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AHL Springfield Thunderbirds

Will Bitten Writes Storybook Night As T-Birds Rout Comets

November 25, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Thunderbirds News Release


Springfield Thunderbirds' Will and Sam Bitten celebrate win
Springfield Thunderbirds' Will and Sam Bitten celebrate win
(Springfield Thunderbirds)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The Springfield Thunderbirds (10-8-1-0) put together a total team effort and dominated the Utica Comets (6-6-3-0) in a 7-0 shutout win inside the MassMutual Center on Saturday night in the team's Hockey Fights Cancer game.

Vadim Zherenko got the start in the net for the T-Birds and had a perfect performance, stopping all 33 saves he faced on the night for his first career AHL shutout. In the opposite crease, Utica goaltender Isaac Poulter surrendered seven goals on 29 T-Birds shots in the loss.

It was a special night for the Bitten family, as the team donned lavender jerseys for the game to support Will and Sam Bitten and the Bitsy's Army cause. Bitsy's Army was created by the brothers to raise awareness for those battling cancer and to honor their late cousin Martin Piche. Piche tragically passed away from brain cancer back in 2021.

Springfield had several prime scoring opportunities in the opening minutes. Nathan Walker saw linemate Adam Gaudette sneak behind the Utica defense on the left side, threading the team's top scorer a perfect breakaway pass. Unfortunately, Gaudette's shot was stopped by the left pad of Poulter.

The work of the Springfield penalty killers got their team on the board first. While creating pressure in Utica's zone, Walker found Matthew Peca for a one-timer in the high slot after stripping a Utica skater of the puck in the left-wing corner. The captain fired home a perfect one-timer for a shorthanded goal, his fifth goal of the year, which gave the T-Birds a 1-0 lead at 13:16. The score would remain 1-0 as the teams entered their dressing rooms for the first intermission.

Exactly halfway through the second period, the T-Birds struck once again. Defenseman Matthew Kessel controlled the puck at the blue line before firing a low shot toward Poulter. Although Poulter made the initial stop, MacKenzie MacEachern was there to backhand the rebound home for his fourth goal of the season to make it 2-0 Springfield. The scoring did not stop after MacEachern's goal. On a power play, Will Bitten snapped a shot on goal from the hash marks. Poulter made the initial stop, but T-Birds forward Mikhail Abramov was there to clean up the rebound with a snapper from the left side. Abramov's goal made it 3-0 with 6:32 to go in the period.

As the period drew to a close, defenseman Dylan Coghlan was taken down from behind by Comets forward Kyle Criscuolo. In response, Wyatt Kalynuk stood up for his teammate and engaged in a fight with Criscuolo. Kalynuk's fight fired up his teammates and the crowd, but there would be mayhem that would follow. After a scrum ensued with multiple players going at it, Gaudette and Utica defenseman Cal Foote were given fighting majors with just 13 seconds left in the period. The T-Birds held on to the 3-0 lead, setting the stage for a third period out of the movies.

The T-Birds added to their 3-0 lead in the third, as Zach Dean ripped a shot home for his first professional goal of his career to make it 4-0 at 4:09 off a 2-on-1 rush. The scoring party would continue after Dean's goal, as Bolduc capitalized for Springfield's second power play marker of the night at 9:54, beating Poulter on the stick side with a perfectly placed wrister.

It was a poetic night for the Bitten family. With 7:02 to go in the game, Will took the puck and raced up ice before dancing around a Utica defender to go in alone on Poulter. Bitten faked a slapper before slipping a five-hole shot into the twine before pointing skyward in celebration. The poetic script got better just a few minutes later when Will tipped in a Coghlan shot for his second of the night. Sam also recorded a milestone on his brother's second tally, as he notched his first AHL point on the secondary assist.

After having just three points in his first 14 games of the season, Will tallied two goals and two assists on this night alone. It was one of five multi-point performances by Springfield skaters on the evening.

The T-Birds return home next Friday, December 1 for another Deuces Wild Friday to take on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. at the Thunderdome.

Fans can reserve their seats to be a 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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Springfield Thunderbirds' Will and Sam Bitten celebrate win
Springfield Thunderbirds' Will and Sam Bitten celebrate win
   



American Hockey League Stories from November 25, 2023


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