T-Birds' First 3-in-3 Starts Friday on Home Ice

Oct 10, 2019

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Springfield Thunderbirds (1-1-0-0) complete a season-opening three-game homestand on Friday night as they welcome the Rochester Americans (1-0-0-0) to the MassMutual Center for a 7:05 p.m. affair.

 

The night doubles as the first 3-2-1 Friday of the season with $3 Coors Light drafts, $2 hot dogs and $1 sodas served from 6:00 p.m. until the end of period one. The MGM Springfield Pregame Concert Series makes its 2019-20 debut as well with a musical performance by the band Axis.

 

Following the conclusion of the homestand, the T-Birds' weekend continues with the first two road contests of the season in Hartford at the XL Center on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. against the Wolf Pack and on Sunday at 3:05 p.m. against the Providence Bruins at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.

 

Both the T-Birds and Americans picked up victories in their home opening contests a weekend ago, with Springfield posting five goals in a 5-1 win over Bridgeport on Oct. 5 and the Americans coming away with a 3-2 overtime triumph over the Syracuse Crunch on Oct. 4.

 

Tage Thompson scored two goals for Rochester in the win, including the overtime game-winner in the final minute of the extra period. Andrew Oglevie also scored for the Americans, who are coming off a 46-win, 99-point season in 2018-19. Last year in the two-game season series, the T-Birds and Americans both came away with victories on home ice. The T-Birds posted a team-record nine goals, including seven in the middle period, in a 9-4 win at the MassMutual Center on Nov. 16, 2018 in the clubs' last meeting in Springfield.

 

Springfield then embarks on its first road outing of the season on Saturday in Hartford against a Wolf Pack team that enters the weekend with a 2-0-0-0 record. The Thunderbirds earned points in eight of 10 meetings against Hartford a season ago, posting a 6-2-2-0 record against their I-91 rivals. Saturday afternoon's matchup is the first of 10 games against the Wolf Pack this season.

 

On Sunday, the Thunderbirds get their first regular season crack at the Providence Bruins at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. Springfield had its best season in Providence a season ago, winning four of seven meetings at the home of the Bruins in 2018-19. The two clubs will not meet again until the first matchup in Springfield on Saturday, Nov. 23.

 

The trips to Hartford and Providence are the first stops on a five-game road swing that will pit Springfield against four Atlantic Division opponents. Next weekend, the Thunderbirds visit the Wolf Pack on Friday, Oct. 18 for a 7:15 p.m. puck drop before journeying to take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7:05 p.m.

 

For more ticket information or to become a 2019-20 Springfield Thunderbirds ticket package member, or to purchase single game tickets, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.