SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Springfield Thunderbirds (1-5-1-0) wiped away a two-goal deficit but could not find the game-winner as they fell by a 3-2 score in overtime against the Hershey Bears (4-3-1-0) on Friday night inside the MassMutual Center.
The T-Birds had a spirited and aggressive start to the night, beginning with a scrap at opening puck drop between Kale Kessy and Justin Nachbaur. While both players were given game misconducts, it was evident that the energy the combatants provided to their respective benches would carry over.
That, in turn, made starting goaltenders Vadim Zherenko and Clay Stevenson very busy in the opening period, and both goaltenders answered the call with 13 saves each in the opening period. Springfield came inches away from breaking the deadlock in the closing seconds, but Theo Lindstein‘s pass to the side of the net wound up handcuffing Nikita Alexandrov on the doorstep.
The visiting Bears finally cracked the goose eggs at 1:57 of the second as Grant Cruikshank slipped behind the defense and beat Zherenko with a forehander on the blocker side breakaway, making it a 1-0 game for Hershey. Bogdan Trineyev followed suit just 3:37 later, making a power move to the net from the right-wing side and tucking a backhander around Zherenko to make it a 2-0 score.
Springfield needed a swift response, and they got that from Hugh McGing at the 8:05 mark, as he rifled a shot from the left circle off the post, then off Stevenson’s arm before caroming across the line to cut the lead to 2-1. Dylan Peterson and Simon Robertsson tallied the assists on McGing’s first goal of the young season.
The Bears did a better job limiting Springfield shots in the second and third. Still, the T-Birds remained resilient early in the final period, and Peterson took advantage of a loose puck in Stevenson’s feet to chip a rebound into a vacant net at 5:17 of the third to tie the score, 2-2. Robertsson received credit for his second assist of the evening on the equalizing tally.
After both clubs traded chances in 3-on-3 overtime, Springfield got into hot water when a penalty gave the Bears a 4-on-3 advantage in the final minute of the extra frame. With time dwindling, former T-Bird Calle Rosen slipped into a quiet area to the right of the goal crease, one-timing an Andrew Cristall pass behind Zherenko and giving Hershey the win in extra time.
The T-Birds continue the three-game weekend on Saturday as they welcome the Charlotte Checkers for a rematch of Opening Night. Puck drop is set for 6:05 p.m. inside the Thunderdome.
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