshot 13-7 in the first but wasted no time going on the offensive in the second, getting rewarded just 1:34 into the stanza. Rookie blueliner Leo Loof possessed the puck at the left point and funneled a shot toward the feet of Garand. Gaudette gathered in the rebound and blindly centered right to the tape of Nathan Walker, who snapped it through Garand's legs to tie the score, 1-1.

The tie score would not make it three minutes, though, as Hartford's power play finally connected on a 5-on-3 at 4:02, with their captain Jonny Brodzinski squeezing a left-circle shot through Subban's arm to restore the Wolf Pack lead, 2-1.

From that point forward, the Wolf Pack made the neutral zone a mud pit for the T-Birds, who did not see many high-quality chances from the midpoint of the game moving forward. Springfield outshot Hartford 10-6 for the middle frame but still faced a one-goal deficit heading into the third.

Neither team could generate much to speak of in the other's end zone in the final 20 minutes, and Hartford put the nail in the T-Birds' Opening Night coffin when Brodzinski shuffled home his second of the night into an empty net with 1:17 remaining.

Springfield will look to rebound and get its first win of the season on Sunday afternoon when they welcome the Providence Bruins to the MassMutual Center for a 3:05 p.m. puck drop.

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

-- SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS -

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American Hockey League Stories from October 14, 2023


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