Falcons Rally for Comeback Win over Manchester

Published on November 16, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Manchester, NH – Center Jeff Taffe scored with 32.4 seconds remaining in overtime as the Springfield Falcons rallied from a three-goal deficit to upend the Manchester Monarchs, 4-3, before 8,555 at the Verizon Wireless arena on Saturday night. The Springfield victory snapped the Falcons' five-game winless streak and broke the Monarchs seven-game unbeaten streak. Forwards Erik Westrum and Kiel McLeod scored for Springfield in the second period. Center Chris Ferraro sent the game to overtime with a blast from the high slot with 5:38 remaining in regulation. Rookie goaltender David LeNeveu, after allowing three goals in the opening 28:04 of the game, slammed the door on the Monarchs the rest of the way to earn the win.

Taffe knocked in the game-winner after Monarchs goaltender Adam Hauser had stopped bids by Fredrik Sjostrom and Nikos Tselios. The rebound goal marked Taffe's fourth game-winning tally of the season and his second in overtime. The second-year forward shares the AHL lead in game-winning goals with Hartford center Layne Ulmer.

Despite a strong start by the Falcons in the opening minutes, the Monarchs took a first-period lead when right wing Dan Welch scored the first of back-to-back goals by Manchester 7:59 into the game. On the goal, Welch flipped a puck toward the Falcons' goal from the center red line that took an unexpected bounce over the shoulder of rookie goaltender David LeNeveu.

Defenseman Bryan Muir scored again for Manchester with a slap shot from the top of the left wing face-off circle during a Monarchs power play 46 seconds later.

The Monarchs increased their lead to 3-0 when Pavel Rosa received a pass from Steve Kelly and fired a shot from the right wing into the top corner of the net at 8:04 of the second period. The goal was Rosa's fourth of the season.

However, Springfield rebounded with a pair of goals before the middle frame ended. Westrum carried the puck behind the Manchester net and scored a backhanded wraparound goal at 10:43 of the period. Left wing Trevor Gillies collected the lone assist on the goal for his first point of the season.

McLeod made the score 3-2 by lifting a wrist shot under the cross bar from the right wing face-off circle after he had received a lead pass from defenseman Mike Wilson. The goal, which came at 13:38 of the period, was McLeod's first professional goal.

Chris Ferraro game-tying marker in the third period came after the forward received a drop pass from Westrum. Westrum set up the goal after collecting a Manchester turnover in the Monarchs' end.

After falling behind 3-0, LeNeveu responded with standout goaltending to enable the club's come-from-behind win. The netminder thwarted a breakaway attempt by the Monarchs leading goal-scorer Scott Barney in the second period shortly after McLeod's goal had pulled Springfield to within one. LeNeveu also stopped Rosa's point-blank redirection of a centering feed from linemate Steve Kelly early in the overtime session.

In the victory, the Falcons saddled Monarchs goaltender Adam Hauser with his first career AHL loss. The University of Minnesota product entered Saturday's contest with a 4-0-1 record on the season and had not allowed more than two goals in any appearance with Manchester.

The Falcons' next action comes on Friday night when the club hosts the Albany River Rats at the Springfield Civic Center. For information on tickets and group discounts, please contact the Falcons' team office at (413) 739-3344.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 16, 2003


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