Falcons Struggle in Pre-season Opener

October 11, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release


FRESNO, Calif. – The Long Beach Ice Dogs used a pair of third period, shorthanded goals to break open a one-goal hockey game on their way to a 6-3 pre-season win over the Fresno Falcons at Gateway Ice Center on Friday evening.

Trailing, 3-1, but beginning the third period with the man advantage, Fresno's Tapio Sammalkangas blasted a slapshot past Long Beach netminder Chris McKay to draw his club within a goal just 24 seconds into the frame. The Ice Dogs worked some special teams magic of their own, though, when Eric LaPlante scored shorthanded at 4:06 of the third before Krzysztof Wieckowski duplicated the feat at 13:35 to open up a three-goal cushion for the visitors.

LaPlante ended the evening with two goals, as did his teammate Nathan Horner. Darren Partch also added a tally for Long Beach. Greg Bullock and Nobumasa Kinugasa each scored for Fresno in addition to Sammalkangas.

The same two teams square off in another pre-season game tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at Long Beach's practice facility, Glacial Gardens in Lakewood, CA. The Falcons open their regular season a week from tonight, Oct. 17, at Bakersfield against the Condors.



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