Bruins Snatch Victory Late from T-Birds in Shootout
October 29, 2022 – American Hockey League (AHL) – Springfield Thunderbirds News Release
Springfield Thunderbirds’ Nikita Alexandrov battles Providence Bruins’ Dan Renouf
(Springfield Thunderbirds)
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Springfield Thunderbirds (3-3-0-1) extended their point streak to four games, but the Providence Bruins (5-1-1-0) rallied late to force overtime before winning 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday night at the MassMutual Center.
The T-Birds’ top line combined for 11 points on Friday, but in the first period on Saturday, it was the second unit that had the offensive burst to start the night. After Tyler Tucker joined a rush to chip the puck behind the net, Matthew Highmore fed a backhander to the left circle. Will Bitten wasted no time in one-touching a snap shot that squeezed through Keith Kinkaid, giving Springfield its fourth straight game with a 1-0 lead at the 4:16 mark.
Making his first home-ice start in the AHL, Vadim Zherenko kept things calm in his own zone, denying Providence’s nine shot attempts in the opening frame, limiting second chances and rebounds in the process. Neither team had a power play chance through the first third of the game.
After a crazy second period on Friday night, the T-Birds assured that there would be fireworks on Saturday as well, as Highmore took just 14 seconds to up the Springfield lead to 2-0. Highmore entered the zone in the high slot and fanned on a pass attempt. As it turned out, that proved to be just the perfect fake to step around a defender and slip a backhand shot through Kinkaid’s five-hole to make it a two-goal lead.
Like on Friday, though, the T-Birds’ opponent showed resolve, as Providence’s John Beecher picked up a fortuitous bounce off the end wall to jam the loose biscuit behind a sprawled Zherenko at 2:23 to cut the lead to 2-1.
Providence kept pushing the attack and used a pair of penalty kills to generate momentum, and their effort was rewarded when Luke Toporowski crashed the net to pick up a blind centering pass and beat Zherenko to tie the game at 16:50 of the second.
After matching minors put the game to 4-on-4, Providence committed yet another infraction to go down a man and create a 4-on-3 for Springfield. The red-hot Nathan Todd took advantage, one-timing a feed from Brady Lyle through Kinkaid to put Springfield ahead, 3-2, with 1:17 left in the second period.
The Thunderbirds tried their best to make the 3-2 score stand up, as the Bruins came at the T-Birds with a bevy of shots in the third. Zherenko answered the bell on 16 straight, including a pair of amazing goal-line denials against Georgii Merkulov. However, an unfortunate, accidental high-sticking penalty gave Providence an opening on a power play in the final minute. With Kinkaid on the bench, Vinni Lettieri connected on a one-timer from the left side to tie the game, 3-3, with just 28.1 left on the clock, forcing overtime and, eventually, the shootout.
Lettieri would prove to be the hero in the skills competition as well, beating Zherenko with a perfect forehand chip over the blocker, while Kinkaid did not allow any of Hugh McGing, Bitten, or Nikita Alexandrov to score.
Springfield does extend its point streak to four games, but its three-game winning streak comes to a close. The T-Birds will look for payback on Sunday afternoon for a rematch in Providence at 3:05 p.m. against the Bruins at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
Thunderbirds fans can reserve their seats for the 2022-23 season and lock in the best prices and member benefits by calling (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visiting www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.
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