Zach Dean scored 3:45 into overtime as the Springfield Thunderbirds moved one step closer to a historic upset with a 3-2 win over Providence in Game 3 of their Atlantic Division semifinal series on Tuesday night.
Up two games to one, the Thunderbirds host Game 4 of the best-of-five series on Thursday with a chance to eliminate the regular-season champion Bruins. Springfield finished 38 points behind Providence in the regular season; no team has ever won a Calder Cup Playoff series with such a margin.
Calle Rosén scored twice in regulation for the Thunderbirds, and Dean’s centering pass went off a Bruins defender in front and got past Michael DiPietro to give Springfield the victory.
Matthew Poitras and Riley Tufte scored 2:28 apart late in the first period, but it was all the offense the Bruins would get as Georgi Romanov (4-1) made 33 saves in the win.
DiPietro (1-2) stopped 31 of 34 shots for Providence.
Photo: Lucas Armstrong
(Springfield leads series, 2-1)
Game 1 – Fri., May 1 – Springfield 3, PROVIDENCE 2
Game 2 – Sun., May 3 – PROVIDENCE 2, Springfield 1
Game 3 – Tue., May 5 – SPRINGFIELD 3, Providence 2 (OT)
Game 4 – Thu., May 7 – Providence at Springfield, 7:05
*Game 5 – Sat., May 9 – Springfield at Providence, 7:05
*if necessary… All times Eastern
