Falcons Host Pirates This Afternoon
Published on November 27, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
The Springfield Falcons and Portland Pirates meet for the third time this season and second meeting at the MassMutual Center. The Falcons and Pirates kicked off the 2005-06 campaign in Springfield on October 8 with the Falcons scoring four unanswered goals on their way to a 4-2 victory that evening. Springfield traveled to Portland on November 11 and lost to the Pirates 5-1, evening the season series at one win apiece. Following tonight's game, the Falcons and Pirates will meet twice in December with Portland heading back to the MassMutual Center on Friday, December 16, followed by a New Year's Eve match up in Portland on December 31.
The Falcons enter tonight's game having won two of their last three games falling to the Manchester Monarchs 6-3 last night. Mitch Fritz, David Spina and Ryan Vesce scored for Springfield, while goaltender Brian Eklund made 20 saves between the pipes. Springfield will conclude a stretch of four games in five days this afternoon. The Falcons have a record of 10-7-1-2 through 20 games this season good for 23 points. Springfield swept a home and home series with the Lowell Lock Monsters this week with back-to-back 4-3 victories. The Falcons will conclude the month of November tonight. Entering today's contest, Springfield has gone 6-5-0-2 through 13 games in November, including an overtime victory over the AHL leading Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins.
The Pirates head into Springfield looking to rebound from a 7-6 defeat last night against the Lowell Lock Monsters. Portland scored five second period goals to battle back from a 3-1 first period deficit, but Lowell ended up earning the win. The Pirates played in Providence on Friday night picking up a point in the standings losing to the Providence Bruins in overtime 5-4. As a common theme around the AHL this season, Portland has seen five of their last six games decided by one goal or less and the Pirates have gone 4-1-1-0 in that span. Portland remains in first place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 14-5-1-0 good for 29 points.
EARNING HIS WAY UP: Falcons rookie forward Zbynek Hrdel collected an assist in last night's game giving him one goal and two assists in his last two games played. Hrdel has two goals and four assists for six points in 11 games since being recalled by the Falcons' ECHL affiliate, the Johnstown Chiefs. Hrdel was the game's third star on Friday collecting one goal and one assist, his second multi-point game of the season. Hrdel spent the previous three seasons with Rimouski of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League where he collected 23 goals and 35 assists for 58 points in 56 games during the 2004-05 campaign. Hrdel was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the ninth round (286th overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
STAYING NEAR THE TOP: Falcons rookie center Ryan Vesce continues to stay near the top of the AHL rookie scoring race. Vesce scored his seventh goal of the season last night and added one assist giving the Lloyd Harbor, NY native 23 points through 20 games this season. Vesce leads the Falcons in points and assists. Vesce has points in three straight games collecting one goal and three assists in that span.
A POINT A GAME: Portland rookie center Ryan Shannon enters tonight's game with eight goals and eight assists for 16 points in 14 games and is Portland's active scoring leader. Shannon is in his first season of professional hockey after completing a four-year collegiate career at Boston College last season. Shannon scored a pair of goals on opening night against the Falcons and was a teammate of Falcons forward David Spina while with the Eagles. Shannon was named the RBK Hockey/AHL Rookie of the Month for October.
ROAD WARRIORS: Similar to the Falcons, the Pirates enter tonight's action with a record of 4-2-1-0 through seven road games this season. Springfield has only lost once in regulation on the road this season posting an impressive 5-1-1-1 through eight road games this season.
American Hockey League Stories from November 27, 2005
- Stars Top Knights In Shootout, 2-1 - Abbotsford Heat
- Finley blanks Houston, again - Houston Aeros
- Philly defeats Binghamton in overtime - Binghamton Senators
- Kelly, Kavanagh carry Phantoms - Adirondack Phantoms
- Monarchs' Victory Concludes Six-Point Weekend - Manchester Monarchs
- Barons Trampled by Moose, 3-1 - Cleveland Barons
- Canadiens recall Huet, assign Davis - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Falcons Host Pirates This Afternoon - Springfield Falcons
- Rochester Americans host the Toronto Marlies - Rochester Americans
- Family Day rematch with Milwaukee - Houston Aeros
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