PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Springfield Thunderbirds (2-0-0-0) rode yet another terrific goaltending performance to a 2-0 blanking of the Providence Bruins (0-2-0-0) on Sunday inside Amica Mutual Pavilion.

Neither team could generate much of anything at the offensive end of the rink in the opening 20 minutes, as the two clubs combined for just eight attempts on net, making life easy for Providence goalie Simon Zajicek and Springfield goalie Will Cranley. 

Power plays continued to be a struggle for both clubs as well, with four combined efforts thwarted in the opening period. The T-Birds finally got their first taste of man-advantage success at 17:59 of the second when T.J. Tynan dropped a pass to Alek Kaskimaki in the right circle. Zajicek made the stop, but kicked the rebound right onto the waiting stick of Justin Carbonneau, and the 19-year-old fired home his second goal of the weekend to make it 1-0.

That would prove to be all the cushion that Cranley would need in his first start of the season. Providence had thrown just 12 shots on net in the first two periods, but added a dozen more in the third period, with Cranley coming up with answers to each, including a calm glove save on a dangerous rush chance from Dans Locmelis.

Zajicek kept things close himself, as he made the best save of the day to stonewall Dylan Peterson early in the third from point-blank range. 

In the end, though, Springfield's suffocating penalty kill and steady hand in net proved too much for the Bruins to overcome, with Otto Stenberg adding an empty-netter for good measure at 18:33 of the third to round out the scoring. 

Now 2-0 to start a season for the first time since 2021, the T-Birds ride that momentum back to Springfield to open their home slate on Saturday, Oct. 10 against the Laval Rocket for a 6:05 p.m. puck drop on MGM Springfield Opening Night, featuring the Community Bank Pregame Block Party from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at The Landing.

Thunderbirds' 2026-27 season tickets are available now - fans can reserve their seat by visiting www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com or by calling (413) 739-GOAL (4625).