Falcons Game Preview: Springfield At Connecticut, Game #61

Published on March 17, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Springfield Falcons (34-17-5-4) at Connecticut Whale (29-25-5-3)

Sunday, March 17, 2013

3:00 p.m.

XL Center

RADIO: (presented by FalconsWireless.com) WHYN NewsTalk 560 AM/WHYN.com

WEBCAST: AHLLive.com

IN JUST A FEW HOURS...

The Springfield Falcons close out their four-game week when they travel 26 miles south on I-91 to take on the Connecticut Whale at the XL Center. Springfield leads Connecticut by 11 points for first place in the Northeast Division with two games in hand heading into Sunday's contest. The Falcons dropped the back end of a home-and-home set with Providence on Saturday night at the MassMutual Center. Nathan Moon and Nick Drazenovic scored for the Falcons, but the Bruins struck four times in the third period to earn the victory. The loss was Springfield's first at home in exactly one month, ending a five-game MassMutual Center winning streak.

Today's broadcast is presented by FalconsWireless.com and starts at 2:45 p.m. on WHYN 560 AM, WHYN.com, the iHeartRadio App, or AHLLive.com.

Springfield returns home on Wednesday to host Manchester, presented by Junior Achievement, before welcoming Worcester to the MassMutual Center on Friday. Fans attending Friday's game will have the opportunity to win a new HDTV, courtesy of Manny's TV & Appliances, as part of "Flat-Screen Friday." Both home games next week begin at 7 p.m.

Single-game tickets to see the Falcons in 2012-2013 can be purchased at the MassMutual Center Box Office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. through game time on Saturday home dates, and starting four hours prior to Sunday home contests. Fans can also purchase tickets by logging onto Ticketmaster.com. For information about discounted group packages to Falcons home games, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625).

DRAZENOVIC HITS CENTURY MARK

Nick Drazenovic's goal on Saturday was his 100th as a pro, and was his first tally since Feb. 12 in Bridgeport. Drazenovic set a new career high on the play with his 47th point of the season. The sixth-year pro reached 46 points in 2010-2011 with Peoria and equaled that mark earlier this year. He is part of a four-way tie for second on the Falcons with 17 goals.

SHOOTING FOR THE MOON

Nathan Moon scored a stylish goal on Saturday night, finding a rebound from a Dalton Smith shot in the bottom of the right circle and firing the puck past Niklas Svedberg while falling down to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead. Moon's goal was his second as a Falcon, and first since Mar. 1.

ON THEIR BEST BEHAVIOR

The Falcons and Bruins combined for only six penalty minutes on Saturday night. Providence scored on its lone power-play chance following Springfield's sole infraction of the evening, an interference penalty on Spencer Machacek early in the third. The Falcons' two power-play chances tied a season low. The one man-advantage opportunity by the Bruins also equaled the opposition low in 2012-2013.

SUNDAY SWEETNESS

Springfield brings a 12-2-0-0 record in Sunday competition this season into today's game. The Falcons are 2-0-0-0 at the XL Center on Sundays this season, winning on Nov. 4, 10-2, and on Dec. 2, 5-0, for a road Sunday verdict over the Whale of 15-2.

LOW FIVE

The Falcons allowed at least five goals for only the fifth time this season on Saturday, and first since they suffered a 5-1 loss in Worcester on Feb. 24. The four-goal third period by Providence was an opponent's most productive stanza since Portland scored five goals in the middle frame against Springfield on Nov. 23.

CAPTAIN CRAIG CLIMBS THE CHARTS

Ryan Craig, with 56 goals as a Falcon, is one shy of Eric Healey for sixth in team history in that category. He is two power-play goals away from tying Danny Briere and Jean-Guy Trudel for the most man-advantage tallies in team history. Craig has 27 power-play goals, while Briere and Trudel netted 29 with the Falcons.



American Hockey League Stories from March 17, 2013


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