Falcons Host Pirates Tonight
Published on November 22, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
The Springfield Falcons and Portland Pirates meet for the third time this month and second time in Springfield when they square off tonight at the MassMutual Center. These two Atlantic Division rivals last met on November 12 at Portland with the Falcons beating the Pirates 4-2. Rookie Justin Keller scored a pair of goals in leading the Birds to the victory. Portland beat Springfield in the first meeting of the year at the MassMutual Center blanking the Falcons 4-0. The Pirates were led by Zenon Konopka's one goal and two-assist effort earning the game's first star. Goaltender Michael Leighton earned the shutout making 18 saves.
The Falcons enter tonight's game winners of three of their last four games and on a two-game home winning streak. Springfield won a pair of home games last week beating both the Hershey Bears and Toronto Marlies in a shootout. Goaltender Karri Ramo was the game's first star in both Falcons victories, while David Spina, Daniel Corso, Zdenek Blatny and Eric Healey all added shootout goals. Springfield will enter tonight's game with a record of 8-9-0-0 this season good for sixth place within the Atlantic Division standings. The Falcons will conclude the month of November this weekend with a home and home series against the Worcester Sharks.
The Pirates head into Springfield tied for the Atlantic Division lead with a record of 11-6-0-1 good for 23 points. Portland has won two of their last three games and they lead the Atlantic Division in games played with 18. Portland beat the Manchester Monarchs 2-1 this past Sunday with defenseman Aaron Rome collecting a goal and one assist earning the game's first star. Goaltender Mike Wall made 22 saves in earning the victory. Portland will complete their weekend with a trip to Lowell on Friday, followed by a home game against Providence on Saturday, followed by a voyage to Manchester on Sunday.
JONES HEADS TO TAMPA, HENRICH BACK WITH BIRDS: Rookie center Blair Jones was recalled by the Falcons' National Hockey League affiliate, the Tampa Bay Lightning, on Monday making his NHL debut that same evening against the Buffalo Sabres. On Tuesday, the Falcons announced that forward Adam Henrich has been recalled from their ECHL affiliate, the Johnstown Chiefs.
Henrich has played in nine games for the Chiefs collecting four goals and seven assists for 11 points. Henrich was in the Falcons lineup for their season opening, 3-2 win, over the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday, October 7, but didn't register a point.
The 6-foot-4, 238-pound native of Thornhill, Ontario split the 2005-06 season between Springfield and Johnstown recording 18 goals and 26 assists for 44 points in 63 games shared between the Falcons and Chiefs.
STEADY BETWEEN THE PIPES: Springfield Falcons rookie goaltender Karri Ramo led the Falcons last week with a perfect record of 2-0 with a 2.80 goals against average and .924 save percentage in three games played. Ramo was the game's first star last Wednesday making 37 saves in a win over the Hershey Bears, while coming back two days later and making 33 saves in a triumph over the Toronto Marlies. Ramo leads all Falcons goaltenders in games played with 12 and wins with six. Ramo earned his first professional shutout on Sunday, October 22 against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
AHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Pirates center Zenon Konopka was named the CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday, November 12. Konopka led all players with six assists and eight points during that week while posting a +6 rating. Konopka enters tonight's game as Portland's leading scorer with five goals and 16 assists for 21 points in 17 games.
In 2005-06, the Niagara Falls, Ontario native collected 18 goals and 26 assists for 44 points in 34 regular season games, while also making his NHL debut as a member of Anaheim recording seven points in 23 games with the Ducks.
American Hockey League Stories from November 22, 2006
- Knights Battered By Wolves, 6-3 - Abbotsford Heat
- Norfolk's Home Winning Streak Ends at Ten - Norfolk Admirals
- Individual Efforts Help Monarchs Sail Away With Win - Manchester Monarchs
- Hershey halts Devils win streak, 3-2 - Albany Devils
- Stars post second straight 3-2 road win - Iowa Chops
- Bears open Turkey Week with 3-2 win over Lowell - Hershey Bears
- Phantoms Add To TV Schedule - Adirondack Phantoms
- Papa's Sports to Serve as an âOfficial Retail Outlet of the Syracuse Crunch' - Syracuse Crunch
- Gabriel Soto Salvation Army food drive underway - Hamilton Bulldogs
- San Jose recalls center Joe Pavelski from Worcester - Worcester Sharks
- Stortini returns to Hamilton - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Bears begin four games in five nights tonight vs. Lowell - Hershey Bears
- Kenseth to Appear at Admirals Game - Milwaukee Admirals
- Ryan and Jacina recalled - Rochester Americans
- Rochester hosts Milwaukee - Rochester Americans
- Columbus Recalls Balastik and Platt - Syracuse Crunch
- Home Games Thanksgiving Weekend - Bridgeport Islanders
- Exclusive center ice, corner seat deals this weekend - Houston Aeros
- Stars update - Iowa Chops
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Falcons Host Pirates Tonight - Springfield Falcons
- Admirals Fall Again to Stars - Milwaukee Admirals
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