Falcons Fall in Overtime to Wolf Pack
April 1, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Springfield, Mass. â The Springfield Falcons fell in overtime, 1-0, to the Hartford Wolf Pack before 4,491 at the Springfield Civic Center on Friday night. Hartford left wing Alexandre Giroux ended the game 1:14 into the extra session with the game's only goal. Falcons goaltender Jean-Marc Pelletier stopped 23 of 24 shots, while the Wolf Pack's Jason LaBarbera made 21 saves to register his sixth shutout of the season.
Giroux scored the game-winner by carrying the puck down the right side of the Springfield zone before muscling his way across the front of the goal and wristing a shot into the back of the net. It was Giroux's team-leading 28th goal of the campaign. Defensemen Lawrence Nycholat and Bryce Lampman collected assists on the tally.
The Hartford win pulled the second-place club to within four points of the division-leading Manchester Monarchs, who lost in a shootout to the Providence Bruins on Friday night.
The Wolf Pack held a 24-21 edge in shots on goal for the game.
Following a scoreless first period, scoring chances picked up for both teams late in the second frame.
With three minutes left in the middle period, Hartford's Jeff Hamilton fired a slap shot off the far post after carrying the puck into the Falcons' zone along the right wing. Immediately following a penalty to the Wolf Pack just moments later, Falcons forward Shane Willis got a step on the Hartford defense, but was robbed on his wrist shot from the left face-off circle by a LaBarbera glove save.
Pelletier denied Giroux with a pad save after the Wolf Pack forward skated in on the netminder from the left wing three minutes into the third period.
With 5:15 remaining in regulation, the Falcons were awarded a power play when Hartford's Craig Weller was issued a major penalty for high sticking. However, Springfield was unable to convert the five-minute man advantage.
The Falcons finished the game scoreless on six power plays. The Wolf Pack were 0-for-1 in the contest.
LaBarbera recorded his 27th win of the season while lowering his goals against average to 1.81.
Falcons rookie defenseman Doug O'Brien received a game misconduct for boarding following a check on Hartford left wing Garth Murray midway through the first period that was followed by a fight between the two players.
The Falcons record against the Wolf Pack for the season is 2-5-1-0 following the overtime loss.
The Falcons will travel to face the Manchester Monarchs at Verizon Wireless Arena on Saturday. Tune into The Zone â Sports Radio 640 to hear the live play-by-play call of the action. The broadcast begins with the pre-game show at 7:05 p.m.
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