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Falcons Ride Four-Game Unbeaten Streak into Week Five

November 3, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release


Week in Review (2-0-1-0):

The Springfield Falcons (5-3-1-0, 11 pts) won a pair of games in dramatic fashion at the Springfield Civic Center and earned a point in a 3-3 tie against the AHL-leading Hartford Wolf Pack on the road during Week Four. Center Jeff Taffe scored with 53 seconds remaining in overtime to boost the Falcons to a 1-0 win over the Norfolk Admirals on Wednesday. Goaltender Jean-Marc Pelletier made 27 saves in the shutout. Right wing Peter Ferraro scored twice and defenseman Nikos Tselios net the game-tying goal in the third period of Saturday's deadlock in Hartford. On Sunday, Taffe scored his second game-winner of the week and third of the season with seven seconds remaining in regulation in a 3-2 win over the Providence Bruins. The Falcons finished the week tied for second place in the Atlantic Division standings with the Manchester Monarchs and are off to their best start after nine games since the 1997-98 season.

Falcons – 1 vs. Norfolk – 0

Wednesday, October 29th

Taffe finished a two-on-one rush with Fredrik Sjostrom by one-timing a feed from the rookie forward past Admirals goaltender Craig Anderson in overtime for the only goal of the game. Defenseman Igor Knyazev began the Falcons' breakout with a block of a slap shot in the Springfield defensive zone that caromed out to the blue line. Pelletier earned his 15th shutout as a professional and 11th in the AHL with his 27-save performance.

SOG: 23 SOGA: 27 PP: 0-for-7 PK: 4-for-4

Falcons – 3 at Hartford – 3

Saturday, November 1st

Tselios knotted the game with his first goal as a Falcon 1:18 into the third period. Springfield goaltender David LeNeveu and Hartford's Jason LaBarbera staved off several scoring chances during constant end-to-end action in overtime. LeNeveu finished with the game with 35 saves – a season-high for the rookie. Peter Ferraro scored back-to-back goals 4:40 apart in the first period to provide the Falcons a 2-1 lead. However, the Wolf Pack vaulted in front with a shorthanded goal by forward Chad Wiseman and a power-play tally by defenseman Lawrence Nycholat in the second frame.

SOG: 33 SOGA: 38 PP: 1-for-5 PK: 0-for-1

Falcons – 3 vs. Providence – 2

Sunday, November 2nd

P-Bruins right wing Pat Leahy's second goal of the game with 44 seconds remaining in regulation appeared as if it would send the Falcons to overtime for the third straight game. However, for the second time in five days, Taffe converted a pass from Sjostrom into a game-winning goal. Peter Ferraro, who opened scoring with a five-on-three power-play goal in the first period, also assisted on the game-winner. Falcons center Erik Westrum scored his third goal of the season 32 seconds into the third period. Pelletier and Providence goaltender Hannu Toivonen each sparkled in net making 32 and 29 saves respectively.

SOG: 32 SOGA: 34 PP: 1-for-6 PK: 4-for-5

Team Notes: Peter Ferraro's first-period goal in Sunday's win over Providence marked the 500th point of the right wing's AHL career. Ferraro, who also collected an assist on Taffe's game-winning goal, has notched 217 goals and 284 assists in 468 games in the league.... Taffe shares the AHL lead in both points (13) and goals (7). Peter Ferraro has also scored seven goals this season.... The Falcons are 4-1-0 at home this season.... Ferraro has scored five goals over the Falcons' last three road games. The 30-year-old's two-goal effort in Hartford on Saturday marked his second multi-goal game this season.... Springfield held a record of 6-1-2 after nine games in 1997-98 – the last time the team had a better start than this season.... Each of the Falcons' five wins this season has been by a one-goal margin. Springfield is 5-0 in one-goal games this season and leads the league in one-goal wins.... Sjostrom and right wing Frank Banham were each credited with seven shots on goal at Hartford on Saturday to match the Falcons high this season.... The Falcons rank second in the AHL in power-play success on the road with six goals in 24 chances (25.0%). The club ranks 10th in the league in overall power-play success (17.9%).... With a pair of wins over Albany and Wednesday's victory against Norfolk, Springfield owns a 3-0-0 record versus the East Division this season.... The Falcons have outscored opponents, 10-5, in the third period this season. Springfield is 3-0-0 this season when tied after the second frame.... Peter Ferraro has scored four of Springfield's seven first-period markers this season.... The Falcons hold the AHL's 10th-best winning percentage to this point in the season.

Roster Update: The Falcons will be without Westrum until next Monday. The Minneapolis native will play for Team USA at the Deutschland Cup tournament in Hannover, Germany from November 7th to 9th.... Falcons center Jason Jaspers was injured in the first period of the Falcons' 3-3 tie at Hartford on Saturday and is expected to miss 3-5 weeks.... Left wings Ladislav Kouba and Darren McLachlan, who were each assigned to Adirondack of the UHL on Thursday, were recalled to Springfield on Sunday, but did not dress in the Falcons' game versus Providence. Kouba scored a goal in the IceHawks' 5-2 win at Elmira on Friday. McLachlan was issued a game misconduct following his second fighting major in the same contest.... Defenseman Michael Schutte sat out Friday's and Saturday's game with the flu.... Center Chris Ferraro was issued a game misconduct following a fight with Nycholat in the first period at Hartford on Saturday for not having his jersey tied down.

Upcoming Week:

Falcons vs. Norfolk Admirals

Friday, November 7th

The Norfolk Admirals (4-7-1-1, 10 pts.) return for their second and final appearance at the Springfield Civic Center this season. The Falcons will visit the Admirals for games on January 23rd and 24th to complete the season series.... The Falcons own a 3-2-0 all-time record against the Admirals.... Friday's match-up marks the Admirals' seventh game of a ten-game road trip.... Norfolk is 0-4-1 and has scored just one goal through five games of the road trip.... Anderson ranks 15th in the AHL with a 2.13 goals against average (GAA).... The Admirals rank eighth in the league in penalty killing (86.8%), but the team has been shorthanded an AHL-high 76 times this season. Norfolk leads the league in penalty minutes (PIM) with 294.... Admirals defenseman Marty Wilford shares the league lead in assists with nine. The blueliner registered an AHL season-high four helpers in Norfolk's season-opening 6-3 win at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on October 8th.... Norfolk is 0-3-0-1 versus Atlantic Division teams this season.... The Admirals have outshot opponents, 404-340, this season.

Falcons at Hartford Wolf Pack

Saturday, November 8th

The Falcons visit the Hartford Civic Center for the second consecutive Saturday. The game will mark the second of five meetings between the teams in Connecticut. The rivals will face-off a total of ten times this season.... The Falcons carry an all-time record of 25-33-5 versus Hartford.... The Wolf Pack (6-0-3-1, 16 pts.) lead the Atlantic Division and the overall league standings. Hartford is the only team without a regulation defeat on the campaign.... LaBarbera ranks sixth among AHL goaltenders in GAA (1.72) and is tied for second in wins (5). The 23-year-old has been in net for nine of the Wolf Pack's 10 games.... Hartford defenseman Fedor Tyutin (3-5-8) and right wing Jed Ortmeyer (2-5-7) each rank in the AHL top ten in scoring among rookies. The duo share the Wolf Pack lead in plus/minus along with Nycholat at +6.... Hartford ranks fourth in the league in penalty killing (93.0%). On Saturday, Springfield's Tselios net one of the four power-play goals allowed by the Wolf Pack this season.

Falcons at Portland Pirates

Sunday, November 9th

Springfield and the Pirates (5-6-0-0, 10 pts.) will face-off in the first of ten meetings this season.... The Falcons hold an all-time record of 40-26-6 against Portland.... Peter and Chris Ferraro will be making their return to Portland after spending the previous two seasons with the Pirates. Peter led Portland in scoring during both campaigns.... Portland is riding a two-game winning streak.... The Pirates are 4-2-0 at home this season.... Portland goaltender Rastislav Stana ranks 11th in the AHL with a 1.84 GAA and has registered a ..931 save percentage. The netminder made 22 saves in a 3-0 shutout of Norfolk on Saturday.... Portland center Brad Parsons scored the only penalty shot goal in the AHL this season against Jamie Hodson of St. John's on October 24th.... Portland shares the league lead in penalty killing at home (95.2%). The Pirates' power play ranks 27th in the AHL with four goals in 58 chances (6.9%).... Center Jason Ulmer leads Portland in scoring with eight points (1g, 7a).

Upcoming Promotions:

Friday, November 7th vs. Norfolk Admirals

Military Night – Present a Military or Veteran's I.D. at the Springfield Civic Center box office to receive a $5.00 discount on an adult ticket.

Nabisco Family Night - Present three Oreo wrappers at the Civic Center box office to receive $3.00 off an adult ticket before 5 pm on game day.

Friendly's Fly With the Falcons Sweepstakes – Pick up an entry form at participating Friendly's Restaurants or the Falcons team office for a chance to win "A Night in the Nest". Winners will be chosen to become an Official Stick Person of the Night at one of the Falcons' 40 home games this season. Chosen winners will assist the Falcons' game equipment crew before a game, watch pre-game warm ups from the Falcons' bench, receive an Official Stick Person of the Night t-shirt, meet the players after the game, as well as receive four tickets to the game.

This Week's Game Schedule:

Fri. Nov. 7th Falcons vs. Norfolk Admirals 7:35 PM Springfield Civic Center

Sat., Nov. 8th Falcons at Hartford Wolf Pack 7:05 PM Hartford Civic Center

Sun., Nov. 9th Falcons at Portland Pirates 4:05 PM Cumberland County Civic Center

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