Falcons to Visit Penguins on Friday

Published on March 2, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


This Weekend's Game Schedule:

Fri., Mar. 4 Falcons at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 7:05 PM Wachovia Arena The ZONE

Springfield, Mass. – The Springfield Falcons (17-35-2-3, 39 pts.) will travel to Pennsylvania to face the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Wachovia Arena on Friday. After playing 12 games in the 28-day month of February, the Falcons begin March with just one contest this week. It will be the Falcons' only appearance in Wilkes-Barre this season as the opponents will play the last of two season meetings. In the only previous match-up this season on New Year's Day at the Springfield Civic Center, the clubs were tied after 65 minutes of hockey before the Pens won in a shootout to claim a 6-5 victory.

The Falcons take to the road after playing seven of their last eight games on the home ice at The Nest. Friday's game is the first of two consecutive road games. Four of the team's next five contests will be away from the Civic Center.

Team Notes: Falcons C Craig Darby scored versus the Norfolk Admirals on Wednesday to pull to within one goal of 200 for his AHL career.... LW Ryan Craig posted his fourth multiple-goal game of the season on Friday with two markers in a 4-2 win over Lowell on Friday.... RW Jim Campbell, who shared the Bridgeport Sound Tigers team lead with five power-play goals before being acquired by the Falcons on Thursday, collected two assists during the man advantage in his first game with Springfield on Friday.... Craig and rookie C Nick Tarnasky have both played in each of the Falcons' 57 games this season.... Craig led the Falcons with four goals and six points during February.... G Brian Eklund posted a 2.40 goals against average and .929 save percentage during the month.

Roster Update: Campbell was re-assigned to the Falcons by the New York Islanders on Friday. The veteran of 284 NHL games registered 20 points (8g, 12a) in 46 games with Bridgeport this season.... The Falcons released LW Mike Bayrack from his professional tryout on Friday. Bayrack did not figure in scoring in four games with Springfield. The forward has returned to the Danbury Trashers of the United Hockey League.... RW Darren Reid returned to the Falcons' lineup on Wednesday after missing three games with an injury suffered in practice.... C Jason Jaspers has missed the last 14 games and 16 of the last 17 contests with an injury.... RW Shane Willis has sat out the last seven games with an injury.... LW Derek Bekar has missed the last four games and D Brian Chapman has sat out the last three games with injuries.... D Mike Egener returned to the lineup on Friday after serving a two-game AHL suspension for accumulation of instigator penalties.

Upcoming Opponents:

Falcons at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza

Friday, Mar. 4

The Falcons complete their brief two-game season series with the Baby Pens (29-17-5-6, 69 pts) on Friday.... Springfield LW Nikita Alexeev scored two goals in the previous match-up on Jan. 1. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton RW Michel Ouellet tallied twice in the Penguins' shootout win.... The Falcons are 3-2-2 all-time against the sixth-season Penguins.... The Penguins have won three of their last four games and currently reside in fourth place in the AHL's tight East Division - just two points behind first-place Norfolk.... Ouellet's 30 goals this season are tied for the second-most in the AHL this season.... Wilkes-Barre C Kris Beech ranks fifth in the league with 45 assists.... Pens LW Matt Murley, the brother of Falcons athletic trainer Tom Murley, leads the league in plus/minus at +30.... D Ryan Whitney ranks 10th among AHL rookies in points (28) and is tied for fourth in assists (23).... G Marc-Andre Fleury, the top overall draft selection in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, has compiled a 20-11-3 record, 2.47 GAA, and .904 SV% for the Penguins this season.... RW Colby Armstrong led the Pens in scoring during February with nine points (4g, 5a) in 11 games.... RW Ryan VandenBussche, who played nine games with the Springfield Indians in 1993-94, has recorded five points (2g, 3a) in five contests since signing with the Penguins on Feb. 16.

Upcoming Appearances:

Youth Hockey Practice – Wednesday, Mar. 2 – 8-9 pm: Falcons D Mike Egener and LW Dennis Packard will participate in hockey practice with the Westfield PeeWees at Amelia Park in Westfield.

Baer's Cycle Sales Open House – Saturday, Mar. 5 – 11am-2pm: Screech, the Falcons lovable mascot, will be at the annual Baer's Cycle Sales Open House on Saturday. Baer's Cycle Sales is located at 11 Harvey St. in Springfield.

Radio Broadcasts: Tune into The ZONE – Sports Radio 640 to hear the Falcons' game at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday. The Voice of the Falcons, Marc Shelanski, calls the action. The pre-game show begins at 6:35 p.m. Fans can also listen via the Internet by clicking on the MassLive.com Cybercast icon on the Falcons' official web site, www.falconsahl.com.

Internet Broadcast: A live video webcast of the Falcons' game versus the Penguins on Friday will be available via B2 Networks. Fans can access the broadcast through the B2 Networks link in the right column of the Falcons' official web site, www.falconsahl.com. B2 does charge to receive the broadcast.

Tickets: Tickets for all Falcons' home games can be ordered in person or by phone through the Springfield Civic Center box office located along East Court Street. To order by phone, please call (413) 787-6600 or (800) 639-8602. Tickets can also be ordered online by visiting the Falcons' official web site, www.falconsahl.com. Groups of 15 or more can receive discount savings by contacting the Falcons' team office at (413) 739-3344. Group tickets must be ordered in advance.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 2, 2005


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