UFOs top T-Birds | Pro Hockey News

April 13, 2025

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – After 50 years without contact, the Carbondale UFOs returned to Northeast Pennsylvania and zapped the Springfield Thunderbirds, 4-1, on Saturday night at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.

Saturday, April 12, 2025, the Carbondale UFO’s (WBS Penguins) vs Springfield Thunderbirds. The UFO’s beat the Thunderbirds by a score of 4-1.

In the third installment of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ Community Night presented by Visit Luzerne County, Carbondale (38-22-7-1) had its offense kick into hyperdrive after surrendering the first goal. Four different players lit the lamp as they peppered Springfield with 44 shots on goal.

The UFOs were steered off course early, allowing the opening tally 1:47 into the contest. Jacob Hudson snatched a turnover in Carbondale’s zone, walked in and beat Joel Blomqvist over his glove for the first strike.

The game’s gravitational pull quickly shifted in the UFOs’ favor, spending more and more time in the offensive zone. Eventually, Carbondale tied things up as the culmination of a starry passing display. Filip Král launched a pass from the UFOs’ zone to the far blue line, followed by a pair of drop passes by Atley Calvert and Sam Poulin for Tristan Broz to bury the puck into an open cage at 13:32.

Twenty seconds later, Nolan Renwick jammed in his first pro goal to give the UFOs a 2-1 lead.

Just as a Carbondale man advantage expired late in the second period, Calvert stuffed a loose puck across the goal line for a two-goal lead.

The UFOs kept up the pace in the third period, but heroics from Springfield goalie Colten Ellis kept the T-Birds within striking distance. One of Ellis’ 40 stops in the game was a post-to-post, lunging glove stop that robbed Boris Katchouk midway through the final frame.

However, when Springfield pulled Ellis for an extra attacker, Emil Bemström capped off the night by snapping his team-leading 22^nd goal into the empty net with 91 seconds remaining.

Blomqvist made 22 saves, earning the win in his first game since suiting up for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Mar. 2.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game is tomorrow, Sunday, Apr. 13, as it closes out a three-in-three weekend against the Bridgeport Islanders. Puck drop between the Penguins and Islanders is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Total Mortgage Arena.

The Penguins return home on Wednesday, Apr. 16 for a date with the Providence Bruins. Two teams jockeying for playoff position in the Atlantic Division will face off at 7:05 p.m. at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.

With Pens match report