Falcons Set To Host Wolf Pack Tonight

Published on April 11, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


The Springfield Falcons and Hartford Wolf Pack conclude their season series Friday night at the MassMutual Center. Hartford has won the last five consecutive head-to-head contests against Springfield. Center Marc Pouliot leads the Falcons in scoring against the Pack this season with three goals and three assists for six points in six games. Defenseman Andrew Hutchinson leads Hartford in scoring against Springfield this year with one goal and 11 assists for 12 points in eight games.

The Falcons conclude their 2007-08 regular season this weekend as they host the Portland Pirates on Saturday and play in Worcester on Sunday following tonight's contest. Springfield currently has a record of 34-33-5-5 good for 78 points. The 78 points is Springfield's highest point total in the standings since the 1999-00 campaign. Springfield hasn't earned 80 points in the standings in a single season since the 1998-99 campaign.

Hartford is preparing for the Calder Cup Playoffs as they conclude their regular season with a home-and-home series with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers following tonight's game. The Wolf Pack has a record of 47-20-2-8 good for 104 points, the fourth time in the last five seasons they have reached the 100-point plateau. This season will mark the 11th straight year that Hartford has earned a birth in the post-season.

FALCONS PLAYER TRANSACTIONS: The Springfield Falcons have had a very busy week of player transactions as they prepare for the final weekend of the regular season. Forwards Ryan O'Marra, Jonas Almtorp, Stephane Goulet and defenseman Brad Farynuk have all joined the Falcons' ECHL affiliate, the Stockton Thunder for the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs. O'Marra has seen time with the Thunder this season collecting 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points in 24 games while being named an ECHL All-Star. In 31 games with the Falcons this year, O'Marra totaled two goals and seven assists for nine points and 31 penalty minutes.

Farynuk was the Thunder's captain this season and the Enderby, British Columbia native also represented Stockton in the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game. In 28 games with the Thunder this season, Farynuk collected three goals and 12 assists for 15 points and 41 penalty minutes. Farynuk also played in 20 games with the Falcons this campaign picking up four assists and 18 penalty minutes. Goulet, who is in his second professional season, has split time between Springfield and Stockton this year. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound native of Levis, Quebec recorded four goals and 10 assists for 14 points and 10 penalty minutes in 12 games with the Thunder this campaign. In 36 games with Springfield this season, Goulet recorded nine goals and five assists for 14 points and 22 penalty minutes. Almtorp has also shared time in Springfield and Stockton during his first season of professional hockey in North America. Almtorp has registered seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points in 27 games with the Thunder this year, while also totaling two goals and two assists for four points in 37 games with Springfield.

FALCONS SIGN PAIR TO PTO'S: The Falcons announced this week that they have signed defenseman Brent Henley and forward Justin Chwedoruk to Professional Tryout Agreements. Chwedoruk started the 2007-08 season with Springfield participating in their training camp and preseason games. The St. Albert, Alberta native split the 2007-08 campaign between Bakersfield and Wheeling of the ECHL. In 63 games combined between the Condors and Nailers, Chwedoruk collected 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points and 109 penalty minutes. Henley has spent the 2007-08 season with the Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL collecting four assists and 108 penalty minutes in 26 games. The 6-foot-7, 250-pound native of Coquitlam, British Columbia has played in 43 career AHL games seeing time with the Lowell Lock Monsters (2002-03), Rochester Americans (2002-03), Toronto Roadrunners (2003-04) and Edmonton Road Runners (2004-05).

TOP AHL DEFENSEMAN: The American Hockey League this week named Hartford Wolf Pack captain Andrew Hutchinson the 2007-08 winner of the Eddie Shore Award. The Shore Award is given each season to the AHL's outstanding defenseman, as voted by league players, coaches and members of the media in each of the league's 29 cities. Hutchinson's selection as this year's winner makes him the first Wolf Pack blueliner in the 11-year history of the franchise to capture the award.

A sixth-year pro, Hutchinson has struck for 18 goals and 46 assists for 64 points, and is a +25, on the season, tops among all AHL blueliners in points and assists and tied for the league lead in goals among blueliners. His 18 goals and 64 points are Wolf Pack franchise records for defensemen, and he has tied the franchise mark for assists by a blueliner in a single season. Also, Hutchinson this year registered the first hat trick ever by a Wolf Pack defenseman, February 8th at Providence, and the first five-point game by a Pack blueliner, February 29th at home vs. Norfolk.

Hutchinson has played in 95 NHL games in his career, with Nashville and Carolina (career totals: 10-23-33), and has logged 255 career AHL games, with totals of 49-111-160.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Hockey League Stories from April 11, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central