SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Springfield Thunderbirds took to the ice for a special game at MassMutual Center on Wednesday.
Their audience was thousands of Springfield school children. The Thunderbirds and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms faced off before a crowd of 4,500 Springfield children from third grade to high school.
The game began at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday to accommodate the student’s schedule.
“A lot of these kids from the Springfield public schools don’t have a chance to come to the mass mutual center,” said Thunderbird’s President, Nathan Costa. “So not only are we putting on a game for them early in the morning, we made it educational. They’re following along on a workbook and it’s really an educational day, trying to use the sport to give back a little bit.”
The Thunderbirds outscored Lehigh Valley 2-1 for Springfield’s fifth straight victory at home, tieing the franchise record.
