Falcons Host the Sharks Tonight

Published on February 11, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


The Springfield Falcons and Worcester Sharks meet for the fifth time this season when they get together on Friday night at the MassMutual Center. The Falcons are 1-2-0-1 against the Sharks this year, including 0-1-0-1 at The Nest. It's been a very tight season series thus far with two of the first four games being decided in a shootout with each team coming away with a victory. Three of the four games have been one-goal games.

The Falcons currently sit six points behind third place Worcester for the last guaranteed playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. Springfield starts the week with 30 games remaining and 17 of the 30 are on home ice. The Falcons and Sharks will meet three times in February with each contest proving to be an important four-point swing in the battle for playoff positioning.

Worcester has played some very good hockey recently going 4-0-0-1 in their last five games. Falcons rookie forward Tomas Kubalik leads the team with two goals in four games against Worcester this year. Goaltender Gustaf Wesslau has started all four games against Worcester this year posting a 2.66 goals against average and .927 save percentage.

Dan DaSilva leads the Worcester offense against Springfield this year with three goals and one assist for four points in four games. Andrew Desjardins has one goal and three assists in three games against the Falcons this year. Worcester goaltender Alex Stalock has appeared in all four games against Springfield posting a goals against average of 1.92 with a .925 save percentage.

Stalock is second in the AHL in minutes played with 2,397 and also second in saves. He is fifth in the league in wins with 19.

FALCONS TEAM/PLAYER NOTES

Chris D'Alvise is on a four-game scoring streak having collected two goals and three assists in that span.

Rookie Tomas Kubalik has taken over the team lead in scoring with 16 goals and 18 assists for 34 points in 49 games. Kubalik also leads the team in shootout goals this year converting on four of five attempts. Kubalik collected one goal and two assists on Saturday in Bridgeport and he currently is third in the AHL in rookie scoring.

Tomas Kubalik is currently on a five-game scoring streak collecting two goals and five assists for seven points in that span. Overall, Kubalik has collected at least a point in seven of nine games totaling five goals and six assists for 11 points in that stretch.

Goaltender Gustaf Wesslau has started the last four straight games and has posted a record of 3-1 with a 1.71 goals against average and .946 save percentage in that span.

Kyle Wilson continues his strong play since joining the Falcons on January 22. Wilson has four goals and three assists for seven points in seven games since being assigned to Springfield by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

SHARKS TEAM/PLAYER NOTES

Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced Thursday that the club has acquired right wing Patrick Davis and center Mike Swift from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for center Steve Zalewski and defenseman Jay Leach.

Both players will be assigned to the Worcester Sharks, San Jose's top development affiliate in the American Hockey League.

Davis, a six-foot-two, 195-pound native of Sterling, MI was originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the fourth round (99th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He has played in nine career NHL games with the Devils over two seasons (2008-2010), posting one goal. This season with the Albany Devils, Davis, 24, has posted 13 points (three goals, ten assists) and 20 penalty minutes in 40 games.

Swift, a five-foot-eight, 175-pound native of Peterborough, Ontario has spent the past three seasons with Lowell/Albany after signing with the Devils organization as a free agent in April 2008. This season, he is second on the team in scoring (T-first in goals) with 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists) and 48 penalty minutes in 48 games.

Zalewski (pronounced zuh-LES-ski) was selected by the Sharks in the fifth round (153rd overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He played in three regular season games with the Sharks, posting no points. This season in Worcester, he had 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 50 games.

Leach, acquired via waivers from Montreal on Dec. 1, 2009, appeared in 28 games with the Sharks last season, posting three points (one goal, two assists) and 20 penalty minutes. With Worcester in 2010-11, Leach posted five points (one goal, four assists)

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American Hockey League Stories from February 11, 2011


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