T-Birds' Late Push Nets Point in Wilkes-Barre

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Springfield Thunderbirds (21-13-5-1) battled back late in the third to secure a point, but could not overtake the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (17-17-1-3), who prevailed in overtime by a final score of 4-3 on Wednesday night inside the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

The captain got the T-Birds off and running just 1:18 into the opening period, as Tommy Cross jumped up into a play on the left-wing and pulled the trigger on a half-slapper that careened off a Penguin and through Alex D'Orio to give Springfield the 1-0 lead. It was just the second goal of the season for Cross, with Sam Anas and Matthew Peca extending their point streaks to three games on the assists.

The Springfield blue line once again flexed its offensive muscles at 9:55, as on his 28th birthday, Calle Rosen stepped into a cannon of a slap shot from the high slot that went bar down past D'Orio to give the T-Birds a 2-0 lead. Nathan Walker and Will Bitten were credited with the helpers; Walker joined Peca and Anas by extending his point streak to three games as well.

The Penguins' defense got their side on the board in the closing minutes of the first on a power-play rush from Pierre-Olivier Joseph, who beat Joel Hofer on a wrist shot over the glove from the left side at 17:48 to cut it to a 2-1 score.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had no shortage of power-play chances in the second, but on three opportunities, they were unable to solve Hofer on 11 second-period shots on goal, and the 2-1 Springfield edge carried into the final period. D'Orio also picked up his play, stonewalling Hugh McGing on a shorthanded breakaway to keep the score 2-1.

In the third, though, it would not take the Penguins long to get the game back to a deadlock, as Michael Chaput took a feed inside the offensive blue line and elevated a wrist shot over Hofer's glove to tie the game, 2-2, just eight seconds into the final frame. Bitten had an opportunity to restore the T-Birds' lead with a breakaway just moments later, but again D'Orio had the reply to keep the momentum on the Penguins' side.

The Penguins were not finished, either. After the stalemate carried into the final six minutes, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton finally took its first lead as Jan Drozg picked up a rebound from a Taylor Fedun point shot on the right side and shuffled it over Hofer and the defense to make it 3-2 with 5:16 to play.

Springfield showed their pushback abilities in the game's final minute, and for the second time this season, they tied the game with the goalie pulled against the Penguins. This time, it was Bitten who did the honors, cleaning up a rebound near the crease off assists from Keean Washkurak and Dakota Joshua at 19:18 of the third, forcing overtime.

In the extra period, D'Orio again showed up big with point-blank denials on Cross and Anas, and at 1:47 of the 3-on-3, Jordy Bellerive ended it with a perfectly-placed wrist shot from the right circle to give Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the extra point, 4-3.

The Thunderbirds return home on Friday night for another tangle with the Hartford Wolf Pack inside the MassMutual Center. Action gets underway at 7:05 p.m. in the latest installment of the I-91 rivalry.

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