Falcons Weekly Notes
Published on May 13, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Springfield, Mass. - The Springfield Falcons (3-3) attempt to bounce back in the Eastern Conference Semifinals this week after dropping the first two games of the best-of-seven series this past Friday and Saturday at the MassMutual Center to the Syracuse Crunch. On Friday, the Crunch stormed out in the first period with four goals on the way to a 5-2 win. Syracuse scored twice in the opening 1:15 on Saturday en route to a 5-3 victory to take a 2-0 series lead. The Falcons and Crunch will play Game 3 of the series this Wednesday at Syracuse's War Memorial Arena. Game 4 will occur on Friday, while Game 5, if necessary, will take place on Saturday.
Click here to watch Ryan Craig and Mike Kelly discuss the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
If Springfield wins two of the three games in Syracuse this week, the Falcons will host Game 6 on Tuesday, May 21. Should the series go the distance, Springfield would take on Syracuse in Game 7 at the MassMutual Center on Wednesday, May 22.
Fans can purchase tickets to the two remaining potential home games of the series now at the MassMutual Center Box Office, or through Ticketmaster.com. 10-Flex Playoff Packs, which allow fans to purchase 10 vouchers that are redeemable at any home game during the postseason, remain on sale by calling (413) 739-GOAL (4625). Unused vouchers can be returned to the Falcons' front office until Jun. 30 for a credit toward any 2013-14 ticket package.
All games in the series begin at 7 p.m.
Below is the Falcons' Eastern Conference Semifinals schedule:
Game 1 - Friday, May 10, MassMutual Center, Syracuse 5, Springfield 2
Game 2 - Saturday, May 11, MassMutual Center, Syracuse 5, Springfield 3
Game 3 - Wednesday, May 15, 7 p.m., War Memorial Arena
Game 4 - Friday, May 17, 7 p.m., War Memorial Arena
Game 5 - Saturday, May 18, 7 p.m., War Memorial Arena (if necessary)
Game 6 - Tuesday, May 21, 7 p.m., MassMutual Center (if necessary)
Game 7 - Wednesday, May 22, 7 p.m., MassMutual Center (if necessary)
WEEK IN REVIEW
Syracuse 5, Springfield 2
Game 1, Eastern Conference Semifinals
Friday, May 10
MassMutual Center
The Crunch raced out to a 4-1 lead in the first period of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Friday night at the MassMutual Center. Mark Barberio and Richard Panik struck within 20 seconds of each other at 8:40 and 9:00 of the opening frame to build a 2-0 edge. Nick Drazenovic deposited Springfield's first tally of the series on the power play at 10:06, but J.T. Brown and Brett Connolly responded at 11:26 and 18:13 for the three-goal margin through 20 minutes. Halfway through the second, Tyler Johnson rang a puck just inside the left post to add to Syracuse's advantage, making it 5-1. Ryan Craig tipped in a shot with under two seconds left in the game, as Syracuse took Game 1, 5-2.
Syracuse 5, Springfield 3
Game 2, Eastern Conference Semifinals
Saturday, May 11
MassMutual Center
A Falcons' 2013 postseason-high crowd of 4,252 attended Saturday's game, which saw Springfield fight back multiple times to keep the contest within reach. The Falcons faced an uphill climb nearly the entire way, as Richard Panik and Mike Angelidis scored at 1:02 and 1:15 of the first. Ryan Russell tapped a puck in at the top of the crease at 14:40 of the opening stanza to draw to within a goal, 2-1. Springfield had momentum in the game, bringing a five-on-three power play into the second. The Falcons could not convert, however, and Tyler Johnson took over from there. Johnson buried a shot on the power play at 8:31 of the middle frame, and then scored shorthanded at 14:05, as the Crunch grabbed a 4-1 lead. Trent Vogelhuber led the Falcons right back into the game at 14:29, redirecting a Cody Goloubef shot past Cedrick Desjardins to reduce Syracuse's cushion to 4-2. In the third, Johnson netted the hat-trick tally, sending a shot from the bottom of the left circle over Curtis McElhinney's stick at 6:47. Boone Jenner deflected a Nick Holden attempt by Desjardins at 8:04, but Springfield would get no closer, as Syracuse prevailed in Game 2, 5-3.
WEEK AHEAD
Game 3 - Wednesday, May 15, 7 p.m., War Memorial Arena
Game 4 - Friday, May 17, 7 p.m., War Memorial Arena
Game 5 - Saturday, May 18, 7 p.m., War Memorial Arena (if necessary)
ROAD TO RECOVERY
The Falcons hit the road in the Eastern Conference Semifinals looking to become the 24th team in AHL history to overcome a 2-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series. The most recent comeback of that variety occurred when Ryan Craig captained Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to a 4-2 series win over Norfolk after the Penguins lost the opening two games of the 2011 East Division Semifinals. Greg Amadio, Bryan Helmer, and Andrew Joudrey helped Hershey bounce back from a 2-0 hole in the 2010 Calder Cup Final, as the Bears defeated Texas to win the AHL's championship, 4-2. The city of Springfield has seen one victory in a best-of-seven series after a club has trailed, 2-0. That happened in 1991, when the Indians overcame a 2-0 series gap to down the Rochester Americans in the Calder Cup Final, 4-2. The Falcons have won one series in their history after dropping the first two contests. Springfield prevailed past Portland, 3-2, in the 1997 Southern Conference Quarterfinals with victories in Games 3, 4, and 5.
The Crunch have been a part of three losses when leading a best-of-seven series, 2-0. Syracuse fell in the 2008 North Division Final to Toronto, 4-3, the 2006 North Division Semifinals to Manitoba, 4-2, and the 2002 Western Conference Semifinals to Chicago, 4-3, after winning Games 1 and 2 of those series.
CRAIG, DRAZENOVIC PROVIDE POWER
Springfield's most productive power-play threats in the regular season delivered on the man advantage in Friday's Game 1 defeat. Nick Drazenovic, second in the AHL with 29 power-play points (9g-20a) in the regular season, scored in the first period with Springfield up a man. Craig, who led Springfield with 12 power-play goals in 2012-13 and is tied for first in franchise history with 29 man-advantage tallies, tipped in a Nick Holden shot with Andrej Sustr in the box in the game's final moments. Springfield's captain assisted on Drazenovic's first-period tally as well.
THREE-WAY TIE
Cody Bass, Nick Drazenovic, and Ryan Russell are tied for the team postseason-scoring lead with four points. Bass (2g-2a) recorded overtime-winning goals in Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals and had two assists in the series against Manchester. Drazenovic (2g-2a) netted the series-clinching tally in overtime of Game 4 versus the Monarchs and scored on Friday. After leading Springfield with three assists against Manchester, Russell (1g-3a) scored his first goal of the playoffs in Game 2.
HEATING UP
Boone Jenner, who scored his first-career Calder Cup Playoff goal in Game 4 against Manchester, struck again in Game 2 on Saturday. Jenner, who leads Springfield in the postseason with a +3 rating, topped the Falcons with six shots in the Game 2 defeat.
TWO FOR TRENT
Trent Vogelhuber scored his second goal of the playoffs on Saturday. Vogelhuber, who converted while shorthanded against Manchester in Game 2, connected again when he rerouted a Cody Goloubef wrister past Cedrick Desjardins in the second period of Game 2 versus Syracuse.
ASSISTING IN THE EFFORT
Jonathan Audy-Marchessault secured his first multi-point game of the playoffs on Saturday, assisting on Ryan Russell and Boone Jenner's goals in Game 2. Audy-Marchessault led Springfield in the regular season with 67 points, 20 goals, and 47 assists.
DEFENSE CHIPS IN
Cody Goloubef and Dalton Prout each garnered an assist in Game 2 for their first points of the series. Goloubef's helper marked his second point of the playoffs. He also assisted on Cody Bass' overtime winner in Game 2 versus Manchester. Prout's assist signified his first professional postseason point.
SUCCESSFUL DEBUT
Despite coming in with the Falcons facing a four-goal deficit, Allen York was perfect on all 11 shots he saw in the second half of Game 1 on Friday. York's appearance was his first since the last game of the regular season on Apr. 20, a 3-2 win over Adirondack. It marked his professional postseason debut.
HOLDEN HELPS OUT
Nick Holden, who was scoreless in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, amassed three assists in the two games against Syracuse this past weekend. He is the only former Crunch skater on Springfield's postseason roster.
RARE EXCHANGE
Curtis McElhinney was pulled for only the second time this season on Friday, and first since a 6-5 overtime loss in Portland on Nov. 23. McElhinney allowed five goals on nine shots in 30:10 of action in Game 1. The Falcons have played in three games this season in which they have had to make a goaltender swap. In addition to Friday's contest and the game on Nov. 23, Springfield exchanged netminders on Mar. 28 on the way to a 5-4 victory over Bridgeport.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Greg Amadio (32) and Blake Parlett (24) each celebrate birthdays today, while Nick Holden will turn 26 on Wednesday.
CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
The following players on the Falcons roster' have won a championship at the professional, collegiate, or major-junior level:
Greg Amadio - Calder Cup, Hershey Bears, 2010, 2009
Cody Bass - Calder Cup, Binghamton Senators, 2011
Michael Chaput - Memorial Cup, Shawinigan Cataractes, 2012 (MVP)
Matthew Ford - NCAA (D-I), University of Wisconsin, 2006
Bryan Helmer - Calder Cup, Hershey Bears, 2010, 2009, Albany River Rats, 1995
Scott Howes - Kelly Cup, Alaska Aces, 2011 (MVP)
Andrew Joudrey - Calder Cup, Hershey Bears, 2010, 2009, NCAA (D-I), University of Wisconsin, 2006
Spencer Machacek - Memorial Cup, Vancouver Giants, 2007
Nathan Moon - Presidents' Cup, Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, 2011
Ryan Russell - Kelly Cup, Cincinnati Cyclones, 2008
GET YOUR PLAYOFF GEAR AT THE FALCONS NEST PRO SHOP!
Fans are encouraged to wear their red, white, and blue apparel to Falcons playoff games. The best place to purchase Falcons gear is at the Falcons Nest Pro Shop, located inside the team office at 45 Falcons Way, during normal business hours or online by clicking here.
Among the playoff merchandise currently on sale are Falcons playoff t-shirts and pucks, as well as Northeast Division champions t-shirts.
Clearance items currently include adult and youth Reebok alternate jerseys, winter jackets, and women's zip-up hoodies.
The Falcons Nest Pro Shop moves to the MassMutual Center concourse behind section 27 during all home games.
FALCONS NEST PRO SHOP AT 45 FALCONS WAY STORE HOURS
Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
American Hockey League Stories from May 13, 2013
- Barons Shutout Stars 4-0 in Game 3 - Texas Stars
- Oilers Assign David Musil, Martin Gernat and Travis Ewanyk to OKC - Oklahoma City Barons
- Falcons Weekly Notes - Springfield Falcons
- Crunch Weekly - Syracuse Crunch
- Playoffs Return to Grand Rapids this Week - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Wolves Bring Back Climie - Chicago Wolves
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
