For the first time in the playoffs, the Springfield Thunderbirds are facing elimination.
The Chicago Wolves got outstanding goaltending from Pyotr Kochetkov to beat the Springfield Thunderbirds 4-2, to take a three games to one series lead before more than 67 hundred fans, in what was a very hard fought game by both teams.
Game Five is set for tonight at the Mass Mutual Center.
The game featured a rare playoff penalty shot after a Chicago shot was gloved in the crease by a member a Tbird. The Wolves Richard Panik tried to beat goaltender Joel Hofer glove side high with a backhand but the 6’5” goaltender was equal to the task keeping the game scoreless.
Kochetkov provided his own dramatics with 3:20 left in the period stopped a full out break away by RW Will Bitten.
Jack Drury got the Wolves on the scoreboard with a goal at 17:25 of the first period. After the Wolves won the faceoff, Josh Leivo swept the puck behind the net where Jack Drury collected it, walked in front and beat Hofer low to make it 1-0.
Richard Panik made it 2-0 for the Wolves when he beat Hofer with a top of the slot wrist shot with just 13 seconds left in the first period.
In the second period, after Chicago made it 3-0, the Thunderbirds chipped away. Klim Kostin made it 3-1 at the 16:53 mark scoring on the power play.
The Thunderbirds and Wolves traded goals in the third period to give the Wolves the win, and be one game away from the Calder Cup.
The Thunderbirds will play their last home game tonight looking to force a game six in Chicago on Monday night.
Game time at the MassMutual Center is 7pm.
The pre-game show on Newsradio 560 WHYN begins at 6:50pm tonight.