URGENT UPDATE: The Hartford Wolf Pack surged to a commanding 6-3 victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds on October 28, 2023, at the MassMutual Center, marking a pivotal moment in the Braman Pest Control I-91 Rivalry Series. The Thunderbirds struggled to contain a fierce Wolf Pack attack, unable to recover from a series of rapid goals.
From the opening faceoff, the Wolf Pack demonstrated their determination, firing 17 shots at Thunderbirds goalie Georgi Romanov in the first period alone. Despite Romanov’s impressive start, stopping the first 13 attempts, the tide turned quickly. At 13:36, Thunderbirds’ Corey Schueneman found the net, giving Springfield a brief lead at 1-0.
However, the Wolf Pack responded fiercely. Just 2:15 later, Brett Berard scored Hartford’s first power-play goal in 15 attempts, leveling the game at 1-1. Blake Hillman followed with a back-post tap-in, giving Hartford a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.
The second period proved disastrous for the Thunderbirds. Brendan Brisson scored just 44 seconds in, extending the lead to 3-1. The floodgates opened as Carey Terrance netted his second goal against Springfield at 2:09, followed by Gabe Perreault’s deflection just 13 seconds later, skyrocketing the score to 5-1.
Facing a daunting deficit, the Thunderbirds made a goaltending switch. Leo Loof responded with his first career AHL goal at 3:39, narrowing the gap to 5-2. Despite this flicker of hope, McConnell-Barker struck again for Hartford, pushing the score to 6-2.
In the final stretch, Dalibor Dvorsky added another goal for the Thunderbirds at 14:55, concluding the game at 6-3. Despite only facing 12 shots, Wolf Pack goalie Dylan Garand secured his second win over Springfield in just four nights.
As the Thunderbirds prepare for their next challenge against the Hershey Bears on Halloween night, fans are left wondering if they can rebound from this defeat. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. inside the Thunderdome, and anticipation builds for what could unfold in this critical matchup.
Stay tuned for updates as the Thunderbirds aim to regain their momentum in the league!