URGENT UPDATE: The Hartford Wolf Pack decisively defeated the Springfield Thunderbirds 6-3 on Saturday night, marking a critical victory in the Braman Pest Control I-91 Rivalry Series. The game took place at the MassMutual Center, where the Thunderbirds struggled against a relentless Wolf Pack team eager to bounce back from a previous loss.
From the opening minutes, the Wolf Pack dominated the ice, firing shots at Thunderbirds goalie Georgi Romanov, who managed to fend off the first 13 attempts. However, the T-Birds struck first at 13:36 when Corey Schueneman found the back of the net, giving Springfield a brief 1-0 lead.
The momentum quickly shifted as the Wolf Pack capitalized on a power play when Brett Berard scored at 16:15, leveling the game at 1-1. The Wolf Pack continued their surge, with Blake Hillman netting a goal just over two minutes later, closing the first period with a commanding 2-1 lead after outshooting the Thunderbirds 17-4.
As the second period commenced, the Thunderbirds faced further challenges. Just 44 seconds in, Brendan Brisson extended Hartford’s lead to 3-1, quickly followed by Carey Terrance‘s goal at 2:09 and Gabe Perreault‘s deflection at 2:26, pushing the score to 5-1 within minutes.
Despite a goaltending change and a timeout, Springfield’s Leo Loof managed to net his first career AHL goal at 3:39, making it 5-2. However, the Wolf Pack’s dominance continued as McConnell-Barker scored again, bringing the tally to 6-2. The Thunderbirds’ Dalibor Dvorsky later added a power play goal at 14:55 to finalize the score at 6-3.
Despite the score, Wolf Pack goalie Dylan Garand secured his second win over the Thunderbirds this week, stopping just 12 shots but making them count when it mattered. The Thunderbirds now shift their focus to a crucial matchup against the Hershey Bears next Friday, October 31, with puck drop set for 7:05 p.m. inside the Thunderdome.
This latest defeat leaves the Thunderbirds at a disappointing 1-5-0-0 record, raising urgent questions about their performance as they seek to turn their season around. Fans will be watching closely to see if Springfield can rebound in their upcoming game.
