Falcons Fall Short In Hershey

Published on January 11, 2014 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Hershey, Penn. - The Springfield Falcons (25-7-1-3) were defeated by the Hershey Bears by the final score of 5-3 Saturday night at the Giant Center, dropping their second game in a row for only the second time this season.

Sean Collins and Spencer Machacek both posted multi-point efforts in the team's loss. Collins had a goal and an assist, finding the back of the net at 13:26 of the first period to even the score at 2-2. Machacek assisted on all three Springfield scores, becoming the first Falcon to record three helpers in a single game since Tim Erixon accomplished the feat Friday, October 18 at Providence.

Darryl Boyce got the Falcons on the board at 4:13 of the opening frame, deflecting a Will Weber point shot past Hershey netminder David Leggio to tie the score at 1-1. For Boyce, the goal was his eighth of the season and third in the last five games.

Michael Chaput scored the third Springfield tally, firing a wrist shot from inside the left-wing circle by Leggio to bring the Falcons to within one score with 3:00 remaining in the third period. The goal was Chaput's third in the last three games.

Hershey's five goals were scored by five different players, including Dustin Gazley, who notched the game-winning goal at 9:30 of the third period. Gazley tapped in a centering feed from Michael Latta to give the Bears a 4-2 lead at the moment. Latta had two assists in the contest and finished with a team-high +2 rating.

Cameron Schilling, Brandon Segal, Ryan Stoa and Nicolas Deschamps also scored for the Bears.

Springfield goaltender Mike McKenna earned a loss for only the third time this season and first since November 8 versus Adirondack. The St. Louis native made 32 saves on 36 shots, falling to 8-3-0 with a league-best 1.69 goals-against average and .937 save percentage.

Leggio stopped 25 of 28 shots faced in net for Hershey, improving to 11-11-2 in 2013-14.

Springfield went 1-for-2 on the power play, while holding Hershey scoreless on three opportunities with the man advantage. The Falcons lead the AHL with a 90.5-percent penalty kill.

With the regulation loss, the Falcons' road point streak was snapped at eight games, matching a franchise record, set originally during the 1995-96 season and equaled in 2005, from the end of the 2004-05 season and into the beginning of the 2005-06 campaign.

Saturday's loss also represents the team's second in a row. Springfield had not lost two consecutive games since falling to the Worcester Sharks Saturday, October 26 and to the Adirondack Phantoms Wednesday, October 30.

The Falcons look to get back in the win column Sunday, January 12 when the team hosts the Norfolk Admirals at 3:00 p.m. at the MassMutual Center.

Fans are invited to the MassMutual Center in 2013-14 to watch the reigning Northeast Division-champion Falcons compete in their 20th anniversary season. Adult season-ticket packages start as low as $13 per game. To reserve your seats for the 2013-14 season, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visit the team office inside the MassMutual Center from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Support the Falcons throughout the 2013-14 season by wearing red, white and blue at all the home games.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 11, 2014


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