Falcons Continue Road Trip This Weekend
October 24, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
THIS WEEK'S GAME PREVIEWS
--FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2007 - SPRINGFIELD FALCONS AT HARTFORD WOLF PACK--
The Springfield Falcons and Hartford Wolf Pack begin their 10-game season series just 26-miles south of Springfield in Connecticut's capital city. The Wolf Pack return from a four-game road trip in which they went 2-1-0-1. Hartford has a record of 2-2-0-1 through five games and currently sit in sixth place in the Atlantic Division standings. Right wing Greg Moore leads Hartford in scoring through five games with three goals and two assists for five points. Nigel Dawes and Alex Bourret are tied with Moore with five points each, but Dawes is currently on recall to the New York Rangers. Rookie Artem Anisimov is second on the Pack in scoring with two goals and two assists for four points in five games. Goaltender Al Montoya has appeared in all five games posting a record of 1-2-1 with a 2.51 goals against average and .897 save percentage.
--SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2007 - SPRINGFIELD FALCONS AT PHILADELPHIA PHANTOMS--
The Falcons and Phantoms meet for the only time in Philadelphia all season as they play their first of two meetings this season on Saturday. Springfield and Philadelphia are the top two teams as far as standings points go in the early portion of the season. Springfield has the most points in the AHL with a record of 5-2-0-1 good for 11 points, while Philadelphia has a record of 5-1-0-0 good for 10 points. The Phantoms started the season by winning their first five consecutive games before suffering their first loss on October 20 against Providence. Philadelphia goaltender Brian Boucher and Springfield netminder Jeff Deslauriers remain tied for the league lead in wins with four. Stefan Ruzicka and Kyle Greentree are tied for the team lead in scoring with eight points each. Former Falcon Darren Reid is second on the team in scoring with two goals and five assists for seven points while also having a team-leading 24 penalty minutes. Reid also leads the Phantoms in power play goals with four and tied for the team lead in game-winning markers with two.
LAST WEEK'S GAME RECAPS
---SPRINGFIELD At ALBANY, OCTOBER 20 - W 5-2---
October 20, 2007 - The Springfield Falcons continue to play some of their best hockey in the third period as they scored four third period goals on their way to a 5-2 come-from-behind win over the Albany River Rats on Saturday night. The Falcons improved their record to 5-2 on the season and they remain in first place in the Atlantic Division standings.
Trailing 2-1 entering the third period, the Falcons started their rally early in the final frame when Patrick Thoresen tipped in a Ladislav Smid wrist shot while on the power play at 2:04 tying the score at 2-2. Smid came back on his next shift and gave the Falcons a 3-2 advantage at 3:47 of the final frame when his slap shot from the left point beat Albany goaltender Michael Leighton putting Springfield on top to stay.
In the final minute of play, Thoresen added an empty net goal with 24-seconds remaining in regulation, followed by Rob Schremp converting with nine seconds left in the game ending a strong third period by the Falcons.
Albany opened the scoring in the first period when Keith Aucoin scored on a five-on-three power play at 6:45. Springfield tied the score in the second period when Liam Reddox scored his fourth goal in as many games at 9:18 of the middle period. The Rats regained a one-goal advantage just two-minutes after Reddox tied the game when Jamie Johnson knocked home his own rebound.
---SPRINGFIELD At PORTLAND, OCTOBER 21 - L - 2-1 (SO)---
October 21, 2007 - The Springfield Falcons went on the road to Portland on Sunday and picked up a point losing 2-1 in a shootout at the Cumberland County Civic Center. The Falcons are now 5-2-0-1 on the season and remain in first place in the Atlantic Division and they have the most points in the AHL.
The Falcons went scoreless in five opportunities in the shootout, while Portland's Andrew Ebbett converted for the Pirates in the extra frame giving Portland the extra point.
After 40 minutes of scoreless hockey, the Falcons opened the scoring at 8:02 of the third period when Fredrik Johansson converted on a feed from Colin McDonald. The goal was Johansson's first pro goal and teammate Tyler Spurgeon made sure that Johansson received the puck.
Portland tied the score at 1-1 when Petteri Wirtanen picked the puck out of scrum at the top of the crease sliding it past Falcons goaltender Jeff Deslauriers at 12:54 of the final frame. Deslauriers and Portland goaltender Mike McKenna both were very strong between the pipes making several key saves throughout regulation and overtime.
PLAYER NOTES:
The Springfield Falcons collected three of a possible four points this past weekend going 1-0-0-1. The Falcons beat the Albany River Rats 5-2 on Saturday scoring four third period goals on their way to victory. It was Springfield's second consecutive come-from-behind win in the final frame. The Falcons earned a point in Portland on Sunday losing to the Pirates 2-1 in a shootout. Springfield is now 2-0-0-1 against Portland this year.
The Springfield Falcons have outscored their opponents 15-8 in the third period this year. The Falcons are tied with the Manitoba Moose for the most goals in the AHL with 27. Springfield remains in first-place in the Atlantic Division standings with a record of 5-2-0-1 and the Falcons also have the most points in the AHL.
Patrick Thoresen continued his strong play this past weekend scoring a pair of third period goals on Saturday night in Albany. Thoresen has four goals and two assists in his last four games, including three straight multi-point games from October 13 - October 20.
Rookie Liam Reddox is third in the AHL in rookie scoring with four goals and four assists for eight points in eight games played. Reddox is second among all AHL rookies in goals and he has four goals and two assists for six points in his last five games.
Falcons goaltender Jeff Deslauriers remains tied with Philadelphia's Brian Boucher for the league lead in wins with four. Deslauriers is 4-1-1 on the season with a 2.66 goals against average and .916 save percentage. Deslauriers was the game's second star on Sunday at Portland stopping 28 of 29 shots through regulation and overtime.
Rob Schremp has points in four of his last five games with Springfield collecting three goals and four assists for seven points in that span. Schremp had a three-game goal scoring streak snapped on Sunday. He has been voted the game's first star in two of his last four games with the Falcons.
Center Tyler Spurgeon made his Falcons debut on October 20 at Albany collecting a pair of assists, followed by one helper on Sunday at Portland.
Rookie Fredrik Johansson scored his first pro goal on Sunday, October 21 at Portland.
INJURY REPORT
Falcons forward Ryan Flinn and defenseman T.J. Kemp missed games due to injury.
TRANSACTIONS
October 19, 2007 - Edmonton Oilers recall left wing Jean-Francois Jacques from the Springfield Falcons.
October 19, 2007 - Edmonton Oilers reassign center Rob Schremp to the Springfield Falcons.
October 23, 2007 - Springfield Falcons reassign Ryan O'Marra to their ECHL affiliate, the Stockton Thunder.
ON THE FARM - STOCKTON THUNDER
The Stockton Thunder continue the month of October with a record of 0-3 with the team playing at Phoenix on Wednesday, followed by a home game on Saturday against Alaska. Saturday will be the team's home opener and Stockton's roster consists of several players who started the year with Springfield including: Ryan O'Marra, Brandon Schwartz, Andy Contois, Jonas Almtorp, Jacob Micflikier, Adam Huxley, Jesse Bennefield, David Rohlfs, Geoff Paukovich, Ryan Geris, Brad Farynuk, Glenn Fisher and Cam Ellsworth.
WEEK IN REVIEW
OCTOBER 20 Springfield-5 At Albany -2 (Goal scorers - Thoresen (2), Reddox, Schremp, Smid)
OCTOBER 21 Springfield-1 At Portland-2 (so) (Goal scorers - Johansson)
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE
OCTOBER 26 Springfield At Hartford 7:00 PM Hartford Civic Center
OCTOBER 27 Springfield At Philadelphia 7:00 PM The Wachovia Spectrum
*Radio Broadcasts on WHYN AM 560
*Watch Live on the B-2 Network
American Hockey League Stories from October 24, 2007
- Rampage fall 4-3 in Shootout to Chicago - San Antonio Rampage
- P-Bruins Defeat Wolf Pack 4-3 - Providence Bruins
- Admirals Top Quad City 8-1 - Milwaukee Admirals
- Devils Topple Sound Tigers 4-3 - Albany Devils
- Bulldogs Fall To Griffs - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Sound Tigers Bedeviled In Lowell - Bridgeport Islanders
- Griffins Down Bulldogs 5-3 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Johnson's Two Goals Lead River Rats To Victory - Albany River Rats
- Monarchs, E&R Cleaners Teaming Up For Warmth - Manchester Monarchs
- Rennette to Appear on WMBD This Morning Friday - Peoria Rivermen
- Coyotes Assign Aebischer, Meyer To San Antonio - San Antonio Rampage
- Phantoms Host Health and Wellness Expo - Adirondack Phantoms
- Family Day, Puck Pals and Breast Cancer games all coming soon - Houston Aeros
- 'Dogs sign two-time AHL All-Star defenceman Joel Bouchard to 25-game P.T.O. - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Falcons Continue Road Trip This Weekend - Springfield Falcons
- Edmonton Oilers Recall Defenseman Ladislav Smid - Springfield Falcons
- Sound Tigers to host Pink Rink Night for breast cancer awareness - Bridgeport Islanders
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
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