SPRINGFIELD – Behind a game-high 39 saves from netminder Colten Ellis, the Springfield Thunderbirds earned an impressive 2-1 win against the Providence Bruins in front of a sellout crowd of 6,793 fans during their eighth annual Pink in the Rink Night at the MassMutual Center on Saturday night.
“Every game against these guys is tight,” Thunderbirds coach Steve Konowalchuk said. “It was a big night for everyone, which added to the environment and another good hockey game against Providence.
“This was fun to be a part of.”
Springfield was down but not out to begin the contest. And that remained essential as Matthew Peca recorded his team-leading 26th goal moments before the second intermission to help the Thunderbirds (29-20-2-4) earn their seventh win in 11 games.
After Lehigh Valley’s earlier loss to Charlotte, Springfield (64 points) leapfrogged the Phantoms (63 points) for fifth place in the Atlantic Division.
And behind the Thunderbirds’ third consecutive win against Providence, they now trail those same Checkers (68 points) by four points with 17 regular-season games left.
Despite 18 saves from netminder Brandon Bussi, the Bruins (32-18-4-2) suffered their fourth loss in 11 games. Providence, though, remains tied with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for second place in the division with 70 points.
Ellis was kept sharp during the opening minutes of regulation, as Providence recorded five of the six combined shot attempts against Springfield.
The 24-year-old remained poised as he kept the game scoreless. But it wasn’t easy, as the Bruins earned multiple breakaway attempts. And none were more drastic than when Trevor Kuntar narrowly escaped his lone defender as he approached the opposing net.
The momentum was shortlived, though, as Ellis made one of his 11 first-period saves against Kuntar’s backhanded wrister attempt with 12:14 left in the first period.
“He was good tonight and made some solid saves,” Konowalchuk said. “It’s nice to have him on our side. I thought we were able to get some sticks on shots and help him out there at times.”
Despite those efforts, both teams entered the first intermission in a scoreless stalemate. Providence, though, outshot Springfield by eight through 20 minutes of action.
The Bruins didn’t ease their pressure in the second period, as they maintained control. The road team was rewarded for their perseverance, as Tristan Ashbrook secured a loose puck behind the opposing net and then connected with Joey Abate along the left wing.
Though Ellis made the initial save, Abate countered on the rebound to move Providence ahead through 23 minutes of action. The goal marked Abate’s fourth, while Ashbrook earned his fifth assist.
Springfield didn’t trail for long, as they earned the game’s first power-play attempt once Ashbrook was called for slashing.
Five seconds into the penalty, though, Nikita Alexandrov located Samuel Johannesson alone under the blue line with a backhanded pass.
Johannesson didn’t waste this opportunity, as the defenseman guided a wrister through traffic to help the Thunderbirds even the score at 1-1 with 12:17 left in the frame.
“That was big because these games are so tight,” Konowalchuk said. “That was a good special teams night. At times, we’d like to get a few more shots. But it looks easy from the bench or up top.
“We have some smart hockey players and thought we had some good O-zone time in the second period.”
The goal marked Johannesson’s fifth of the season, while Peca and Alexandrov earned their respective 24th and 19th assists.
Springfield finished 1-for-2 on the power play, while Providence went 0-for-2.
But the fun wasn’t complete, as Springfield earned another scoring opportunity during the final seconds of the second. After a brief give-and-go, Aleksanteri Kaskimäki located Peca along the right post.
And since Bussi was out of position, Peca secured the pass and then sent home a backhanded wrister for his 25th-season goal to ensure the Thunderbirds a 2-1 lead as both teams entered the second intermission.
“Kaskimäki played a good game and managed the puck well,” Konowalchuk said. “That was an elite-vision pass where he turned around and acted like he was shooting. Instead, he found Peca going back.
“And that was also nice hands by Peca to handle that hard pass. That was a big goal with about one second left there.”
Hunter Skinner earned his 11th assist on the secondary, while Kaskimäki recorded his 22nd.
Near halfway through the final period, Providence earned a prime scoring opportunity as they surrounded Ellis. But as one failed shot attempt squeaked free across the goal line, Mackenzie MacEachern made an impressive stick save to prevent the game from almost being tied.
“That was a huge play,” Konowalchuk said. “Our guys are defending when we have to defend. And they are taking pride in it. The players know when to keep the play to the outside. And when they get possession, they give sticks and bodies and don’t give the opposition clean looks.”
Despite another late surge from the opposition, the Thunderbirds emerged victorious.
“I think even to the last couple of seconds here, we had three or four guys having their body out in the shot lane,” Konowalchuk said. “And that’s pretty nice as a coach to watch your players work that hard.”
Springfield will now endure a two-game road trip scheduled to start from Bridgeport inside Total Mortgage Arena on Sunday at 3 p.m.
