T-Birds Drop Preseason Decision to Bruins

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Springfield Thunderbirds dropped a 4-1 decision to the Providence Bruins on Friday night at the MassMutual Center in preseason action.

The T-Birds opened the scoring in relatively short order for a second straight exhibition tilt. After watching his teammates kill off a Providence power play, Marcus Sylvegard found himself with a shooting lane from the right circle, and the first-year Thunderbird snapped a shot off a defender and through goalie Nolan Maier's legs to make it 1-0 at 6:43. 

Colten Ellis got the start in the Springfield net, and the young backstop was sturdy in the first 20 minutes, turning aside all 11 Providence shots fired his way. The T-Birds' penalty kill also went a perfect 2-for-2 in the frame.

Providence responded in earnest when the second period began. Brett Harrison netted a pair of goals just 2:02 apart, and just 3:50 into the middle frame, the Bruins had their first lead, 2-1.

Following Harrison's second goal, which came on the power play, the Bruins' man advantage struck a second time at 15:55 as Drew Bavaro funneled a wrist shot through a screen that eluded Ellis. Providence's third unanswered goal propelled them to a 3-1 lead heading into the third. 

Despite finishing the night with 33 shots, the T-Birds had no answers for the Bruins and goaltender Ryan Bischel, who entered at the midpoint of the second and kept Springfield off the board with 21 saves in 30 minutes of game action. Jimmy Lambert concluded matters with an empty-netter in the final minutes.

The Thunderbirds and Bruins travel to Rhode Island for a rematch on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Amica Mutual Pavilion to close the preseason slate.

The regular season opens on Saturday, Oct. 12 against the Laval Rocket at 7:05 p.m. for Opening Night presented by MGM Springfield.

Interested 2024-25 season ticket members can call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com to learn how to become a regular at the Thunderdome.