Falcons Host Lock Monsters Tonight
March 17, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
The Springfield Falcons and Lowell Lock Monsters meet for the ninth time this season and fifth time at the MassMutual Center tonight starting at 7:35 PM. These two teams last played on Sunday, March 12 in Lowell with Springfield winning that contest in a shootout, 4-3. Goals from Zdenek Blatny, Jason Jaspers and Mike Egener were matched by Lowell's Scott Kelman, John Morlang and Keith Aucoin. In the shootout, both team's first shooters (Blatny for Springfield and Aucoin for Lowell) were successful, but Lowell's four remaining shooters failed to score on Falcons goaltender Gerald Coleman. Rookie Ryan Vesce scored on Lowell's Craig Kowalski on Springfield's fifth shot earning the Falcons the victory. Coleman stopped 37 of Lowell's 40 shots in 65 minutes of action. Blatny earned the game's first star while Lowell's Kevin Estrada and Aucoin earned the second and third stars of the game, respectively. Springfield leads the season series 5-3-0-0 against the Lock Monsters, including 2-2-0-0 at home.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Falcons left wing Zdenek Blatny was named the CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday, March 12, 2006. In four games last week, Blatny recorded four goals and five assists. He has recorded 16 goals and 32 assists for 48 points in 50 AHL games this season, including 18 points in 15 games since joining Springfield last month in a trade from the Boston Bruins organization. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Brno, Czech Republic native had a hand in nine of the Falcons' 10 goals last week.
Lowell center Keith Aucoin was the previous CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending March 5, 2006. Aucoin scored two goals and added four assists in two games during that period. The Chelmsford, Massachusetts native currently ranks among the American Hockey League leaders with 49 assists (tied for fourth) and 74 points (tied for fifth) in 62 games this season for the Lock Monsters.
COLEMAN UP - CEY IN: The Falcons announced Thursday that goaltender Gerald Coleman has been recalled by their National Hockey League affiliate, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Coleman joined the Lightning in Tampa Bay as they prepare to host the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night. The Falcons also announced they have recalled netminder Morgan Cey from their ECHL affiliate, the Johnstown Chiefs, and reassigned forward Andre Deveaux to the Chiefs.
Coleman has played in 36 games for Springfield this season posting a record of 13-17-3 with a 3.54 goals against average and .890 save percentage. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound native of Romeoville, Illinois leads all Falcons goaltenders in games played and wins. Cey has played in 31 games for the Chiefs this season posting a record of 17-8-5 with a 2.74 goals against average and .922 save percentage. Cey leads all Johnstown goaltenders in games played and wins. Cey is in his first season of professional hockey after playing his collegiate hockey with Notre Dame from 2001-2005. Deveaux has played in 59 games with the Falcons this season collecting six goals and five assists for 11 points with 135 penalty minutes.
MAKING AN IMPRESSION: Lowell center Scott Kelman has collected five points (3g, 2a) in his six games with the Lock Monsters. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Winnipeg, Manitoba native has split time between the AHL and the ECHL this season. Kelman played in 46 games with the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL, earning 14 goals and 33 assists for 47 points. He also played in three games for the Manitoba Moose and two with the Hershey Bears, bringing his AHL season totals to three goals and four assists in 11 games.
NEW LOCK MONSTERS: The Lock Monsters announced Thursday that they signed right wing Blue Bennefield to a professional try-out contact. The 6-foot-2, 226-pound Calgary, Alberta native skated in 49 games with the Adirondack Frostbite of the UHL this season, collecting 10 goals and 21 assists. The six-year pro ranks among UHL leaders with 267 penalty minutes and is tied for the league lead in major penalties with 23. Lowell also signed center Jeff Campbell to a professional try-out contract. The three-year pro from Hensall, Ontario spent this season and last with the Gwinnett Gladiators, collecting 29 goals and 48 assists in 58 games this season. Goaltender Tyler Weiman returned to Lowell Thursday after posting a record of 14-12-2 in 32 games with the San Diego Gulls of the ECHL.
American Hockey League Stories from March 17, 2006
- Barons Fall at Grand Rapids, 3-2 - Cleveland Barons
- Peoria Suffers Third Overtime Loss of Season - Peoria Rivermen
- Haydar Picks up 100th Career Goal in Ads Win - Milwaukee Admirals
- Shorthanded Sound Tigers Beat P-Bruins 3-2 - Bridgeport Islanders
- Three-goal second period propels Admirals - Norfolk Admirals
- Senators prevail in a shootout Friday 3-2 at Binghamton - Hershey Bears
- Green Jerseys Brought Monarchs Overtime Luck - Manchester Monarchs
- Griffins eclipse 100 points with 3-2 win - Grand Rapids Griffins
- P-Bruins Fall to Sound Tigers 3-2 - Providence Bruins
- Phantoms Get Jiggy on St. Pat's Day - Adirondack Phantoms
- Senators win second straight shootout - Binghamton Senators
- Milwaukee scores four PPG to close gap to four points - Houston Aeros
- Iowa's lucky charms gives Stars a point - Iowa Chops
- Rivermen Games This Weekend to be Shown on B2 Networks - Peoria Rivermen
- Giveaway Highlights Back-to-Back Battles with Rochester - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Moose, Power 97 join forces to "Cut for Cancer" in support of Cancer Care Manitoba - Manitoba Moose
- Griffins introduce "Hockey for the Heart" - Grand Rapids Griffins
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Canucks Recall Josh Green - Manitoba Moose
- Falcons Host Lock Monsters Tonight - Springfield Falcons
- Houston can clinch playoff berth tonight - Houston Aeros
- Rampage to wear St. Patrick's Day jerseys Saturday - San Antonio Rampage
- Bears head north tonight to face Binghamton - Hershey Bears
- 'Dogs face Amerks Saturday - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Go "Power Bald" with Moose, Power 97 in Support of Cancer Care Manitoba - Manitoba Moose
- B2 Networks AHL Game of the Week - AHL
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