Falcons and Monarchs Battle For The Playoffs Tonight

March 19, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


GAME SETUP: The Springfield Falcons and Manchester Monarchs meet for the ninth time this season and tonight will be the first of two head-to-head match-ups this week. The Falcons and Monarchs conclude their season series on Sunday, March 23 at the Verizon Wireless Arena. Springfield is 2-4-2-0 against Manchester this season with the Monarchs winning the last three overall games against the Falcons. Tonight's contest features two teams that are battling for the fourth and final playoff spot within the Atlantic Division. Springfield leads Manchester by one point for fourth place as they prepare to meet twice this week.

Falcons forward Rob Schremp leads Springfield in scoring against Manchester this season with two goals and five assists for seven points in seven games. Viacheslav Trukhno is tied with Schremp for the team lead in goals against the Monarchs with two.

Gabe Gauthier leads Manchester in scoring against Springfield with three goals and seven assists for 10 points in eight games. The Monarchs have five players tied for the team lead in goals against the Falcons as Gauthier, Troy Milam, David Meckler, Brian Boyle, and Matt Ryan all have three markers against Springfield this year.

The Falcons head into tonight's action looking to rebound from a 3-2 loss suffered against the San Antonio Rampage this past Sunday. Springfield received goals from Rob Schremp and Stephane Goulet, while goaltender Jeff Deslauriers was steady stopping 27 of 30 shots on goal. The Falcons currently have a record of 30-27-5-5, their first 30-win campaign since the 2002-03 season. Springfield starts a busy stretch of four games in five days as they head to Portland on Friday, host Hartford on Saturday and head to Manchester on Sunday. Springfield has won four of their last five home games and overall, they are 20-11-3-1 at "The Nest" this year.

The Monarchs head into Springfield having earned at least a point in their last four straight games going 3-0-1-0 in that span taking seven of a possible eight points. Manchester will not play until Saturday following tonight's game when they head to Portland, followed by a return home on Sunday when they host the Falcons. Manchester has only allowed six goals in their last four games. The Monarchs shutout the Lowell Devils in their most recent win this past Sunday with goaltender Jonathan Quick blanking the Devils with 27 saves.

MOST RECENT ADDITIONS: The Springfield Falcons announced Tuesday that they have signed defenseman Cody Wild to an Amateur Tryout Agreement (ATO). Wild was a college teammate of Falcons rookie Colin McDonald.

Wild recently finished his third season with Providence College where he collected four goals and 18 assists for 22 points and 28 penalty minutes in 32 games with the Friars. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound native of Limestone, Maine was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the fifth round (140th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

FALCONS PLAYER NOTES: Viacheslav Trukhno extended his scoring streak to eight games collecting one assist on Sunday, March 16 against San Antonio. Trukhno has six goals and five assists for 11 points in that span. Trukhno had scored a goal in five straight games from March 2 - March 15.

Rob Schremp is currently on a six-game scoring streak picking up three goals and five assists for eight points in that span. Schremp continues to lead Springfield in scoring and he is ninth in the AHL's scoring race with 17 goals and 45 assists for 62 points in 65 games played.

Stephane Goulet scored his eighth marker of the year on Sunday, March 16 giving him four goals in his last four games. Goulet also has six goals in his last eight overall games played.

T.J. Kemp was the game's second star on Sunday, March 16 with two assists. Kemp has collected at least a point in five of his last six games recording seven assists in that span. Kemp is eighth in the league in scoring among defensemen with six goals and 35 assists for 41 points in 60 games.

MANCHESTER PLAYER NOTES: The Monarchs continue to have the top two scoring rookies in the AHL this year. Teddy Purcell leads the league in rookie scoring with 18 goals and 48 assists for 66 points in 56 games, while Brian Boyle is second in the AHL in rookie scoring with 23 goals and 26 assists for 49 points in 60 games played. Both players were members of Hockey East last year as Purcell spent the 2006-07 campaign with the University of Maine, while Boyle led the Boston College Eagles in scoring last season with 53 points in 42 games. Goaltender Jonathan Quick, who finished his collegiate career with UMass-Amherst, has won five games in 11 appearances with Manchester this season.



American Hockey League Stories from March 19, 2008


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.

OurSports Central