Falcons Skate Past Lowell, 4-2

February 25, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Springfield, Mass. – Forward Ryan Craig scored twice and Jim Campbell collected a pair of his assists in his team debut as the Springfield Falcons overcame the Lowell Lock Monsters, 4-2, at the Springfield Civic Center on Friday night. Rookie defenseman Doug O'Brien also registered two assists while goaltender Brian Eklund stopped 26 of 28 shots for the Falcons.

Campbell, who was assigned to the Falcons by the New York Islanders earlier in the day, had shared the team lead for Isles' AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, with five power play goals on the season. The Worcester native paid immediate dividends to the Falcons' man advantage unit by assisting on two power play goals against Lowell.

The Falcons grabbed a 1-0 lead 8:48 into the second period by converting on their second power play of the night. Craig Darby centered the puck from near the left wing corner to Craig, who knocked in the pass from the edge of the crease. Campbell garnered his first point as a Falcon with an assist on the play.

Springfield right wing Evgeni Artukhin followed with his seventh goal of the campaign just 2:45 later. Seconds after Eklund stopped back-to-back chances on Lowell's Ryan Bayda and Matt Hendricks at the end of an odd man rush, the Falcons headed the other way on a two-on-one break. Artukhin, skating with Campbell, carried the puck into the Lowell zone and fired a slap shot from the top of the left circle that beat Monsters goaltender Brent Krahn to the blocker side.

With 1:55 remaining in the middle frame, Craig scored his second power-play goal of the game by redirecting a shot by Campbell from near the left wing half boards. It was Craig's 22nd marker of the season.

Defenseman Gerard Dicaire combined with rookie Dennis Packard to provide the Falcons with a 4-0 lead 2:31 into the third period. Packard worked the puck back to Dicaire at the right point after battling on the forecheck deep in the Lowell zone. Dicaire moved into the slot to snap a shot that was partially stopped by Krahn, but had enough steam to carry across the goal line.

Hendricks, a recent addition to the Lock Monsters, spoiled Eklund's bid for the first shutout of the season by a Falcons' netminder on a goal with 8:26 remaining in the game. Hendricks flicked a bouncing rebound over Eklund during a Monsters' power play. The goal was the first AHL tally for Hendricks, who was skating in his second game with Lowell after being called up from Florida of the ECHL earlier this week.

The Lock Monsters created another goal with 40 seconds remaining in the third period while skating six-on-four after a penalty was issued to Campbell and head coach Tom Rowe pulled Krahn from his team's net. Right wing Carsen Germyn skated on to a lobbed pass from former Boston Bruin Craig MacDonald and laced a wrist shot from the right wing circle inside the far post to cap scoring in the game.

The win was the second of the season over the Lock Monsters for Springfield.

The Falcons finished two for four on the power play while Lowell scored twice on five opportunities.

Lowell held a 28-24 shot advantage in the contest.

The loss was the fourth straight (0-3-0-1) for the Lock Monsters.

The Falcons return to the home ice of the Civic Center on Saturday night for a rematch with the Norfolk Admirals, who downed Springfield 4-3 at The Nest on Wednesday. Game time is 7:35 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit the Springfield Civic Center box office, call (413) 787-6600 or (800) 639-8602 to order by phone, or log onto www.falconsahl.com to order tickets online.



American Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2005


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