Falcons Game Preview: Springfield at Providence, Game #75
April 19, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Springfield Falcons (44-21-5-4) at Providence Bruins (47-21-0-5)
Friday, April 19, 2013
7:05 p.m.
Dunkin' Donuts Center
RADIO: (presented by FalconsWireless.com) WHYN NewsTalk 560 AM/WHYN.com
WEBCAST: AHLLive.com
IN JUST A FEW HOURS...
The Northeast Division-champion Springfield Falcons play one of the most significant games of the 2012-13 AHL season tonight, taking on the Providence Bruins at the Dunkin' Donuts Center with first place in the Eastern Conference on the line at the start of the campaign's final weekend. Springfield trails Providence by two points for first place. A Falcons regulation victory would pull them even for the top spot, and set up a situation in which a Springfield win over Adirondack on Saturday would force Providence to have to collect three points in its final two games to take the conference. A Bruins victory would clinch the conference championship. Providence can also clinch the AHL's regular-season points championship with a victory along with any form of a Texas loss on Friday.
Springfield won its fourth-straight road game on Wednesday, defeating the Worcester Sharks, 4-3. Michael Chaput scored the game-winning goal in the second period on the power play, while Curtis McElhinney made 29 saves for his 29th win of 2012-13. The victory solidified Springfield's hold on second place in the conference standings.
Springfield finishes its 76-game schedule in Glens Falls, N.Y. against Adirondack on Saturday.
The Falcons host the first two contests of the best-of-five Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at the MassMutual Center. Game 1 will be played on Saturday, Apr. 27 at 7 p.m., with Game 2 following on Sunday, Apr. 28 at 4 p.m. Springfield would also host Game 5, if necessary.
The remainder of Springfield's first-round schedule will be announced on FalconsAHL.com once the club's opponent is determined. The AHL's regular season ends this Sunday. The Falcons, as division winners, will have one of the Eastern Conference's top three seeds.
Single-game tickets to watch the Falcons compete in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals are on sale now at the MassMutual Center Box Office, or online at Ticketmaster.com. For information on cost-saving postseason ticket packages, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or click here.
RECORDS ON THE LINE
The Falcons can win their 45th game tonight, equaling their club record for victories in a season, set in 1997-98. With a victory, or an overtime or shootout loss, Springfield would guarantee itself a tie for the fewest regulation losses in franchise history of 22. The Falcons can also match their longest road winning streak in team history. Springfield has posted victories in four-consecutive away contests, tying a season high. The record is five, set from Nov. 19 to Dec. 7, 2005.
ROAD RULE
Springfield's 20 road victories this season are a franchise high.
MCELHINNEY MOVES CLOSER
Curtis McElhinney, who has a Falcons all-time record of nine shutouts this season, is a victory over the final two games shy of tying Scott Langkow's club mark for wins in a season of 30, registered in 1997-98. McElhinney can set franchise records for highest save percentage and lowest goals-against average in one season (minimum: 25 games played). The eighth-year pro has a .924 save percentage and a 2.26 goals-against average. The team record for highest save percentage in one year is .922, posted by Jean-Marc Pelletier in 2003-04. Manny Legace's 2.27 goals-against average is the record for lowest goals-against average, set in 1995-96.
HOLDEN NEARS FRANCHISE MARK
Nick Holden leads Springfield with a +25 rating, putting him two games away from setting a club record in that category. The current end-of-season plus-minus mark in Falcons history is +23, shared by Danny Briere and John Stevens.
CAPTAIN CLOSES IN
Ryan Craig is tied for first in team history for goals on the power play with 29, matching Danny Briere and Jean-Guy Trudel. He is sixth in team history with 59 overall goals.
A NEW STANDARD
Springfield, second in the league in team defense at 2.42 goals against/game, is on pace to allow 184 opposing tallies this season, 31 fewer than its franchise low of 215, set in 1995-96.
LOVING THE LEAD
Springfield has a league-high 34 wins when leading after two periods (34-1-0-0). The Falcons only loss when carrying an advantage into the third this season came on Dec. 19, when Springfield fell in Portland, 3-2, after leading, 2-1, following 40 minutes of play.
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