SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Springfield Thunderbirds (11-9-1-0) battled and saw their way to a 5-4 overtime win over the Bridgeport Islanders (5-13-2-2) on Friday night inside the MassMutual Center.

The Thunderbirds continued their recent trend of opening goal supremacy on a power play at 9:26 of the first. After generating little in the way of chances, Tyler Tucker simplified matters with a wrist shot that found the inside of the post behind Bridgeport goalie Jakub Skarek, establishing the 1-0 Springfield lead on Tucker's first career power-play goal. 

Springfield had the 14-5 shot advantage in the opening period. Still, goaltender Colten Ellis had to be firm with a pair of breakaway denials on both Liam Foudy and William Dufour in the first. 

The middle frame devolved into a chaotic 20-minute frenzy of offense. With Bridgeport on a power play, T-Birds captain Matthew Peca had a shorthanded breakaway with a chance to extend the lead, but Skarek answered with a huge response for the Islanders. Just seconds later, Chris Terry skated into the slot and unleashed a try past Ellis on the glove side, tying the score 3:20 into the second.

Less than three minutes later, the Islanders used the momentum to vault in front as Brian Pinho slid a spinning pass right to the tape of Dufour, who cashed in at 6:15 to make it a 2-1 Bridgeport advantage. 

That Islander lead lasted all of 28 seconds before Peca responded with a redirection of a Samuel Johannesson try at 6:43, bringing the score back to 2-2.

The 2-2 tie also ended in a hurry. Just 1:03 after the Peca tally, Alex Jefferies one-timed a slick Wyatt Newpower pass behind Ellis from the left circle, restoring the Islanders' lead to 3-2.

The Islanders' discipline gravely cost them in the back half of the middle frame, as a tripping infraction and a too-many-men minor gave Springfield over a minute of 5-on-3 time. With the extended advantage, Dalibor Dvorsky cashed in with a rapid one-timer off set-ups by Johannesson and Matt Luff, tying the game, 3-3, at 14:56. 

With still over a minute of 5-on-4 time, the suddenly surging Springfield power play kept the pedal down, and Tucker blasted a bar-down slapper that picked the top corner at 15:33, restoring the T-Birds lead, 4-3, heading into the final frame.

Foudy got the Islanders back even at 6:49 of the third as he grabbed a loose puck at the left edge of the crease and twisted a backhander behind Ellis to get the game equalized for a fourth time, 4-4. Bridgeport heavily outshot and out-chanced Springfield in the final period, but Ellis rebounded to turn away 17 third-period shots to get the T-Birds into overtime.

With the game down to a sudden death scenario, Dylan Peterson came through for the home team, taking a centering pass in the left circle from Peca and roofing a wrist shot on the short side, giving the T-Birds their third straight win at 2:47 of overtime. 

The T-Birds look to make it four consecutive triumphs on Saturday night as they welcome the Rockford IceHogs for the annual Teddy Bear Toss. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. at the Thunderdome. Fans who cannot attend will have the ability to watch on CoziTV as well as AHLTV.

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.