Springfield ends Providence Bruins' amazing season with stunning upset

The Providence Bruins 2025-2026 amazing season has come to an end as the Springfield Thunderbirds pulled off a 1-0 victory in overtime on Thursday, May 7, defeating Providence in four games to advance to the Atlantic Division Finals.

Springfield completed the largest upset in Calder Cup Playoff history, defeating the winner of the MacGregor Kilpatrick Trophy, awarded annually to the AHL regular-season champions, and a team that finished 38 points ahead of the T-Birds in the Atlantic Division,

It was the second straight game won by the T-Birds, a St. Louis Blues affiliate, in the extra session this series. Springfield defeated the Providence 3-2, on Tuesday, which also ended in overtime.

Providence's Patrick Brown (38) defends against Springfield's Hugh McGing in their May 3 game at Providence's Amica Mutual Pavilion. The P-Bruins lost at Springfield on Thursday, ending their season.

The game featured outstanding goaltending from both Georgi Romanov of the T-Birds, who was named first star of the game by stopping all 37 shots he faced. He outdueled P-Bruins Michael DiPietro of the P-Bruins, the 2025-2026 AHL MVP. He stopped 27 of 28 shots he saw and was named third star of the game.

Springfield's Dillon Dube scored the only goal of the game at 4:01 of the overtime session with Otto Stenberg and Chris Wagner picking up assists on the lone tally. Dube crashed the net at the left side of the net and beat DiPietro for his second goal and fifth point of the series.