Springfield Thunderbirds Season Thread

[theohall]

T-Birds lost 5-3 Friday to the Syracuse Crunch.

Scoring:
Lyle from Peca and Anas
Cross from Peca and Anas (PPG)
Todd from McGing and Bitten (PPG)

Hofer stopped 33 of 36 shots. Last goal was empty net, while one goal allowed was a PPG.

[theohall]

Not a good road trip weekend thus far for the T-Birds losing 5-2 to Hershey last night (4/9).

Scoring:
Washkurak from Alexandrov and Lyle (PPG)
Todd from Kaspick and Santini

Tough outing for Lindgren giving up all 5 goals on 31 shots only one being a PPG.

[theohall]

The T-Birds salvaged one point by forcing OT vs Hershey on Sunday, but ultimately lost 3-2 for a winless weekend, which hasn't happened in awhile. This was Springfield's 3rd 3-game losing streak this season. They have lost 4 in a row once this season. In those more than 2 game losing streaks, they only went pointless once.

Scoring:
McGing from Todd and Alexandrov
Lyle from Joshua and Tucker

Hofer saved 22 of 25. All markers were even strength.

[theohall]

T-Birds lost 4-2 to the Syracuse Crunch tonight (4/13)

Scoring:
Laferriere from Washurak and Tucker
Joshua from Lyle and Kessel (apparently this was a ridiculous between the legs shot, but I haven't seen it yet).

Lindgren stopped 24 of 27 - all even strength. Syracuse final goal was into an empty net.

[theohall]

Springfield got back in the win column with a 3-1 win over the Charlotte Checkers. They face Charlotte again tonight and can take over 1st in the division with a regulation win.

Scoring:
Kaspick from Witkowski and Washkurak
Laferriere from Callin and Alexandrov
Kostin from Lyle and Alexandrov (PPG)

Hofer stopped 34 of 35.

[theohall]

Springfield won 2-1 in a shootout over the Charlotte Checkers last night. The win moved the T-Birds into a tie with Charlotte for the Atlantic division lead. Utica is 1st in the conference by 2 points, but has 3 games-in-hand on both Charlotte and Springfield. Both Charlotte and Springfield have 6 games remaining. Charlotte holds the Regulation Wins tie breaker with 34 to Springfield's 27.

Scoring:
Alexandrov (unassisted)
Anas with the Shootout winner

Lindgren stopped 37 of 38 and was perfect in the shootout stopping all 3 Charlotte chances.

[theohall]

Springfield lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Rochester Americans Tuesday 4/19.

Scoring:
Todd from Luce and Neal
Peca from Anas

Anas and Neal each added shootout goals

Hofer 32 of 34 in regulation - all even strength - and gave up 3 goals on 4 chances in the shootout - even though the 1st one allowed probably shouldn't have been due to Americans player using a backwards deke. The puck is not allowed to go backwards on a shootout attempt, but it still counted.

[theohall]

Bridgeport finally beat the T-Birds 4-2 in regulation for the first time this season.

Springfield scoring:
Todd from Alexandrov and Bitten
Bitten from Alexandrov and Lyle

Lindgren stopped 33 of 30 - one was on the PP. Final goal for Bridgeport was an empty netter.

[theohall]

Springfield won 3-1 over Wilkes-Barre Scranton.

Scoring:
Cross from Bitten and Alexandrov
Neal from Anas and Peca (PPG)
Bitten from Alexandrov (ENG)

Hofer stopped 32 of 33 with the only tally allowed being a PPG. Hofer has stopped 98 of 102 shots in his last 3 games.

[theohall]

T-Birds behind Lindgren blanked Providence 4-0 in their final regular season home game. If Springfield earns 3 or more points in their final 2 games (Lehigh Valley Tuesday and Providence Friday), they will clinch a first round bye for the playoffs.

Scoring:
Witkowski from Washkurak and Kaspick
Washkurak from Cross and Kaspick
Wesley from Todd and Alexandrov
Anas from Peca and Cross

Lindgren stopped all 24 Providence shots

[glen a richter]

Four guys I'm looking to take a big leap with another/a full season in Springfield... Alexandrov, Washkurak, Tucker and Kessel. I see those as the four non-goalies with the best shot at making the jump to the NHL if they can build on their success this season.

McGing might be in the mix for a bottom six role eventually but I think he's less likely other than as a call up now and again for injury.

[theohall]

Springfield won 5-0 on a shutout from Hofer tonight over LeHigh Valley and clinched a bye in the "play-in" round of the Calder Cup playoffs. This is back-to-back shutouts for Springfield, while Lindgren has stopped 65 of 65 shots in his last 2 games vs Providence whom the T-Birds end the season against on Friday. Didn't know this, but all but the 2 last place teams in each division make the playoffs so 23 teams make the playoffs. Yes, it's weird. This is the bracket. Springfield has already advanced to the Division Semis with their win tonight.

Scoring:
Peca from Joshua and Anas
Lyle from Alexandrov and Todd
Wesley from Kessel and Bitten
Joshua from Anas and Cross (PPG)
Peca from Anas and Laferriere

Hofer stopped all 26 shots faced including 3 penalty kills.

[theohall]

T-Birds will face Wilkes-Barre Scranton or Hershey in the playoffs. WBS/Hershey series starts Friday - it's a best of 3 with the games Fri/Sun/Mon

To end the season, Springfield blanked Providence 3-0 for the 3rd consecutive meeting between the two. Must've really hurt the Bruins confidence, because Bridgeport beat them in the opening round of the playoffs 2 games to none. Lindgren stopped 91 shots in his last 3 starts vs Providence.

[theohall]

Hershey and Wilkes-Barre Scranton are tied 1-1. The deciding game to see who the T-Birds face is Monday night (5/9).

[theohall]

Springfield will face Wilkes-Barre Scranton in the playoffs. These two teams are very evenly matched. 4 of 6 went to OT this season and 9 of the last 21 have required OT. WBS took 4 of the 6 wins. Springfield won the latest head-to-head game.

[WaukeeBlues]

Springfield will face Wilkes-Barre Scranton in the playoffs. These two teams are very evenly matched. 4 of 6 went to OT this season and 9 of the last 21 have required OT. WBS took 4 of the 6 wins. Springfield won the latest head-to-head game.

Who's playing defense for the T-birds since their entire D corps is up playing for the Blues?

[theohall]

I know that was tongue in cheek, but...

Matt Kessel
Tommy Cross "C"
Griffin Luce
Tyler Tucker
Luke Witkowski who is an excellent AHL defenseman who was acquired in the Leddy trade.
Josh Wesley
and Brady Lyle.

There is a lot of AHL experience in that list. Perunovich hasn't been there since January and Santini was down their depth chart. The one they truthfully miss is Rosen because he is like Krug at the AHL level.

[theohall]

T-Birds took their first two playoff games over Wilkes-Barre Scranton.

Game 1 4-1 Wed 5/11
Scoring:
Bitten from Kostin and Todd PPG
Kostin from Alexandrov and Bitten
Anas from Peca and Cross
Joshua from MacEachern ENG

Lindgren stopped 50 of 51

Game 2 6-2 Thu 5/12
Scoring:
Pics from McGing and Anas PPG
Cross from Peca and Anas PPG
made a been from Santini and Bitten
Alexandrov from Witkowski and Neal.
Hofer ENG
Witkowski EN SHG

Hofer stopped 34 of 36

[glen a richter]

Get Hofer up for some scoring depth!

[theohall]

T-Birds completed a sweep of Wilkes-Barre Scranton this evening to advance to the Atlantic Division Finals vs the Charlotte Checkers or Bridgeport Islanders. Charlotte currently leads that series 2 games to 1.

Springfield won 7-6 after falling behind 4-1 in the first period.

Scoring:
Anas from Peca and Cross PPG
Bitten from Joshua and Alexandrov PPG
Santini from Tucker and Todd
Joshua from MacEachern and Bitten
Peca from Santini and Anas
MacEachern from Cross and Anas
McGing from Peca and Anas PPG

Lindgren stopped 26 of 32. 2 of 6 allowed were PPGs.