Falcons host Wolf Pack tonight

October 21, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


GAME SETUP:

The Springfield Falcons and Hartford Wolf Pack will meet for the second time this season tonight at the MassMutual Center. These two divisional rivals met last Friday night at the Hartford Civic Center with the Falcons beating the Wolf Pack 2-1. Jim Campbell set the tone for Springfield in that contest scoring just 57-seconds into the opening period, followed by Jason Jaspers scoring just four minutes later in the first period. Falcons goaltender Brian Eklund was the game's first star making 38 saves giving up the lone goal at the 4:22 mark of the third period to Hartford defenseman Bryce Lampman. Tonight will be the 84th all-time meeting between these two divisional rivals.

The Falcons enter tonight's game having collected five of a possible six points through their first three games of the 2005-06 season and in first place in the Atlantic Division. Springfield will be back at home tonight for the first time since October 8 when they defeated the Portland Pirates 4-2 scoring four unanswered goals. Springfield also begins a four-game home stand tonight hosting the Providence Bruins on Saturday, followed by home games against the Lowell Lock Monsters next Friday and the Philadelphia Phantoms next Sunday.

The Wolf Pack enter tonight's game looking to snap a two-game losing streak after winning their home opener on October 8. All three of Hartford's games this season have been decided by one-goal. After beginning the season with three consecutive home games, the Wolf Pack begin a three-game road trip tonight with stops in Hershey on Saturday night, followed by a trip to Providence next Friday evening. Hartford is currently tied for third place in the Atlantic Division, two points behind both Lowell and Portland and three points behind the Falcons.

HELBLING RE-ASSIGNED TO FALCONS:

The Falcons National Hockey League affiliate, the Tampa Bay Lightning, re-assigned defenseman Timo Helbling to the Falcons on Tuesday, October 18. Helbling started the season with Tampa Bay out of training camp and collected one assist in five games with the Lightning. Helbling has played in 150 career AHL games with Milwaukee and Utah collecting five goals and 16 points with 189 penalty minutes.

PACKARD RECALLED FROM JOHNSTOWN:

With both Evgeny Artyukhin and Nick Tarnasky currently on recall to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Falcons recalled forward Dennis Packard from their ECHL affiliate, the Johnstown Chiefs. Packard attended the Falcons training camp and spent the preseason with Springfield before being re-assigned to the Chiefs on October 3. Packard played in 47 games with the Falcons last season collecting two goals and eight assists for 10 points and 25 penalty minutes.

BACK WITH THE PACK:

Hartford rookie goaltender Al Montoya is back with Hartford after being recalled by the New York Rangers on October 12. Montoya won his professional debut on October 8 against the Manchester Monarchs, 4-3. Montoya was the Rangers' first pick (6th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

LEADER OF THE PACK:

Hartford center Jarkko Immonen currently leads the Wolf Pack in scoring through three games with three goals and one assist for four points. Immonen scored the game-winner in Hartford's win on October 8 and all three of Immonen's markers have come on the power play this year.



American Hockey League Stories from October 21, 2005


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