AHL Game Recap: Springfield Advances to Round Two in Overtime

Originally posted on Inside The Rink | By Chris Lavallee | Last updated Apr 26, 2026 12:28 AM ET

The Springfield Thunderbirds entered tonight in a winner-take-all game three against the Charlotte Checkers in the first round of the playoffs. The Checkers dominated game one with an 8-1 rout of Springfield, but the Thunderbirds came right back last night to take game two with a 5-2 victory, forcing tonight’s game. Tonight, Georgi Romanov got the start. Romanov stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced in last night’s win. Charlotte countered with Cooper Black, who in two games is posting a 2.51 goals-against average and an .878 save percentage.

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Springfield Thunderbirds vs. Charlotte Checkers

First Period

Springfield came out ready to go with the first two shots on goal. Both teams went to the box as Riese Gaber for Charlotte and Colin Ralph for Springfield went to the box for roughing. Six seconds after the penalties, Tobias Bjornfot scored his second goal of the playoffs to make it 1-0. Chris Wagner then went to the box for hooking. Charlotte had two shots on the man advantage.

The Checkers had seven straight shots on goal with a power play chance in there as Calle Rosen went to the box for delay of game and penalty kill opportunity as Noah Gregor went for high-sticking. Both were killed off. Springfield recorded one more shot on goal before the period ended. Springfield got a power-play chance with 22 seconds left as Bjornfot went to the box for holding. The penalty carried into the second as the first came to an end with Charlotte outshooting Springfield 9-4 and leading 1-0.

Second Period

The penalty that carried over from the first period was killed off. The two teams went back and forth for much of the second. Charlotte got a power play as Theo Lindstein went to the box for interference. Once again, just before the period came to a close, Noah Gregor went to the box for tripping. Charlotte outshot Springfield 9-8.

Third Period

In the final period, despite being a man down, Charlotte had the momentum to start. The penalty was killed off, and Springfield, with their season on the line, played like it, eventually beating Black as Aleksanteri Kaskimaki scored his first of the playoffs to tie the game at 1-1. Both teams played as if as you’d expect their seasons were on the line. Charlotte did outshoot Springfield 11-10 in the third, but the game was still tied 1- 1 and went to overtime.

Overtime

Springfield had the first shot on goal in overtime, but Charlotte answered right back with six straight of their own, one of which was a huge glove save by Romanov that kept their season alive. Springfield snapped that streak as someone (Julien Gauthier, Calle Rose, or Zach Dean) scored to send Springfield to the next round. The shot went off the back of Black and dropped into the back of the net.