Thunderbirds stave off elimination, force Game 5 in Atlantic Division finals
· Yahoo Sports
SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield Thunderbirds live to see another game.
Coming into Game 4 of the Atlantic Division finals on Thursday, Thunderbirds coach Steve Ott urged his team to take advantage of scoring opportunities.
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The message was received as Dillon Dube and Marc-André Gaudet responded with back-to-back goals in the second and third period to guide Springfield past the Penguins 2-0 inside the MassMutual Center.
“It was a good game, we needed that,” Dube said. “It’s playoff hockey, so we need to get wins at the right time. And now we get to go back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, so we’re excited.”
Ott also commemorated the fans for their support.
“The fans were great,” he said. “It was electric in there, especially when you see those yellow towels waving. We feel the momentum that they generate for us, so it’s uplifting every single time you go on the bench.
“We are lucky to have those types of fans.”
Thunderbirds netminder Georgii Romanov supported the cause with 20 saves en route to his second postseason shutout on Thursday. Springfield will now travel to compete in the deciding Game 5 from Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza on Saturday at 6:35 p.m.
“(Romanov) was very solid again,” Ott said. “There are always opportunities that he’s going to face, and we’ll have to find those momentum swings that happen.
“But I thought our checking was solid in front of him. It was a full 60-minute effort from all 20 guys, and that’s where you get those types of results from them.”
Behind Bill Zonnon’s third goal in as many games to start his professional career on Tuesday night, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton entered Thursday with a 2-1 lead against Springfield in the best-of-five series. So for the Thunderbirds, it was win or go home in Game Four.
No problem.
With 13:53 left in the first period, the Penguins earned a breakaway attempt from a clutch pass near the blue line. And then, after multiple tic-tac-toe passes between the red faceoff circles, it appeared that Harrison Brunicke completed a cross pass outside the crease into the back of the net for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
But after official review, the call was overturned because of goalie interference against Gabe Klassen as he crossed the crease to ensure it remained scoreless during the opening six-plus minutes of action.
The play can be watched here.
Each side remained in a deadlock stalemate through the opening intermission, as the Thunderbirds outshot the Penguins, 13-7. Dylan Peterson and Bokondji Imama, though, both received a five-minute major penalty for fighting halfway through the first.
“There were big moments in the game,” Ott said. “And then there was a huge one when (Peterson) took on a tough customer. And he’s done that a few times now, but that stuff just brings team identity.”
As the game remained scoreless, Springfield missed a prime opportunity to change that as the Thunderbirds secured a loose puck near the blue line and saw open ice. With no defenders near, Gaudet unleashed a wrister between the red faceoff circles.
But it wasn’t enough, as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton netminder Sergei Murashov exited the crease and made one of his game-high 30 saves to keep the stalemate alive with 13:25 left in the second period.
The third time was the charm, though, as Springfield failed to counter on its previous two scoring opportunities. But during the 35th minute, the Thunderbirds earned their first power-play attempt, as Phil Kemp was called for tripping.
And the rest was history, as Dube and Hugh McGing went back and forth with each other above the red faceoff circles. But then moments later, Dube took his final pass from McGing and then beat Murashov on his right glove side with a wrister to move Springfield ahead 1-0 with 3:46 left in the second.
“We needed that (power-play goal) because it gets frustrating over time,” Dube said. “So we reminded ourselves that if we continue to simplify it and keep sticking to it, then we’ll get one eventually.”
The goal marked Dube’s fifth of the postseason, while Aleksanteri Kaskimäki and McGing earned their seventh and fourth assists on the drive. And that proved essential, as the Thunderbirds maintained that one-goal lead against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton into the second intermission.
But the scoring wasn’t complete, as Springfield earned another fastbreak opportunity during the 46th minute of action. Though Murashov made the initial save on Thomas Bordeleau’s shot attempt, Gaudet glided toward the middle of the crease and sent home the rebounder to double the Thunderbirds’ cushion to 2-0 with 13:12 left in regulation.
That insurance goal marked Gaudet’s first of the postseason, while Akil Thomas and Bordeleau each earned their third assists on the drive.
The Thunderbirds will now shift their attention toward their second consecutive elimination game on Saturday, as Springfield will attempt to reach its first Eastern Conference finals since 2022.
“We have to mimic this game,” Ott said. “I feel like we’ve seen it a lot. And the boys are excited to get on a long bus trip. So we’re going down there for one reason and one reason only.”
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