Falcons Playoff Game Preview: Game 1, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Published on April 27, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
2. Springfield Falcons vs. 7. Manchester Monarchs
Game 1, Series tied, 0-0
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (best-of-five)
Saturday, April 27, 2013, 7 p.m.
MassMutual Center
TICKETS: (413) 739-GOAL, MassMutual Center Box Office, Ticketmaster.com
RADIO: (presented by FalconsWireless.com) WHYN NewsTalk 560 AM/WHYN.com
WEBCAST: AHLLive.com
IN JUST A FEW HOURS...
The Springfield Falcons start their run through the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs when they host the Manchester Monarchs in Game 1 of the best-of-five Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at the MassMutual Center, with the opening face-off set for 7 p.m.
The Falcons are the conference's second seed after winning the Northeast Division by 20 points during the 2012-13 campaign. The Monarchs are the seventh seed and clinched a postseason berth during the final weekend of the regular season. Springfield, which won the season series against Manchester with a 4-1-0-1 mark, has never seen the Monarchs in postseason competition.
Fans attending Falcons playoff games are encouraged to show their support by wearing red, white, and blue. Team merchandise will be available during both home games this weekend behind section 27 at the Falcons Nest Pro Shop.
Game 2 of the series will be played on Sunday in Springfield at 4 p.m. The clubs will head to Manchester for Game 3 on Thursday, May 2 at 7 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena. If necessary, Game 4 would be played in Manchester on Saturday, May 4 at 7 p.m.
Should the series go the distance, Springfield would host Game 5 on Sunday, May 5 at 4 p.m.
Below is the Falcons' opening-round schedule:
Game 1 - Saturday, Apr. 27, 7 p.m. MassMutual Center
Game 2 - Sunday, Apr. 28, 4 p.m., MassMutual Center
Game 3 - Thursday, May 2, 7 p.m., Verizon Wireless Arena
Game 4 - Saturday, May 4, 7 p.m., Verizon Wireless Arena (if necessary)
Game 5 - Sunday, May 5, 4 p.m., MassMutual Center (if necessary)
Tonight's broadcast is presented by FalconsWireless.com and starts at 6:45 p.m. on WHYN 560 AM, WHYN.com, the iHeartRadio App, or AHLLive.com.
Single-game tickets to watch the Falcons compete in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals are on sale now at the MassMutual Center Box Office, or online at Ticketmaster.com. For information on cost-saving postseason ticket packages, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or click here.
SEASON SERIES RUNDOWN
Springfield went 4-1-0-1 against Manchester in 2012-13, including 3-0-0-0 on the road, and earned three significant victories in the season series. On Nov. 30, the Falcons overcame a 3-0 deficit in the third period on the road by scoring five times to prevail, 5-4. Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Springfield's leading scorer in 2012-13, netted his first-career hat trick in Manchester on Jan. 15, as the Falcons won, 7-5. Curtis McElhinney recorded a Falcons all-time record ninth shutout in the final meeting between the clubs on Mar. 20, pacing Springfield to a 2-0 victory over Manchester at the MassMutual Center.
PLAYOFF HISTORY 101
The Falcons will play their 46th postseason game tonight, and first since Apr. 21, 2003 when they fell to the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, 2-1. Springfield is 12-9 in 21 home playoff games, and is 9-15 in 24 road postseason contests. The Falcons' deepest postseason run came in the 1997 Calder Cup Playoffs, when Springfield advanced past Portland and Providence before falling to Hershey in the Northern Conference Finals, four games to three. Springfield's all-time leading playoff scorer is Juha Ylonen, who registered all of his franchise-best 21 points (5g-16a) during the Falcons' run to the Northern Conference Finals in 1997. Manny Legace's 10-career postseason wins are the most by a Falcons goaltender. The Falcons won their first two conference quarterfinal series in 1996 and 1997, but have dropped each of their last four. Springfield is 10-15 in conference quarterfinal games.
CALDER CUP SUCCESS
Springfield has four players on its roster who have skated with a team in the postseason that eventually won the Calder Cup. Bryan Helmer, who has participated in the most Calder Cup Playoff games of any player in AHL history (158), won championships with Hershey in 2009 and 2010, and also with Albany in 1995. Greg Amadio and Andrew Joudrey were both on the Hershey 2009 and 2010 championship squads. Cody Bass helped Binghamton win the 2011 Calder Cup championship.
POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE
Of the players on Springfield's postseason roster, 13 have participated in a Calder Cup Playoff game. Four players (Cody Bass, Ryan Craig, Bryan Helmer, Curtis McElhinney) have skated in a Stanley Cup Playoff contest.
DRIVE FOR FOUR
In Springfield's 45 playoff games, no player has ever collected more than three points.
YES, YOU MAY
When the puck drops on Game 3, the Falcons will be playing hockey in May for the third time in franchise history, and first since 1997.
American Hockey League Stories from April 27, 2013
- B-Sens Drop Game 1 to Pens in Overtime, 3-2 - Binghamton Senators
- Crunch Sink Pirates in Overtime 4-3 - Portland Pirates
- Barons Come Back to Win Game 2 - Charlotte Checkers
- Hellberg, Admirals Blank Stars 2-0 in Game 2 - Texas Stars
- Monarchs Fall Prey in Overtime - Manchester Monarchs
- Pens Take Game 1 on Kolarik's OT Game-Winner - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Marlies Earn 6-3 Victory in Game One - Toronto Marlies
- Amerks Doubled up by Marlies, 6-3, in Game 1 Loss - Rochester Americans
- Zucker and Veilleux to Wild; Dowell and McMillan Return - Houston Aeros
- Bang, Henderson Recalled by Nashville - Milwaukee Admirals
- Pirates Look to Crunch Syracuse in Playoff Opener - Portland Pirates
- Falcons Playoff Game Preview: Game 1, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals - Springfield Falcons
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