Falcons Host Devils Tonight

Published on October 25, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


The Springfield Falcons and Lowell Devils meet for the first time this season when they get together on Saturday night at the MassMutual Center. The Falcons and Devils will face each other 10 times this season and over the next seven days, they will play each other three times. Lowell is back in Springfield on October 31, followed by a Falcons visit to Lowell on November 1.

The Falcons head into Saturday's contest on a two-game winning streak with a 4-1 win at Manchester on October 19, followed by a 3-2 victory on home ice last night against the Albany River Rats. The Falcons sparked themselves to a 3-1 first period lead last night receiving a pair of goals from Ryan Potulny and one marker from Liam Reddox. Rob Schremp assisted on both of Potulny's goals and goaltender Devan Dubnyk was once again solid between the pipes stopping 25 of 27 shots he faced in his sixth straight start. The Falcons now have a record of 3-2-1-0 on the season, good for second place in the Atlantic Division standings.

Lowell heads into the MassMutual Center having been shutout by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins by a score of 5-0 in their last game played on Wednesday, October 22 at the Paul Tsongas Arena. The Devils have a record of

2-2-0-1 on the young season good for five points and fourth place in the Atlantic Division. Lowell beat the Manchester Monarchs one week ago tonight, October 18, by a score of 2-1 with Ryan Murphy netting the game-winner. Goaltender Scott Clemmensen has started all five of the Devils' games this season.

LEADING THE WAY: Falcons assistant captain Ryan Potulny leads the team in goals through six games with five markers on the campaign. Potulny scored a pair of goals in the Falcons' opening night win on October 11 at Hartford, while also converting twice last night in Springfield's 3-2 win earning the game's top star.

Potulny has started his third professional season after splitting his first two pro campaigns between the AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms and NHL's Philadelphia Flyers. The Grand Forks, North Dakota native was originally drafted by the Flyers in the third round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He was acquired by the Oilers from the Flyers in exchange for Danny Syvret back on June 6, 2008.

Before turning pro, Potulny was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award in 2006. He finished his collegiate career with 118 points on 68 goals and 50 assists in 100 games with the University of Minnesota from 2003-06.

PICKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF: Falcons left wing Rob Schremp collected two assists and earned the game's second star in Springfield's 3-2 win last night. The third year pro led the Falcons in scoring last season with 76 points in 78 games and he has registered at least a point in all four games with the Falcons this year totaling five assists. Schremp represented the Falcons at the 2008 AHL All-Star Game in Binghamton, NY.

FALCONS DEBUT: Springfield defenseman Josef Hrabal made both his Falcons and AHL debut last night collecting an assist on Liam Reddox's power play goal. The Prerov, Czech Republic native spent the 2007-08 season with the Cherepovets Severstal in the Russian Super League where he ranked second on the team in scoring among defensemen. He was originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the eighth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

LOWELL DEVILS PLAYER NOTES:

Jon DiSalvatore leads Lowell in scoring this season with one goal and six assists for seven points in five games played. DiSalvatore had a four-assist game on October 11 against the Worcester Sharks. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound native of Bangor, Maine is in his sixth season or professional hockey after playing four years at Providence College from 1999-2003. He has reached the 20-goal plateau in each of his first five pro seasons.

Rookie Matt Halischuk currently leads Lowell in goals with four and is second in points with six. The Toronto, Ontario native is currently tied for the AHL lead in rookie scoring. Halischuk spent his final two seasons of junior hockey with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League.

Nicklas Bergfors is currently second on the Devils in scoring with one goal and five assists for six points in five games played. Bergfors is in his fourth professional season at only the age of 21 after making his pro debut with Albany during the 2005-06 campaign as an 18-year-old.

Goaltender Scott Clemmensen has appeared in all five of Lowell's games posting a record of 2-2-1 with a 3.81 goals against average and .882 save percentage in 283 minutes played.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 25, 2008


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