Falcons Stumble in Binghamton
December 31, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Binghamton, NY - The Springfield Falcons, in their final game of 2004, suffered a 7-1 defeat to the Binghamton Senators before a capacity crowd of 4,710 at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena on Friday night. The Falcons were skating without two of their top three scorers in Shane Willis and Craig Darby. Senators left wing Denis Hamel posted a hat trick while center Jason Spezza collected four points with two goals and two assists. Defenseman Marc Busenburg scored the lone goal for the Falcons.
Spezza set up a pair of power-play goals as the Senators grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period. Right wing Josh Langfeld converted a cross ice feed from Spezza with 5:36 remaining in the frame. The marker was the first of two goals and three points in the game for Langfeld. Hamel then tipped a shot by Spezza past Falcons goaltender Brian Eklund with just 16 seconds left in the period. The goal came 12 seconds into a power play created by a slashing penalty issued to Ryan Craig.
Hamel scored again 1:47 into the second period after receiving a centering feed from Langfeld. The tally came seconds after Eklund had thwarted an initial two-on-one rush by the Senators duo.
Spezza followed 1:59 later with his 13th goal of the season by snapping a shot into the top corner after leading a three-on-one rush into the Springfield zone. The goal made the score 4-0.
The Falcons capitalized on a man advantage to get on the scoreboard at the 11:54 mark of the middle frame. Busenburg scored with a wrist shot from the left point that beat Binghamton netminder Billy Thompson to the short side. The marker was the second goal and fifth point posted by Busenburg in the last three games after the defenseman had been held pointless in his first 21 games of the season.
However, Langfeld potted his second goal of the game and 11th of the season with 5:10 remaining in the period to make the score 5-1.
Hamel capped his hat trick at the 19:58 mark during four-on-four play by redirecting a feed from blue liner Brian Pothier. Hamel finished the two-game season series with five goals against Springfield.
Spezza, the second overall selection in the 2001 NHL Draft by Ottawa, notched his fourth point and second goal of the night 8:21 into the third period. With Friday's effort, Spezza took over the AHL scoring lead from Manchester's Yannick Lehoux with 49 points (14g, 35a) on the campaign. However, Lehoux and the Monarchs skated against the Lowell Lock Monsters in a later game on Friday.
Thompson stopped 20 of 21 shots to improve his record to 9-5-0 on the season. Eklund made 27 saves in the Falcons' net.
Senators left wing Brandon Bochenski finished the game with three assists while Pothier and center Antoine Vermette each registered two.
The Falcons scored once on six power-play chances in the game. Binghamton converted three of their six opportunities with the man advantage.
Neither Darby, who has a case of the flu, nor Willis, who suffered an injury versus the Providence Bruins on Thursday, made the trip to Binghamton. Rookie right wing Andre Deveaux was also injured on Thursday and did not travel to Binghamton.
However, defenseman Mike Egener returned to the Falcons' lineup after missing 18 games with an injury.
With Friday's win, the Senators gained a split of the season series with the Falcons.
The Falcons return to Springfield to face the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the Civic Center in a 7:05 p.m. game on Saturday. The Penguins' lineup features the top overall selection in the 2003 NHL Draft, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. For tickets, visit the Civic Center box office, or call (413) 787-6600 or (800) 639-8602 to order by phone. Tickets can also be ordered online by visiting the Falcons' official web site.
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American Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2004
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- Bergeron is top scorer in World Jrs. - Providence Bruins
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