Falcons fall in effort to tame Sound Tigers again
February 14, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Springfield, MA â Forward Jeff Hamilton tallied two goals and an assist to lead the Bridgeport Sound Tigers to a 5-3 win over the Springfield Falcons at the Springfield Civic Center on Saturday evening. Jason Jaspers, Nic Bilotto, and Mike Stutzel scored goals for the Falcons, who failed to make it two straight wins over the Sound Tigers after downing the club in Bridgeport on Wednesday.
With the Bridgeport holding a 3-2 lead, Springfield appeared to tie the game with 6:13 remaining in regulation when center Krystofer Kolanos collected a rebound outside the Bridgeport crease and backhanded a shot past Tigers goaltender Wade Dubielewicz. However, the apparent goal was waved off by referee Scott Hoberg who lost sight of the puck after the initial shot and whistled the play dead prior to the score.
Eight seconds later, Hamilton completed a breakaway for an insurance goal and his 28th marker of the season.
Sound Tigers center Ben Guite made the score 5-2 with a shorthanded breakaway tally with 3:34 remaining to play.
Stutzel capped scoring in the game with his 11th goal of the campaign with 1:11 left.
The Sound Tigers opened scoring by converting a first-period power play to 9:10 into the game. On the goal, Gauvreau turned and shot from the bottom of the left wing face-off circle to score his third goal of the season after receiving a pass from the point by Hamilton.
Center Justin Mapletoft potted a Bridgeport's first shorthanded goal of the game at 3:41 of the second period to make the score 2-0 of the second period by completing a two-on-one break with forward Ryan Kraft.
However, the Falcons rebounded with back-to-back goals to knot the contest. Jaspers skated in on Dubielewicz to to lift a shot over the Bridgeport netminder 6:34 into the middle frame after Gary Shuchuk shoveled a pass to him in the slot.
Bilotto, skating in his first game with the Falcons after signing with the club on Thursday, scored during four-on-four play with a blast from the near the right wing half boards at 14:24 of the period to pull Springfield even.
Hamilton followed with his first goal of the game just 1:57 later with a snap shot from his off wing while skating down the left side in the Springfield zone that beat Falcons netminder David LeNeveu to the far post. The tally, which came while the Sound Tigers held a man advantage, made the score, 3-2.
Dubielewicz finished the game with 19 saves on 22 shots. The rookie goaltender robbed Falcons right wing Nick Lent, who snapped a low shot from the slot after receiving a pass from Mike Stutzel on a two on one rush, with a glove save five minutes into the first period. Dubielewicz flashed his glove again late in the second period when Falcons rookie Frantisek Lukes skated past the Bridgeport defense to collect a loose puck and skate in alone on the goaltender.
LeNeveu stopped 22 of 27 shots in the game. Following Guite's breakaway goal, Falcons head coach Marty McSorley replaced LeNeveu in the net with rookie Scott Dickie, who was called up from the UHL's Adirondack IceHawks on Tuesday.
Four of the Sound Tigers goals in the contest came during special teams play as the club scored twice both with the man advantage and while shorthanded. The Falcons were held scoreless on five power plays by Bridgeport, who lead the AHL in penalty killing this season (90.9%).
The Falcons will return to action at The Nest on Sunday afternoon against the Albany River Rats. Game time is 4:05 pm. A free family skate follows the contest. To order tickets by phone, please contact the Springfield Civic Center box office at (413) 787-6600.
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