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Falcons Battle Monsters and 'Cats this Weekend

January 13, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Springfield, Mass. – The Springfield Falcons will face the Lowell Lock Monsters and the Worcester IceCats in a pair of Atlantic Division match-ups at the Springfield Civic Center this weekend. The Lock Monsters will make their first visit of the season to Springfield on Friday for a 7:35 p.m. contest. The Falcons host Worcester on Saturday night beginning at 7:05 p.m.

The Falcons scored four goals in the final eight minutes of their last home contest on Saturday en route to a 4-3 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack. Springfield's leading goal-scorer Ryan Craig tallied twice in the win. The Falcons came up short on the road against the Portland Pirates on Sunday by a score of 2-1.

The Lock Monsters will enter Friday's contest versus the Falcons riding a three-game winning streak including an 8-7 shootout win over the Providence Bruins on Sunday. The Monsters' lineup features 20-year-old C Eric Staal, the second overall pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes. Staal shares the Lowell team lead with 36 points (10g, 26a).

Like Lowell, the IceCats have also won their last three contests including a two-game sweep of a mini-Texas tour while visiting the San Antonio Rampage and Houston Aeros last weekend. Worcester goaltender Jason Bacashihua is the reigning AHL Player of the Week after stopping 93 of 95 shots and posting a 3-0-0 record last week.

Team Notes: D Marc Busenburg, a native of Shrewsbury, has recorded eight points (2g, 6a) over the last seven games. The blueliner collected three assists against Hartford on Saturday.... LW Steve McLaren scored his first goal as a Falcon on Sunday at Portland.... Saturday's win over Hartford marked the third multi-goal game of the season for Craig.... D Brian Chapman posted the 450th point of his pro career with an assist last Friday versus Providence. Chapman has collected an assist in each of the Falcons' last three games.... LW Brandon Elliott made his professional debut versus Providence on Friday.

Roster Update: D Doug O'Brien was recalled to the Falcons today from the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL. O'Brien was +2 in three games with Johnstown after being assigned on Jan. 6.... RW Shane Willis has missed the last five games with an injury.... D Andreas Holmqvist has sat out the last eight games with an injury.

Upcoming Opponents:

Falcons vs. Lowell Lock Monsters

Springfield Civic Center

Friday, Jan. 13

The Falcons host the Lock Monsters (20-10-1-3, 44 pts) at The Nest for the first time this season in the fourth overall meeting between the clubs this season.... The Falcons defeated Lowell, 3-2 in a shootout, in the last encounter on Dec. 19 in Tsongas Arena. Springfield LW Nikita Alexeev scored both in regulation and the shootout in the victory.... Springfield is 1-2-0-0 against the Lock Monsters this season and 20-23-4 in the all-time series.... Craig has scored three goals versus Lowell this season. C Craig Darby (1g, 2a) and RW Darren Reid (3a) have also registered three points against the Monsters.... Staal has collected six points (1g, 5a) versus the Falcons to pace Lowell.... Lock Monsters RW Chuck Kobasew, a first-round draft selection (14th overall) by Carolina in 2001, has recorded five points (3g, 2a) against Springfield.... The Falcons have converted three of ten power-play chances (30.0%) in the season series. Lowell has scored four goals on 11 power plays (36.4%) versus Springfield.... Lock Monsters RW Chad Larose is riding a seven-game point streak during which he has collected eight points (4g, 4a).... Lowell LW Colin Forbes is tied for second in the AHL in plus/minus at +24.... Kobasew has scored six game-winning goals this season to share the league lead.... Lowell is 7-7-1-2 on the road this season.... The Lock Monsters have won five of their last six games (5-1-0-0).... Lowell is tied for 10th in the AHL in power-play success (16.0%) and shares the 14th ranking in penalty killing (83.8%).... The Lock Monsters are 14-0-0-1 when leading after the second period this season.

Falcons vs. Worcester IceCats

Springfield Civic Center

Saturday, Jan. 14

The Falcons meet the IceCats in the sixth of ten match-ups between the teams this season. It is the ‘Cats third visit of the campaign to Springfield.... The Falcons have won two of the last three encounters including a 4-1 victory in the most recent meeting on Dec. 26 in Worcester.... Springfield is 2-3-0-0 overall against the IceCats this season and carries a 39-50-14 all-time record versus the club.... Willis has scored three goals versus Worcester this season. Reid (1g, 2a) and fellow rookie Nick Tarnasky (3a) have also posted three points versus the ‘Cats.... Springfield G Jamie Storr has turned aside 90.8% of shots faced in the season series.... Rookie D Dennis Wideman leads the IceCats versus the Falcons with seven points (2g, 5a) this season including a five-point effort (2g, 3a) in the first meeting on Oct. 16.... C Jay McClement has scored four goals among six points against Springfield this season.... The IceCats have won five of six contests (5-1-0-0) since last meeting the Falcons.... Worcester is 8-6-0-1 in road games this season.... Wideman leads the IceCats in scoring with 24 points (7g, 17a) this season. He is tied for fifth among AHL rookies and ranks seventh among league defensemen.... IceCats C Blake Evans is tied for the AHL lead with six game-winning goals this season. Evans has scored three goals and added an assist over the last five games.... Bacashihua is tied for ninth in the league in goals against average (2.14).... The ‘Cats have outscored opponents, 35-26, in the third period of games this season.... Worcester is 8-1-0-1 when leading after the first period this season and 16-0-0-1 when in front after the second.

"A Touch of Class": The Falcons announced on Wednesday that WWLP 22News Sports Anchor Morgan Hook will serve as Master of Ceremonies at the team's "A Touch of Class" charity event on Wednesday, January 26 at The Delaney House in Holyoke. Falcons players will host the special cocktail event which will benefit Springfield Falcons Charities, Inc. During an evening of fine dining from 5:30 – 8 p.m., fans can meet and mingle with the Falcons in a "dress to the nines" event. Hook will auction off opportunities to go bowling and go cart racing with Falcons players, bring a player to school, practice on the ice with Falcons coaches, as well as many other prizes and events. Please see the Falcons' web site, www.falconsahl.com, for more details.

January 21 Discount Through Eastfield Mall: Fans can purchase tickets for the Springfield Falcons' game on Friday, January 21 versus the Lowell Lock Monsters for a discounted price of $10 per ticket through the Eastfield Mall. Bring just $20 in receipts from Eastfield Mall merchants dated within the past 30 days to Mall Services to take advantage of the offer. For more information, please call (413) 543-8000.

Radio Broadcasts: Tune into The ZONE – Sports Radio 640 to hear both Falcons' games this week. The Voice of the Falcons, Marc Shelanski, calls the action. The pre-game show begins 30 minutes prior to the opening face-off. Fans can also listen via the Internet by clicking on the MassLive.com Cybercast icon on the Falcons' official web site, www.falconsahl.com.

Tickets: Tickets for Falcons' home games can be ordered in person or by phone through the Springfield Civic Center box office located along East Court Street. To order by phone, please call (413) 787-6600 or (800) 639-8602. Tickets can also be ordered online by visiting the Falcons' official web site, www.falconsahl.com. Groups of 15 or more can receive discount savings by contacting the Falcons' team office at (413) 739-3344. Group tickets must be ordered in advance.



American Hockey League Stories from January 13, 2005


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.

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