Falcons Post 4-1 Win over Portland
Published on December 13, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Springfield, MA â The Springfield Falcons upended the Portland Pirates, 4-1, before a crowd of 4,014 at the Springfield Civic Center on Saturday evening. Chris Ferraro registered a pair of assists against his former club with his second marking the 400th AHL point of his career. Center Krystofer Kolanos collected a goal and an assist as the Falcons extended their unbeaten streak to four games. Jean-Marc Pelletier turned aside 27 of 28 shots to earn his fourth win of the season.
Falcons' penalty killing played a large role in the club's victory. Springfield, which had a streak of 19 consecutive successful penalty kills snapped in Albany last night, held the Pirates scoreless in ten power-play opportunities. The game marked the most power plays by a Falcons' opponent this season.
Following a goal by Portland right wing Owen Fussey 4:56 into the game, the Falcons scored twice to take a 2-1 lead to the first intermission. Kolanos collected his second goal with Springfield by corralling the rebound of shot by Ferraro and patiently lifting a backhand into the net at 13:12.
Springfield defenseman Nikos Tselios blasted a slap shot from the left point into the top corner of the goal with 27 seconds remaining in the opening period to provide the Falcons with the lead. In recording his career milestone point, Ferraro passed back to Tselios from along the left boards in the Portland zone.
After a scoreless second period, right wing Frank Banham potted an insurance goal for the Falcons midway through the final frame. Banham turned at the top of the crease and pushed the puck past Pirates goaltender Maxime Ouellet after receiving a feed from Kolanos.
Center Erik Westrum concluded scoring with the Falcons' first empty-net goal of the season, while the club was shorthanded for the ninth time in the game, with 2:45 remaining. The marker was Westrum's eighth of the season.
The Falcons, who entered the game ranked ninth in penalty killing at home, have shut down 52 of their opponent's 57 power play chances (91.2%) at the Civic Center this season.
Springfield was zero-for-eight with the man advantage in the game. The Falcons outshot Portland, 34-28.
Kolanos was +3 in the contest and now leads the Falcons in plus/minus this season at +5.
With the win, Springfield (9-12-4-1) moved into a tie for fifth place in the Atlantic Division with the Lowell Lock Monsters, who fell 3-2 to the Providence Bruins on Saturday night.
The Falcons will travel to Portland to take on the Pirates in their next game on Friday. Hear the live play-by-play call of the action from Marc Shelanski, the voice of the Falcons, on The ZONE â Sports Radio 640. The pre-game show begins at 6:35 p.m. Following a road game against the Hartford Wolf Pack next Saturday, the Falcons will return to the home ice at The Nest to again face the Portland Pirates. Game time is 4:05.
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