HERSHEY, Pa. – The Springfield Thunderbirds (1-2-0-0) rebounded in a big way from a defeat the night before as they dispatched the Hershey Bears (1-2-1-0) by a 5-1 score on Sunday inside Giant Center.

For the first time in the young season, Steve Konowalchuk's team finally vaulted to a lead at the 7:06 mark of the first period off a clean rush. Corey Schueneman carried the puck deep into the Hershey zone before slipping a perfect drop pass onto the blade of Jakub Stancl. The rookie connected off the inside of the post, beating Clay Stevenson on the stick side to give Springfield a 1-0 lead on Stancl's first professional tally. 

Springfield dodged a dangerous chance from ex-Thunderbird Calle Rosen, who emerged from the penalty box and skated in on a breakaway against Vadim Zherenko, but Rosen missed the target on the blocker side. 

Both teams failed to connect on power play chances, but Springfield was not done on the offensive end. With just 24 seconds left on the clock, Hunter Skinner joined a rush, one-timing a Nikita Alexandrov pass through Stevenson to make it a 2-0 game into the intermission. Matthew Peca also picked up an assist on the play for his first point of the season. In the process, the T-Birds captain became the first player in the T-Birds' 10-year history to record 200 points as a member of the Thunderbirds.

Zherenko stood tall through the opening half of the second period, with Hershey linking lengthy shifts in the offensive zone, threatening to cut into the Springfield lead. After surviving the onslaught, Otto Stenberg alertly spotted Matt Luff coming off the T-Birds' bench, and the veteran winger roofed a breakaway snapper over Stevenson's glove to make it a 3-0 score at 11:45. 

Dalibor Dvorsky joined the scoring party next at 14:11, as the 20-year-old got a fortunate bounce to cash in his first of the season. He was hoping to slip a pass to his left side, but the puck ricocheted right back onto his stick in the low slot, giving Stevenson no chance to defend it. Alexandrov picked up his second assist on the tally.

Hershey finally broke the four-goal blitz at 15:24 as Henrik Rybinski crashed the blue paint to chip a loose puck over Zherenko for his second goal in as many nights, cutting the margin to 4-1. 

Still, the T-Birds offense was not finished, and with a power play in the closing minute, Theo Lindstein rifled home his first goal in the AHL with just 23 seconds left in the frame to make it a 5-1 score. Luff picked up his second point and Alexandrov garnered his third assist on the rookie's first North American tally.

Zherenko had a sizable lead, but the fourth-year pro slammed the door shut in the third, as Hershey failed to pierce the netminder on 14 third-period offerings. Zherenko has now stopped 47 of the last 49 shots he has faced.

The T-Birds next take to the ice in Hartford for their first meeting against the Wolf Pack - puck drop is set for 7:00 at PeoplesBank Arena. Springfield returns home Saturday for Pucks & Paws presented by Pet Supplies Plus, as they host the Wolf Pack at 6:05 p.m.

Single-game tickets and ticket memberships for all remaining games in the Thunderbirds' 2025-26 season are available now - fans can order now by visiting www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com or by calling (413) 739-GOAL (4625).