Falcons continue rivalries with Wolf Pack and Pirates this weekend

Published on March 11, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Springfield, MA – The Springfield Falcons (21-33-8-2, 52 pts) will face the Hartford Wolf Pack and Portland Pirates in a pair of home encounters at the Springfield Civic Center this weekend. The Wolf Pack will pay a visit to The Nest on Friday night. The Falcons will host the Pirates on Saturday evening. Game time for both contests is 7:35 p.m.

Team Notes: Falcons right wing Peter Ferraro had a seven-game scoring streak snapped in Wednesday evening's 3-0 loss to the Manchester Monarchs. Ferraro registered nine points (3g, 6a) during the streak.... Springfield has scored on the power play in eight of the last ten games, converting 11 of 44 opportunities (25.0%) over that span.... Jeremiah McCarthy played in his 400th professional game on Wednesday in Manchester.... Peter Ferraro's next goal will be the 250th of his pro career.... Falcons defenseman Nic Bilotto has registered at least a point in four of his last seven games (2g, 4a).... The Falcons were whistled for just four minutes in penalties at Manchester on Wednesday – their lowest total for a game this season.

Roster Update: The Falcons signed right wing Nick Greenough to a professional tryout agreement today. The 6'4", 225-pound forward registered nine points (1g, 8a) and 199 PIM in 44 games with the Augusta Lynx of the ECHL this season.... The Falcons released defenseman Brian Sullivan from his amateur tryout agreement today. Sullivan skated for the Falcons versus Manchester on Wednesday after signing with the team earlier in the day.... Center Chris Ferraro returned to the Falcons' lineup on Wednesday after missing four games with an injury.... Goaltender David LeNeveu backed up Jean-Marc Pelletier on Wednesday. LeNeveu was held out of the previous six games due to an injury.... Center Jason Jaspers and defenseman Matthew Spiller were recalled by the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday.... The Coyotes assigned Tom Koivisto to Springfield after acquiring the defensemen from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations on Tuesday.... Left wing Goran Bezina was recalled by the Coyotes on Tuesday.... Netminder Scott Dickie and right wing Frank Littlejohn were released from their professional tryout agreements on Monday. Littlejohn signed his PTO on Sunday and played for the Falcons versus the Worcester IceCats that afternoon.... Center Erik Westrum was recalled by the Coyotes on Saturday. He made his NHL debut in the club's 1-1 tie with the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.

Upcoming Weekend:

Falcons vs. Hartford Wolf Pack

Friday, March 12

The Falcons and Wolf Pack meet for the tenth and final time this season. The Falcons are 2-5-2-0 against Hartford this season and hold an all-time mark of 27-38-6 versus the franchise.... In the most recent encounter between the clubs, the Wolf Pack came away with a 5-2 victory on February 29th in Hartford. Center Benoit Dusablon (GWG) and goaltender Jason LaBarbera (2GA, 35 SV) led the Wolf Pack to the win. The teams combined for 175 PIM in the game (a high for a Falcons' game this season) including 156 in a fight-filled third period.... The Wolf Pack is unbeaten in their last five games (3-0-2-0). Left wing Chad Wiseman leads Hartford with five points (2g, 3a) during the streak.... Former Falcons netminder Steve Valiquette has allowed just one goal in two complete games, each of which went to overtime, since joining the Wolf Pack after being acquired by the New York Rangers in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers on March 3rd.... The Wolf Pack received another former Falcon, defenseman Martin Grenier, following a trade deadline deal between the Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Grenier was immediately assigned to Hartford.... The Wolf Pack were also assigned forward Alexandre Giroux and defenseman Jeff Paul following trade deadline deals made by the Rangers. Giroux scored a goal in Hartford's overtime win over Worcester on Wednesday after ranking second in scoring with the Binghamton Senators with 42 points (19, 23a) in 59 games. Paul recorded eight points (2g, 6a) and 174 PIM in 57 games with the San Antonio Rampage this season.... Wiseman has registered more goals (19) and points (42) than any other player in a Wolf Pack uniform this season.... Peter Ferraro has led the Falcons against Hartford this season with seven points (3g, 4a) in seven match-ups.... Dusablon has collected seven points (4g, 3a) while skating in six games versus Springfield to lead the Wolf Pack.

Falcons vs. Portland Pirates

Saturday, March 13

The Falcons challenge the Pirates (23-23-12-7, 65 pts) at the Civic Center in the eighth of ten match-ups between the teams this season. Springfield holds a record of 2-3-2-0 versus Portland this season and an all-time mark of 42-29-8 against the club.... The Falcons won the last meeting with Portland, 3-2, at The Nest last Friday. Bezina scored twice, while Peter Ferraro posted a goal and an assist for Springfield. Pelletier turned aside 36 of 38 shots to earn the victory. Center Jason Ulmer scored the Pirates' first shorthanded goal of the season in the second period.... The Pirates currently hold the Atlantic Division's fifth and final playoff spot. The club leads the sixth-place Lowell Lock Monsters by a single point in the standings. The Falcons trail Portland by 13 points.... The Pirates blanked the Providence Bruins, 2-0, on Sunday to snap a ten-game winless streak. However, Portland fell by a score of 4-3 to Lowell in the team's next game on Wednesday.... Center Krystofer Kolanos, currently with the Coyotes, has posted six points (3g, 3a) versus the Pirates to pace Springfield. Falcons player/assistant coach Gary Shuchuk has collected five assists and is +7 in the season series.... Forwards Graham Mink (3g, 3a) and Colin Forbes (2g, 4a) have each tallied six points versus the Falcons to lead Portland.... Pelletier holds a 2-2-1 record, 1.51 goals against average (GAA) and .951 save percentage (SV%) versus the Pirates this season.... Despite surrendering three first-period goals to Springfield last Friday, Portland goaltender Rastislav Stana has accumulated a 2-1-0 record, 1.34 GAA, and .957 SV% in the season series..... The Falcons are scoreless on 31 power-play opportunities against the Pirates, who rank second in the AHL in penalty killing (90.0%) this season.... Center Brooks Laich, who had 33 points in 44 games with Binghamton, is pointless in 11 games with Portland since joining the club as a result of the trade that sent forward Peter Bondra to Ottawa on February 18th.... Among AHL teams, the Pirates have allowed the fourth fewest goals to their opponents (129) this season.

Upcoming Promotions:

10th Anniversary Commemorative Poster Night – Friday, March 12 – The first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative poster featuring members of the Falcons' 10th Anniversary Team courtesy of The Republican.

Team Jennifer Night - Saturday, March 13 – Falcons players will be wearing special commemorative jerseys while the team faces the Portland Pirates that evening. The jerseys as well as an abundance of autographed memorabilia from National Hockey League and AHL teams will be available to fans through game-night raffles and online auctions to benefit the Jennifer Ferraro Foundation.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 11, 2004


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