Falcons Host Pirates on Wed. to Start Four-Game Week

Published on March 29, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Springfield, Mass. – The Springfield Falcons (19-44-2-3, 43 pts) challenge division rivals in four games over a five day period beginning Wednesday. The Falcons will challenge the Portland Pirates and I-91 opponent, the Hartford Wolf Pack, at the Springfield Civic Center on Wednesday and Friday respectively. The club will conclude the week with visits to face the Atlantic Division-leading Manchester Monarchs on Saturday and the Pirates on Sunday.

The Falcons lead their season series with the Pirates, posting a record of 4-1-1-1 against the club. None of the previous seven match-ups have been decided by more than a goal and six of the meetings have been extended to overtime. Kids 12 and under will be admitted to Wednesday's game free with adult accompaniment. Visit the Civic Center box office for tickets.

The Falcons will host the Wolf Pack at the Nest for the fourth time of the season. Springfield has won two of three home games versus Hartford this season. The Wolf Pack trail Manchester by five points in the race for the Atlantic Division title. The Falcons will make their last trip of the season to Manchester on Saturday. The teams will conclude their season series in Springfield on April 9.

Team Notes: C Jason Jaspers posted his 122nd point as a Falcon with a goal versus the Philadelphia Phantoms last Friday to tie former Springfield D Jason McBain for sixth on the franchise's all-time scoring list. Jaspers skated in his 228th game with the club on Saturday at Albany to equal LW Jean-Guy Trudel for fourth place on Falcons' all-time games played list.... C Craig Darby is nine games short of 900 for his pro career.... D Brian Chapman is seven games shy of 600 for his AHL career.... RW Shane Willis needs seven points to reach 200 in the AHL.

Roster Update: RW Jim Campbell suffered a broken jaw in Saturday's game against the Albany River Rats and is out for the remainder of the season.... D Andreas Holmqvist returned to the lineup on Saturday after missing ten games with an injury .... LW Adam Henrich has sat out the last seven games with an injury.... LW Mitch Fritz has missed six games due to an injury.... An injury kept D Mike Egener out of Saturday's game at Albany.

Upcoming Opponents:

Falcons vs. Portland Pirates

Springfield Civic Center

Wednesday, Mar. 30

Falcons at Portland Pirates

Cumberland County Civic Center

Sunday, Apr. 3

The Falcons' 4-1-1-1 record against the Pirates (31-29-4-5, 71 pts) is their best versus any team this season.... Springfield is 3-0-0-1 against Portland at the Nest this season.... The Falcons own an all-time record of 46-33-10 versus the Pirates.... Willis has posted six points (3g, 3a) and is +4 while skating in five of the seven meetings with Portland. LW Ryan Craig (3g, 2a) and LW Adam Henrich (2g, 3a) have each recorded five points in the season series. Willis and Henrich have both scored overtime game-winners against the Pirates this season. Falcons G Brian Eklund is 2-0-0 with a 1.85 goals against average and .945 save percentage in the season series. Springfield has converted six of 28 power play chances (21.4%) against Portland .... RW Boyd Gordon has collected five assists among six points to lead the Pirates against the Falcons this season.... RW Graham Mink (3g, 2a) and C Brian Sutherby (1g, 4a) have each recorded five points versus Springfield.... G Maxime Ouellet has compiled a 2-1-1 record, 1.78 GAA, and .939 SV% against the Falcons this season.... The Pirates are 14-8-1 in 23 games since Jan. 30.... Portland trails Providence by seven points for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division while holding one game in hand on the Bruins.... Jaspers scored two goals in a 3-1 win at the Nest on Jan. 19, 2002 in Ouellet's first game against the Falcons when the goaltender was a member of the Philadelphia Phantoms. Ouellet stopped 22 of 25 shots in the contest.

Falcons vs. Hartford Wolf Pack

Springfield Civic Center

Friday, Apr. 1

The Falcons are 2-5-0-0 against the Wolf Pack this season including a 2-1-0-0 mark at home. Springfield is 30-43-6 in the all-time series.... Craig has scored four goals versus Hartford this season.... Willis has collected three assists in four games against the Wolf Pack.... RW Jozef Balej has registered nine points (4g, 5a) and is +6 to lead the Wolf Pack against the Falcons.... LW Chad Wiseman has scored five goals among six points in the season series.... Hartford netminders Steve Valiquette and Jason LaBarbera have combined to stop 95.8% of shots faced against Springfield.... 15 of the 31 goals scored in the season series have been tallied in the third period.... Valiquette (1.75 GAA, .935 SV%) and LaBarbera (1.86 GAA, .933 SV %) rank first and second respectively in the AHL in goals against average. The pair ranks second and third in the league in save percentage.... The Wolf Pack have compiled 2,030 penalty minutes this season - second only to the Binghamton Senators.... Hartford ranks second in the league in penalty killing (88.9%).... The Wolf Pack are 2-0-1-1 over the team's last four games.... Valiquette has been in net for Hartford's last three games.... RW Jeff Hamilton has recorded a point in each of the last three games (1g, 2a).... The Falcons will conclude the season with a home-and-home series with Hartford on April 16 and 17.

Falcons at Manchester Monarchs

Verizon Wireless Arena

Saturday, Apr. 2

Saturday marks the Falcons' last game at Manchester this season. The club will be looking for its first win of the campaign against the Monarchs (45-17-4-3, 97 pts). The Falcons are 8-19-1 all-time against the fourth-year Monarchs.... Craig leads the Falcons with five points (3g, 2a) versus Manchester this season.... Monarchs C Mike Cammalleri has registered 17 points (8g, 9a) in the head-to-head series – the most by any Falcons' opponent this season.... The Monarchs are 6-0-1-0 over their last seven games.... Cammalleri leads the AHL with 41 goals and trails only Binghamton C Jason Spezza in points with 94. Cammalleri and Spezza are likely to become the first 100-point scorers in the AHL in four years. Cammalleri's 17 power-play goals this season tie him for the league high.... Manchester's Mike Weaver (+27) and Joe Rullier (+26) rank first and second in plus/minus among AHL defensemen. Rullier has accumulated the second most penalty minutes among defensemen (278).... Dennis Grebeshkov shares the league lead among defensemen with 28 assists this season.... Cammalleri has posted 14 points (7g, 7a) over his last 10 games.... Monarchs RW Tom Kostopoulos has recorded four points (2g, 2a) during his current three-game point streak.

Upcoming Promotions:

Big Y Express Savings Card Discount Night – Friday, Apr. 1: Fans can receive a $3 discount on tickets to Friday's game against Hartford by presenting their Big Y Express Savings Card at the Springfield Civic Center box office.

Dairy Queen Charity Auction – Friday, Apr. 1: Dairy Queen will auction a Falcons' team autographed hockey stick to benefit Children's Miracle Network at Friday's game.

Radio Broadcasts: Tune into The ZONE – Sports Radio 640 to hear all four Falcons' games this week. The Voice of the Falcons, Marc Shelanski, calls the action. The pre-game show begins thirty minutes prior to the opening face-off. Fans can also listen via the Internet by clicking on the MassLive.com Cybercast icon on the Falcons' official web site, www.falconsahl.com.

Tickets: Tickets for all Falcons' home games can be ordered in person or by phone through the Springfield Civic Center box office located along East Court Street. To order by phone, please call (413) 787-6600 or (800) 639-8602. Tickets can also be ordered online by visiting the Falcons' official web site, www.falconsahl.com. Groups of 15 or more can receive discount savings by contacting the Falcons' team office at (413) 739-3344. Group tickets must be ordered in advance.

This Week's Game Schedule:

Wed., Mar. 30 Falcons vs. Portland Pirates 7:05 PM Springfield Civic Center The ZONE

Fri., Apr. 1 Falcons vs. Hartford Wolf Pack 7:35 PM Springfield Civic Center The ZONE

Sat., Apr. 2 Falcons at Manchester Monarchs 7:35 PM Verizon Wireless Arena The ZONE

Sun., Apr. 3 Falcons at Portland Pirates 4:05 PM Cumberland County C.C. The ZONE

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American Hockey League Stories from March 29, 2005


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