P-Bruins fall to Springfield for fourth straight loss

The Providence Bruins couldn’t get much going against the Springfield Thunderbirds on Sunday. The P-Bruins entered the game losers of three straight and were looking to get back in the win column at home with Jordan Binnington in goal. However, the P-Bruins weren’t able to turn the tides today as they fell 5-2.

The first period was a back-and-forth tilt that remained scoreless until Ed Wittchow capitalized on a three-on-two with a snipe from the right-wing circle 17:29 into the period, which put Springfield up 1-0.

Despite taking a lot of energy out of the building, Springfield did not have the lead very long. With thirty seconds remaining in the first, rugged P-Bruins forward Colton Hargrove worked his way through the neutral zone and fired a breakaway goal through Evan Cowley to even the score. It was a great effort by Hargrove, and it must have felt nice for the forward as he had missed the previous seven games with an injury.

“After [Chris Porter] blocked a shot, I saw that the [defense] was standing still,” said Hargrove. “I just tried to beat them around and then started yelling for the puck. I came in and the goalie was out pretty far. I just tried to make a move and get [the puck] up.”

Not long after Hargrove’s tally, Thunderbirds defenseman Thomas Schemitsch took a tripping penalty with seventeen seconds remaining in the opening frame. The P-Bruins made them pay as Kenny Agostino buried his tenth goal of the season six seconds later, giving Providence a 2-1 lead heading into the second period.

The middle frame did not go so well for Providence, as the P-Bruins allowed three straight Springfield goals. The first came from Juho Lammikko, who buried a quick wrist shot from the high slot to even the score at two.

Springfield took their second lead of the night at 14:25 of the second off a goal from Maxim Mamin. The Thunderbirds dominated a two-minute power-play and Mamin buried a goal from in close just as Jordan Szwarz stepped out of the box. Although Mamin’s tally was not a power-play goal, the penalty-kill looked troubling, and the goal chased Binnington from the game.

The Thunderbirds extended their lead not even two minutes later when Dryden Hunt backhanded the puck through Zane McIntyre during a net mouth scramble. Springfield held on to the 4-2 lead as the period closed.

Hunt added an empty netter in the third period to seal the win for Springfield, 5-2.

“I think we need to work on getting the puck deep,” explained Hargrove. “Sometimes we try to make too many plays at the blueline. Then, those turnovers end up in the back of our net. We need to know when to get the puck in and when to make the move. Just know the difference.”

The P-Bruins will have a week’s worth of practice before taking on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday.