The red-hot Springfield Thunderbirds visit the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this Saturday in the FloHockey AHL Game of the Week (6:00 p.m. ET).

With wins in eight of their nine past games, the Thunderbirds have overcome a 4-8-1-0 start to put themselves in contention. The trek to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton starts a five-game road trip for the Thunderbirds, who have been off since a 2-1 overtime home win against the Rockford IceHogs last Saturday.

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Wilkes-Barre/Scranton dropped a 4-0 decision at home to the Charlotte Checkers on Friday night. The team has overcome a steady stream of injuries and player movement to and from the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins this season to post a 13-7-1-0 record and tie for third place in the Atlantic Division. 

In the teams’ only meeting this season, the Penguins took a 4-1 win at Springfield on Oct. 13.

The FloHockey AHL Game of the Week will stream live and free across FloHockey's social media platforms. See below for details on how and where to watch.

What You Need To Know About Springfield at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Game Details

Springfield Thunderbirds at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Saturday, 6:00 p.m. ET*

Where to Watch: Subscribers can continue to watch via FloHockey.tv or the FloSports app 

Free Streams: Follow the game across FloHockey's social channels including YouTube, Facebook and X. More details below.

Springfield Thunderbirds – What to Watch For

Rookie forward Dalibor Dvorsky has excelled as a 19-year-old in the AHL. His 10 goals in 22 games tie him for second among AHL rookies. He is also tied for seventh in AHL rookie scoring with 18 points. He went to the St. Louis Blues 10th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Another first-year AHL forward places second in team scoring. Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, 20, has 4-11-15 in 22 games after having spent the past two seasons with Liiga club HIFK Helsinki. St. Louis took him as a 2022 third-round pick. Veteran Matt Luff has provided significant help after signing with the Thunderbirds on Nov. 7. The forward has 5-5-10 in nine games

Goaltender Colten Ellis has gone 8-4-1 | 2.62 | .921 in his first extended run of work at the AHL level. Ellis, 24, had spent most of his first three pro seasons in the ECHL after St. Louis had made him a 2019 third-round pick. He has split this season’s work with fellow prospect Vadim Zherenko.

The Thunderbirds have long-time NHL forward Steve Konowalchuk behind their bench in his first AHL head-coaching role. Konowalchuk, who played 790 games over 14 NHL seasons, had coaching roles at the NHL, AHL, and WHL levels before taking the Springfield post.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – What to Watch For

Friday night’s loss to Charlotte was the second time that the Penguins have been shut out in their past three games. In between, though, they scored six times this past Wednesday night in a home win against the Checkers and are averaging 3.29 goals per game. Forward Boris Katchouk, who signed an AHL contract with the team just four days before opening night, had four goals in that win, including one via a penalty shot.

Two forwards in their first season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton are tied with Katchouk for second place in team scoring. Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Ville Koivunen, part of the return from the Carolina Hurricanes in last March’s trade for Jake Guentzel, has 4-11-15 in 21 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Carolina had selected him in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, and he tied for fifth in Liiga scoring last season with 22-34-56 in 59 games for Kärpät Oulu. Tristan Broz, a Pittsburgh second-rounder from that same 2021 draft class, has 8-7-15 in 21 games as well. He won the NCAA championship last season at the University of Denver, where he had 16-24-40 in 43 games for the Pioneers. Forward Emil Bemström has the team scoring lead with 6-13-19 in 19 games in his first full season in the Pittsburgh organization. He had spent parts of the past five seasons in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The team also features rookie forward Rutger McGroarty out of the University of Michigan. He had 16-36-52 in 36 games for the Wolverines as a sophomore and was a Hobey Baker Award nominee. He also won a gold medal representing the United States at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Pittsburgh acquired him from the Winnipeg Jets this past August in a deal for forward Brayden Yager. Winnipeg had taken McGroarty 14th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Goaltender Joel Blomqvist earned spots on the AHL All-Rookie Team and the Second All-Star Team last season, his first in North America. The 22-year-old, another second-round pick on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton roster, has split this season between the AHL and Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh overhauled Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the offseason, including behind the bench. Kirk MacDonald is in his first season as an AHL head coach after having taken the Dubuque Fighting Saints to the USHL’s Clark Cup Final last season. MacDonald, a former AHL forward during his playing days, also spent seven seasons coaching the ECHL’s Reading Royals, including four as a head coach before spending two seasons with Dubuque.

How To Watch AHL Free Stream On YouTube

On Saturdays throughout the season, the AHL and FloHockey will present a free Game of the Week on YouTube. The home team's broadcast will be shared as a free stream on FloHockey's YouTube page. The free broadcast will begin shortly before puck drop. Check FloHockey and AHL social channels to see which game will be streaming each week.

WATCH HERE

How To Watch AHL Free Stream On X

On Saturdays throughout the season, the AHL and FloHockey will present a free Game of the Week on X (formerly known as Twitter). The home team's broadcast will be shared as a free stream on FloHockey's Twitter page. The free broadcast will begin shortly before puck drop, posted on FloHockey's X feed. Check FloHockey and AHL social channels to see which game will be streaming each week.

WATCH HERE

How To Watch AHL Free Stream On Facebook

On Saturdays throughout the season, the AHL and FloHockey will present a free Game of the Week on Facebook. You can access the game multiple ways on the Facebook. FloHockey will stream both home and road (if available) broadcasts on its Facebook page. The game can also be found live on the AHL's Facebook page.

WATCH HERE

How To Watch The AHL On FloHockey 

The AHL is streaming on FloHockey and the FloSports app. Live games, replays, highlights and breaking news will be on both platforms. 

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The best and most complete coverage of the NHL minor league hockey and NHL Draft news is found on FloHockey. Don't miss the latest new prospect guides, rankings and more from Chris Peters and the FloHockey staff.

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