Falcons Rally falls short in Norfolk

Published on January 23, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Norfolk, VA – Two goals by defenseman Todd Reirden pulled the Springfield Falcons from a three-goal deficit to within one in the final period, but the club eventually fell to the Norfolk Admirals, 4-2, before 4,158 at The Scope on Friday night. The markers by Reirden were his first since a trade between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on Saturday brought the blueliner to the Falcons. Springfield goaltender David LeNeveu made 32 saves. Norfolk forwards Duncan Keith and Mikhail Yakubov each tallied a goal and an assist for the Admirals.

After the Admirals potted the first three goals of the contest, Reirden registered his first point in a Falcons uniform by firing a shot from the right wing face-off circle under the crossbar to make the score 3-1 with 2:38 remaining in the second period.

The Falcons cut further into the Norfolk lead when Reirden scored a shorthanded goal with 8:47 remaining in regulation. On the goal, the ten-year veteran banked a sharp-angled shot off of Norfolk netminder Adam Munro and into the net. Goran Bezina collected an assist on the score.

Earlier in the third period, a slap shot from the point by Falcons defenseman Nikos Tselios hit the post after being redirected by forward Martin Podlesak.

After the Falcons pulled LeNeveu for an extra skater, the Admirals sealed the win when Yakubov shot the puck into an empty net from the Norfolk zone with 47 seconds left in the game.

Munro earned his fourth victory for the Admirals by stopping 22 of 24 shots.

The loss was the fourth straight for Springfield.

Norfolk opened scoring with 1:26 remaining in the first period with a goal by right wing Pavel Vorobiev. The forward collected the rebound of a shot by Keith before knocking the puck into the net.

Keith notched his seventh marker of the season after collecting a drop pass in the slot from center Ajay Baines to make the score 2-0 midway through the second frame.

Forward Blake Bellefeuille added to the Admirals advantage by snapping a shot off the shoulder of LeNeveu and into the net at the 15:34 mark of the period. The goal was Bellefeuille's second goal of the campaign. The Framingham native scored his first goal of the campaign as a member of the Providence Bruins against the Falcons in the season-opener for both clubs on October 10th.

The Falcons will have a chance to avenge Friday's defeat as the team will remain in Norfolk to challenge the Admirals again on Saturday evening. Tune into The ZONE – Sports Radio 640 to hear the voice of the Falcons Marc Shelanski describe the live play-by-play action. The broadcast begins with the pre-game show at 7:00 pm.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2004


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