Falcons Edged by Penguins in Shootout, 5-4
Published on January 2, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Springfield, Mass - The Springfield Falcons evenly battled the red-hot Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins through regulation and overtime, but eventually fell in a shootout at the Springfield Civic Center on Saturday night. Falcons left wing Nikita Alexeev scored twice in the 5-4 loss. Forward Ryan Craig and defenseman Gerard Dicaire also tallied for Springfield. Right wing Michel Ouellet scored twice in regulation for the Pens and then converted both his attempts in the shootout.
Each team connected twice during the first five rounds of the shootout as Ouellet and Colby Armstrong tallied for the Penguins and Craig Darby and Adam Henrich scored for the Falcons. Craig nearly won the game for Springfield in the fifth round when his wrist shot, after being partially stopped by the glove of Wilkes-Barre's Andy Chiodo, landed behind the goaltender in the crease and rolled toward the goal line. However, Chiodo was able to reach back to keep the puck out of the net. In the sudden-death sixth round, Ouellet slid the puck under Falcons netminder Jamie Storr to put Springfield on the ropes. Darby's bid to extend the shootout clanged solidly off the right post.
The win was the fourth straight for the Penguins who are now 9-2-0-0 over their last eleven games.
The Penguins jumped to a 1-0 lead 23 seconds into the game on right wing Michel Ouellet's AHL-leading 25th goal of the season. Linemates Matt Murley and Kris Beech collected assists on the tally.
With 10:55 remaining in the first period, left wing Mitch Fritz backhanded the puck into the net, but the goal was waved off due to a goaltender interference penalty issued to right wing Andre Deveaux.
The Penguins capitalized on the ensuing power play 16 seconds later when center Erik Christensen swept in his fifth goal of the season from the edge of the crease.
Craig put the Falcons on the board with 7:24 left in the first period with his team-leading 15th goal of the season. The forward intercepted a cross ice pass in the Penguins' zone and snapped a shot over the glove of Wilkes-Barre goaltender Andy Chiodo from between the face-off circles.
The goal would be the first of three unanswered markers for the Falcons.
The Falcons tied the game at two goals apiece with 4:29 remaining in the opening frame on a goal by Alexeev. Center Jason Jaspers set up the goal after receiving a touch pass by Evgeni Artukhin at the center red line and fought off a Penguins defender while carrying the puck along the right boards. From near the goal line, Jaspers shoveled the puck through the crease to Alexeev, who tapped it into the back of the net.
Alexeev put Springfield in front 49 seconds into the second period as the Falcons again exploited a Penguins turnover. A Wilkes-Barre pass from the side of their net glanced off the stick of Chiodo out to the left face-off dot from where Alexeev fired a shot into the top corner.
The Penguins vaulted to a 4-3 lead with back-to-back goals later in the period. Ouellet potted his second goal of the game and 26th of the season at the 5:01 mark on a shot from the left circle after receiving a pass from below the goal line by Beech. Former Falcon Ramzi Abid tipped a wrist shot by Colby Armstrong past Springfield goaltender Jamie Storr for his 12th goal of the season 1:22 later.
The Falcons again knotted the game with 3:39 left in the frame when Dicaire scored his first of the season. Darby dished the puck to Dicaire after stickhandling the puck deep into the slot. Dicaire's low wrist shot from the right hash mark found its way through traffic and past Chiodo.
The game was delayed with 4:32 remaining in the second period when an Artukhin hit on Penguins defenseman David Koci in the corner knocked the glass onto the ice.
Storr made 24 saves in the Falcons net. Chiodo stopped 23 of 27 Springfield shots.
The Penguins converted one of two power play opportunities in the game. The Falcons did not score on their only chance with the man advantage which was created when Koci took a holding penalty in the third period in an effort to avenge Artukhin's hit earlier in the contest.
The Falcons return to the home ice of the Civic Center on Friday against the Providence Bruins. Game time is 7:35 p.m. For tickets, visit the Civic Center box office, or call (413) 787-6600 or (800) 639-8602 to order by phone. Tickets can also be ordered online by visiting the Falcons' official web site.
American Hockey League Stories from January 2, 2005
- Bergeron, Canada to play for Gold - Providence Bruins
- Phantoms lose 4-2 to Rochester - Adirondack Phantoms
- Bears keep rolling with a 5-1 win over Worcester - Hershey Bears
- Rampage reassign Dickenson, Sonnenberg to Texas - San Antonio Rampage
- Monarchs Open The New Year In Style - Manchester Monarchs
- Falcons Edged by Penguins in Shootout, 5-4 - Springfield Falcons
- 'Cats start 2005 with 3-2 win over Binghamton - Worcester IceCats
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