Gaudette hat-trick help T-Birds defeat the Toronto Marlies During Pink In The Rink
Story By: Matthew Wiernasz
Photo Courtesy of the Springfield Thunderbirds
SPRINGFIELD, MA- After a tough loss on Friday, Adam Gaudette would score a hat-trick and goaltender Colten Ellis made 47 saves as the Springfield Thunderbirds were able to snap the two-game losing streak as they defeated the Toronto Marlies 5-1 on Saturday night at the MassMutual Center in front of a sellout crowd of 6,793 for the 7th annual Pink In The Rink. It was the ninth sellout in a row for the Thunderbirds.
Former Thunderbird Logan Shaw was able to get a breakaway opportunity early on in the first period as Thunderbirds goaltender Colten Ellis denied him with right pad save.
Marlies forward Kiefer Bellows would receive his second penalty of the game in the first period and the Thunderbirds would take advantage on the power play.
Thunderbirds forward Adam Gaudette would score his team leading 32nd goal of the year as Joseph Duszak took the shot and Gaudette was able to tip it in to make it 1-0. Ryan Suzuki received with the secondary with 5:31 remaining in the first period.
Gaudette would score his second goal of the game and his 33rd of the season as Mikhail Abramov would make the pass to Gaudette in right side of the ice and Gaudette would take the shot that went off the arm of Marlies goaltender Keith Petruzzelli to make it 2-0.
The Marlies could cut the deficit down to one as Alex Steeves as Joseph Blandsi made the cross-ice pass to Steeves and Steeves would score with 6:27 remaining in the second period for his 20th of the year to make it 2-1.
Thunderbirds defenseman Hunter Skinner would add a goal as he took the slap shot to make it 3-1 for his third goal of the year with 3:45 remaining in the second period
The tempers would start to heat up in the third period. The Thunderbirds would continue as Joey Duszak who has moved to forward would score in back-to-back games as he would do the wraparound and make it 4-1. After the goal, one of the Marlies would hit Duszak with their stick. After the faceoff, Marlies forward Kyle Clifford would go right after Duszak and throw him onto the ice. Clifford would receive a double-minor for roughing and a 10:00 minute misconduct.
Gaudette would complete the hat-trick with 1:01 remaining in regulation as he scored an empty-net goal for his team leading 34th goal of the season to make it 5-1.
Thunderbirds goaltender Colten Ellis turned away 21 shots in the third period.
The Thunderbirds finished their third 3-in-3 on Sunday as they lost 5-0 to the Providence Bruins. The Thunderbirds are currently on a four-game road trip as they will head to Charlotte next weekend to take on the Checkers. The game on Saturday will begin at 4:00 p.m. and on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.. The road trip will conclude in Allentown when they take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday, March 20.
The next home game for the Thunderbirds at the MassMutual Center will be on Friday, March 22 when they take on the Charlotte Checkers. Puck drop will be at 7:05 p.m.