Falcons Beat Pirates 6-3

Published on February 17, 2009 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


February 17, 2009 - With a 16-30-6-2 record and carrying an 11 game winless streak heading into Tuesday night's game against the Portland Pirates, the Springfield Falcons were looking for something positive to happen to build on for the remaining 26 games of the season.

Springfield found it from an unlikely source. Bryan Young recorded his first professional goal to break a 3-3 tie late in the second period and the Falcons offense found some life en route to a 6-3 victory over second-place Portland.

Young's goal, the eventual game winner, came with two minutes remaining in the second period. Tyler Spurgeon won an offensive zone faceoff cleanly back to Young, who fired a low wrist shot on net and through Jhonas Enroth's legs to put the Falcons up for good on the Pirates.

Portland opened the scoring in an action packed first period, connecting on a 2-on-1 opportunity early. Mathieu Darche recorded his 17th goal of the season on a nice feed from Mike Kostka to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead.

Springfield answered quickly to tie the game on a Tyler Chorney blast from 60 feet out that beat Portland's Enroth high to the glove side. The goal, Chorney's fourth of the season, was assisted by Colin McDonald and Cody Wild.

Portland roared right back to take the lead again 30 seconds later. Paul Baier received a pass from Mike Weber in open ice to the left of Falcons goalie Dany Sabourin and slipped a wrist shot under Sabourin's arm for his third goal on the season and a Portland 2-1 lead.

Back came Springfield, this time on the strength of a spectacular singular effort by Ryan Stone, who carried the puck through Portland's defense and deked Enroth before slipping a backhand under the sprawling goalie's glove to knot the game at two goals apiece. Stone's goal, his 12th, wouldn't be his last point of the night.

Only three minutes later, Stone found himself behind Portland's net after a missed 2-on-1 by the Falcons. With defenders closing, he slipped a pass to Geoff Paukovich on the goal line. Paukovich slapped the shot home just before Enroth could react to give the Falcons the lead for the first time in the contest.

The penalty-free, six goal period ended tied up at three after a nifty pass by Kostka found Aaron Slattengren alone in the slot for a one-touch shot that slipped past Sabourin to knot the game up and close out a wild first frame.

Up 4-3 in the third period on Young's goal, Sebastien Bisaillon wristed a long shot in on Enroth. Before reaching the net, the puck deflected off a Portland defenseman and past the leaning goaltender to add insurance to the Falcons' lead. Colin McDonald added an empty-net goal to close out the game for his sixth tally of the year.

Springfield's Sabourin recovered brilliantly from what could be termed a shaky first period to shut down Portland for the rest of the game and record a 32 save victory, his first with the Falcons in four starts. He was especially sharp in the second period, denying three Portland power play opportunities to keep the game close.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 17, 2009


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