WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Springfield Thunderbirds (2-10-1-1) could not overcome an early deficit, falling 3-1 to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (12-3-1-0) on Saturday night inside Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.
After scoring five goals in a third-period comeback win on Friday night, the Penguins picked up where they left off just 2:20 into the game on Saturday, as Raivis Ansons funneled a wrister through heavy traffic and past Georgii Romanov to make it a 1-0 game.
The T-Birds had a tough time getting much cooking in the offensive end, and the Penguins’ relentless pressure pushed the lead to a pair at 12:51, after already picking up a fighting major in a scrap with Springfield’s Kale Kessy earlier in the period.
Boko Imama positioned himself in the slot and deflected a Zach Gallant shot through Romanov’s legs to make it a 2-0 game and bringing Imama two-thirds of the way to a Gordie Howe hat trick in the opening period.
The Penguins wasted little time adding to their margin early in the second, as Rutger McGroarty – making his season debut – cashed in with a backhand tuck between the legs of Romanov just 1:06 into period two.
After continuous even-strength action for the first 28 minutes, special teams were finally put to work in the middle frame, and the T-Birds had a perfect showing, killing off two Penguins’ man advantages and adding a power play goal at 11:52.
After creating his own predicament on a turnover, Romanov reacted alertly to deflect a centering pass toward the neutral zone, where Chris Wagner and Hugh McGing sped up on the rush and converted a 2-on-1 past Joel Blomqvist to make it a 3-1 game.
McGing picked up his third of the season while Wagner picked up a point for a second straight night.
Romanov settled in very well after the McGroarty tally and turned aside the final 11 shots he faced to keep it at a two-goal margin heading into the third.
Blomqvist, though, answered in kind with a busy and strong final period, as the Penguin backstop turned away all 12 attempts that came his way in the third, while the Penguins’ PK also survived one more Springfield power play threat.
The T-Birds continue their busy road schedule on Tuesday at 11 a.m., when they square off in Hartford against the Wolf Pack at PeoplesBank Arena.
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