Nov 21, 2021
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Springfield Thunderbirds (12-2-2-0) rode strong goaltending and a furious third-period charge to a 5-2 win over the Bridgeport Islanders (5-9-1-2) on Sunday inside the Webster Bank Arena.
Each of the club’s young goaltenders got off to hot starts this Sunday afternoon. Joel Hofer only needed to make 16 saves in his first start against Bridgeport on Oct. 22, but he needed to be at his very best on this day, stopping 11 Bridgeport offerings in the first period, including a pair of calm denials on Islander 2-on-1 bids.
Jakub Skarek, who got the start in the Bridgeport net, matched Hofer save for save, and the Bridgeport penalty kill fended off the lone power play in the first at the midpoint of the period. However, Springfield broke through as the clock ticked under a minute to play in the period.
Following a Bridgeport icing, Tyler Tucker threw the puck down behind the Islander net, where Logan Brown scooped it up in the trapezoid and immediately sneaked a quick pass through the crease, where Nathan Walker jammed a one-time snapper through Skarek at 19:01 of the period. Walker’s fourth of the season and third against the Islanders made it 1-0 into the intermission.
Hofer showed no signs of slowing down his sensational play in the second period, making one of his best saves of the young season, sliding from his right to left before lurching out with the left arm to stonewall Blade Jenkins on a point-blank chance. However, the Bridgeport attack would not be subdued, and at 9:13, Simon Holmstrom got the game even up at 1-1, off a slick feed from the left-wing corner by Otto Koivula.
Skarek also was at the top of his game in the second period, making eight strong saves in the middle period to buy his team the time to tie the score, and the 1-1 deadlock is where the game would stay heading into the final period of the weekend.
Bridgeport got a bit of lady luck to vault to the lead just 51…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Springfield Thunderbirds…