T-Birds defeated by Rochester on Military Appreciation Night

Story By: Matthew Wiernasz

Photo Courtesy of the Springfield Thunderbirds

SPRINGFIELD, MA-  The Springfield Thunderbirds lost to the Rochester Americans on Miltary Appreciation Night by the final score of 7-1.

Martin Frk got the Thunderbirds on the board 1:28 into the opening period as he ripped the one-timer with assists from Dmitri Samorukov and Matthew Highmore to make it 1-0.

The Americans responded back with seven unanswered goals throughout the game and would tie the game with 12:46 remaining in the first period when Michael Mersch put in the rebound from the edge of the crease to make it 1-1.

Brett Murray gave the Americans their first lead of the night with 1:15 remaining in the first period as he redirected the puck to make it 2-1 after one period of play.

The Americans would continue to extend their lead in the second period as they would score three goals.  Linus Weissbach scored on an odd-man rush with 17:08 remaining in the second period to make it 3-1. Isak Rosen scored his first goal of the evening with a bank shot past Hofer with 12:22 remaining in the second period to make it 4-1.

Jeremy Davies made it 5-1 with the third power-play goal of the evening for Rochester. Hofer’s night would come to an end as Vadim Zherenko came in relief.

Rochester would score two more goals as they took 13 shots on Zherenko as Joe Cecconi and Isak Rosen’s second goal of the game were by the final goals scored by Rochester.