Falcons Beat Sharks 4-3 in a Shootout

January 6, 2012 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


The Springfield Falcons kicked off the new year with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the Worcester Sharks on Friday night at the MassMutual Center. The Falcons rallied back from a 2-1 deficit in the third period to finish off the Sharks 2-0 in the shootout. Cam Atkinson collected two goals in regulation, one in the shootout and also earned his first fighting major en route to the Falcons' 15th win of the year.

Falcons' head coach Rob Riley says the game could not have been closer. "It was a tough gut-wrenching game right down to the wire," said Riley.

In the first period of play, Springfield put Worcester goaltender Tyson Sexsmith to the test. The Sharks faced three Springfield power plays and 13 shots on goal in the first 20 minutes. Aaron Bogosian sent a shot past Sexsmith at 16:50 to light the lamp for an apparent goal, but the puck found iron and officials waved off the early celebrations to keep the teams level.

Sexsmith was challenged by three breakaway attempts in the opening period, eventually conceding a late goal to Atkinson on a breakaway. At 17:34, Atkinson split two Worcester defensemen at the center dot to burst toward his first goal of the game. The Falcons rounded out their impressive first period allowing just four shots on goal and holding onto a 1-0 advantage.

The Sharks managed to slow Springfield's momentum in the second period. John McCarthy put Worcester on the board at 15:04, beating Falcons' goaltender Manny Legace on the power play. Shortly after tying the game, the Sharks built a lead with Matt Irwin sending one past Legace at 16:08. With the period ready to expire, Matt Calvert pushed the puck up the ice and into Sexsmith to light the lamp for Springfield, but officials waved off the goal to end the second stanza with the Falcons trailing the Sharks 2-1.

In the third period, the Falcons came roaring back. On the power play, Atkinson knocked home a rebound off a shot from Tomas Kubalik at 5:34 for his 17th goal of the season to level the scoring at 2-2. At 14:51, Calvert redirected a shot from Dane Byers, lifting the Falcons to a 3-2 lead. Worcester managed the equalizer at 18:19 when Jack Combs sent a slap-shot past Legace to force overtime.

Riley says his team left everything out there in the third period. "We were a desperate team," said Riley. "In the third period we had guys blocking shots that don't normally block shots, and we were totally committed to finding a way to win the game."

The overtime finished scoreless, leading the Falcons to their second shootout in three games. Atkinson and Kubalik found the net in the shootout, while Legace stopped all four shooters, to give the Falcons the 4-3 win.

"We had the whole team binding together tonight," said Atkinson.

The Falcons continue their busy weekend tomorrow night with a 7 pm puck drop in Hartford for the first game of a home and home series against the Whale. The Falcons have yet to solve Connecticut this season, dropping all five of their meetings. The Falcons will host the Whale this Sunday at the MassMutual Center at 3 pm.



American Hockey League Stories from January 6, 2012


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