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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Springfield Thunderbirds got a fast start in the opening period and then rode their star netminder to a 2-1 triumph over the Providence Bruins on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Atlantic Division’s First Round. Springfield now has the chance to punch their ticket to the Atlantic Division Semifinals with a win on home ice Friday night.
The T-Birds wasted little time asserting themselves in the offensive zone in the opening minutes. Playing in their first Calder Cup playoff games, Dalibor Dvorsky and Zach Dean made immediate impacts as Dvorsky skated across the Bruin line and dropped a pass off to Dean. Cutting to his backhand, Dean lifted a backhander that evaded Michael DiPietro’s blocker and broke the ice for a 1-0 T-Birds lead at 6:32 of the first.
Four minutes later, one of the T-Birds’ unsung heroes of the regular season added to his terrific season as Matt Luff, in his first game back since March 28, banked a shot off DiPietro from the bottom of the right circle to extend the lead to 2-0. Matthew Peca picked up the lone helper that pushed the visitors to a 2-0 lead at intermission.
Unsurprisingly, the Bruins pushed back heavily to begin the middle period. After drawing a four-minute power play for a high-stick, Providence’s third-ranked power play went to work, and Oliver Wahlstrom polished up a rebound at 3:44 after Riley Tufte’s initial breakaway glanced off the post behind Colten Ellis.
With the lead down to a single tally, the Bruins let fly with a relentless attack on the T-Birds net on a night where they would finish with a 40-15 lead in the shot department. However, Ellis, who was 5-1 in six starts against the Bruins during the regular season, refused to give in.
The onslaught of offense carried into a dramatic third period, and the game took on another tense moment when a second four-minute power play set the Bruins up for a chance to tie with under nine minutes remaining. Steve Konowalchuk’s man-down unit sold out in blocking shots, clogging up passing lanes, and keeping the red-hot Providence power play from locating an equalizer, with Ellis making a bevy of stops at point-blank range.
The Bruins’ comeback try took on a tougher task when they went shorthanded with 1:02 to play. Despite that, they pulled DiPietro to get the man-power back to 5-on-5, the Springfield defense locked all windows to the net and survived to get out of Providence with the one-goal victory.
The T-Birds will now look to punch their ticket to the Atlantic Division Semifinals on Friday night in Game 2 as the two teams reconvene at the MassMutual Center for a 7:05 p.m. puck drop, while the Bruins will look to force a decisive Game 3 on Sunday at 3:05 p.m. in Providence. Should the T-Birds come away victorious in either game, they will await an Atlantic Division Semifinal matchup against the two-time defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears.
Fans not attending Friday’s Game 2 can watch the game on AHLTV powered by FloHockey or listen on NewsRadio 560 WHYN.
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