Wolf Pack Defeat Thunderbirds 3-1 Behind Tung's 36 Saves

Rookie goaltender Callum Tung shines as Hartford takes down Springfield in I-91 Rivalry matchup.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 1:03am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold blues, reds, and whites captures the dynamic energy and action of a hockey game, with overlapping planes and shapes representing the players, puck, and arena.The Wolf Pack's offensive explosion and Tung's goaltending heroics fracture the Thunderbirds' hopes in this cubist interpretation of the I-91 Rivalry matchup.Springfield Today

The Hartford Wolf Pack defeated the Springfield Thunderbirds 3-1 on the strength of a 36-save performance from rookie goaltender Callum Tung. The Wolf Pack scored three first-period goals, including tallies from Anton Blidh, Brendan Brisson, and Scott Morrow, to build an early lead. Springfield's Hugh McGing scored the lone goal for the Thunderbirds, but they were unable to solve Tung the rest of the way.

Why it matters

This victory keeps the Wolf Pack's slim playoff hopes alive as they look to close out the season strong. The I-91 Rivalry between Hartford and Springfield is always intense, and this game featured physical play, highlight-reel goals, and stellar goaltending from the young Tung.

The details

The Wolf Pack opened the scoring just under eight minutes into the first period when Anton Blidh buried a feed from Bryce McConnell-Barker. Just over a minute later, Brendan Brisson scored a highlight-reel goal on the power play to make it 2-0. Scott Morrow then extended the lead to 3-0 with a goal 39 seconds after Brisson's tally. Springfield's Hugh McGing scored late in the first to make it 3-1, but that's as close as they would get as Tung shut the door the rest of the way.

  • The Wolf Pack scored three first-period goals in a span of just over a minute, with Blidh's goal coming at 7:49, Brisson's at 9:04, and Morrow's at 9:43.
  • Springfield's Hugh McGing scored with 4:18 remaining in the first period to make it a 3-1 game.

The players

Callum Tung

The rookie goaltender for the Hartford Wolf Pack, who made 36 saves to lead his team to victory.

Anton Blidh

The veteran forward for the Hartford Wolf Pack, who scored the opening goal of the game.

Brendan Brisson

The Wolf Pack's 2026 AHL All-Star, who scored a highlight-reel goal on the power play in the first period.

Scott Morrow

The defenseman for the Hartford Wolf Pack, who scored the third goal of the first period to give his team a 3-0 lead.

Hugh McGing

The forward for the Springfield Thunderbirds, who scored his team's lone goal in the first period.

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What they’re saying

“We knew we had to come out strong after last night's tough loss. The guys really stepped up and played a great first period to set the tone.”

— Kris Knoblauch, Head Coach, Hartford Wolf Pack

“Callum was outstanding tonight. He made some huge saves to keep us in it, especially in the third period when they were really pressing. We're going to need that kind of effort from him down the stretch.”

— Bryce McConnell-Barker, Forward, Hartford Wolf Pack

What’s next

The Wolf Pack will look to build on this victory as they continue their push for a Calder Cup Playoff spot. Their next game is on Tuesday, April 14th when they host the Bridgeport Islanders.

The takeaway

This was a gutsy performance from the Wolf Pack, who bounced back from a tough loss the previous night to take down their I-91 rivals. Tung's stellar goaltending and the team's offensive outburst in the first period proved to be the difference, keeping Hartford's postseason dreams alive for at least a little while longer.