SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Springfield Thunderbirds lost the Calder Cup Finals against the Chicago Wolves Saturday night with the final score of 4-0 Wolves.
Although the Wolves are taking home the Calder Cup, the MassMutual Center was jammed pack tonight with fans filling up the 8,000-seat area. The Thunderbirds gave it all they had and put up quite the fight. And although they lost the game, the fans still bleed for their birds.
“Every game has been all or nothing for me though so this one is no different. But this is just definitely one we gotta win or that’s it,” said Jon Pieciak of Chicopee.
The Thunderbirds were on the brink of elimination after a disappointing loss on home ice Friday night. The Wolves led the series 3 to 1.
“Game 5 is all or nothing we gotta win tonight if we don’t we’re watching someone else win the Calder here in the MassMutual and I don’t want to see that,” said Pieciak.
Thunderbirds fans continued to come out in swarms to show their support for the boys on the ice.
“We need our players to be in front of that goal. They need to stop the puck and they need to be there in the rebound to make sure it gets in that goal every time we take a shot that’s what we need. And I think we can do it tonight we have to,” said Laura Cote-Nicholls of Suffield.
Fans told 22News that regardless of the outcome Saturday night they are proud of the Thunderbirds and they hope they felt their fans’ love.
“I hope they feel our energy cause we are all hyped up and I hope they can feel it on the ice cause every good move they make just energizes us even more so I hope they feel it,” Nicholls-Suffield told 22News.
Despite Game 5 ending in a loss for the Thunderbirds, Springfield still stands proud of their team.