Cross Scores 2nd OT Winner, T-Birds Earn Split in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Springfield Thunderbirds (31-17-5-2) earned a 4-3 overtime win and a split of the weekend over the Charlotte Checkers (31-22-4-0) on Saturday night at Bojangles' Coliseum.

Unlike Friday's tilt that saw back-and-forth chances in the early stages, Saturday's rematch had a very tight defensive theme in the opening 20 minutes, as the two teams combined for just 11 shots on goal and minimal trouble for Springfield goalie Charlie Lindgren and Charlotte netminder Jonas Johansson.

Springfield's penalty kill proved to be the stars of the opening period, killing off three separate Charlotte power plays, including a batch of 5-on-3 time for 1:06 just past the midpoint of the frame.

The Checkers came inches away from cutting the lead back down to a single goal when True squeezed a shot through Lindgren in the closing seconds, but as the puck neared the goal line, Calle Rosen darted to the goal mouth to sweep it off the line. 

2:06 into the second, Hugh McGing finally broke the ice when he drove to the net down the middle of the offensive zone and tapped a 2-on-1 feed from Will Bitten in behind Johansson. The rookie's 13th goal of the season opened up the floodgates for a T-Birds offense that would end the middle period with 17 shots on net.

Lindgren would not see a high quantity of shots, but he came up with one of his best saves of the season when he spread post-to-post to stonewall a one-time bid from Henry Bowlby with the score just 1-0 at the time. 

The Springfield power play built off the Lindgren save and continued a sterling special teams evening for the T-Birds just six seconds into their first advantage of the evening. After a draw win by Matthew Peca, Sam Anas picked up the puck near the right point and immediately threw a pass to James Neal in the right circle. With no hesitation, Neal flipped the puck into the blue paint to a wide-open Nathan Walker, who redirected it into the yawning net for his 100th career AHL goal, making it 2-0 at 6:29.

Charlotte's power play would respond to break their mini-slump when Alex True redirected an Owen Tippett pass from the right side of the goal line up under the crossbar to finally solve Lindgren at 13:43, cutting the lead in half, 2-1.

Anas got the T-Birds some insurance on a great individual effort with just over two minutes to go in the second as he picked off the puck at the offensive blue line and moved in unimpeded on Antoine Bibeau, who had entered the game in place of an injured Johansson. While Bibeau did make the first save with the right pad, Anas stayed on the scene to push the second chance into the net to pick up his second point of the night and restore Springfield's two-goal lead, 3-1, at 17:42.

Charlotte came storming back in the final period with a pair of former Thunderbirds in the middle of it. First, Owen Tippett finished serving a penalty and came down the right wing to field a pass from Aleksi Heponiemi and punch it through Lindgren at 9:21 to cut the lead to 3-2.

Heponiemi would deadlock the game at 12:55 as the beneficiary of a bounce off the end boards out in front of the goal in the right circle. He snapped a one-touch shot that squeezed through Lindgren to tie it, 3-3, and secure a point for the Checkers.

In overtime, though, the Thunderbirds would not be denied, as captain Tommy Cross picked the puck off from the Checkers defense and moved in all alone on Bibeau. Cross's wrist shot attempt went through Bibeau's glove side, fell to the ice, then squeaked across the line after Bibeau failed to reach back and grab it off the ice. The goal was the captain's second overtime game-winner of the season.

The T-Birds return home for three games in four nights at the MassMutual Center next week. The trio of games begins with a Mass Lottery Winning Wednesday as the Bridgeport Islanders come to town on Wednesday for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop.

For more information on the Springfield Thunderbirds and to learn more about becoming a 2022-23 ticket member, please visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com or call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) to speak to a Thunderbirds representative.