Falcons Weather Early Storm, Soar Past Sound Tigers

Published on March 28, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Springfield, Mass. - The Springfield Falcons (38-18-5-4) allowed four goals in the opening period but shut down the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (27-27-6-5) the rest of the way and eventually rallied for a 5-4 victory on Thursday night at the MassMutual Center.

Alex Aleardi scored the game-winning goal in his first professional contest, as the Falcons reduced their magic number to clinch a spot in the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs to five points. Springfield closed out its eight-game season series with Bridgeport, and took points in each matchup with the Sound Tigers this season (5-0-2-1).

The Sound Tigers struck four times on their first six shots of the game, as Springfield fell behind by two goals through 20 minutes.

Just 2:59 into the contest, Blair Riley deposited a rebound created by a Ty Wishart shot, beating Falcons goaltender Allen York from the right circle to put the Sound Tigers up, 1-0.

Springfield responded almost immediately, as Matthew Ford and Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, who each had a goal and two assists, teamed up for the first of three times on the evening. Ford's first-two chances were denied by Sound Tigers netminder Rick DiPietro, but Audy-Marchessault backhanded in the third opportunity of the sequence at 3:39, making it 1-1.

Scott Campbell escaped behind a pair of Springfield forwards and tapped in a centering feed from Riley at 6:01, as the Sound Tigers went back in front, 2-1.

With Bridgeport a minute into its first power play of the game, Brock Nelson skated to the inner edge of the right circle and wristed a puck over York's glove at 8:39 to extend the Sound Tigers' advantage to 3-1.

The Falcons countered with a man-advantage conversion of their own. Nick Drazenovic worked the puck to the left point for Ford, whose slap shot was redirected in with a tip by Ryan Craig at 10:45, bringing Springfield closer to Bridgeport, 3-2.

The Sound Tigers shrugged off Craig's goal by scoring under two minutes later to reclaim the two-goal pad, as Sean Backman put home a rebound on the power play at 12:21 for a 4-2 lead.

Paul Dainton replaced York after Backman's goal, but he left the contest early in the second period with a lower-body injury. York returned to the action and was flawless on the final 13 shots he witnessed, allowing Springfield to chisel into Bridgeport's cushion.

Off a Bridgeport turnover in the second period, Audy-Marchessault sprung Ford on a breakaway. Ford skated in on DiPietro and fooled him with a backhander from in tight at 15:54, as the Falcons closed to within one again, 4-3.

Springfield, which had only two wins in 16 situations this season when trailing after two periods, moved to even terms with Bridgeport in the formative stages of the third. Will Weber, who had registered his first professional tally on Mar. 12 in Bridgeport against DiPietro, stole a puck in the Sound Tigers' end, progressed to the right circle, and backhanded a puck in only 26 seconds into the last stanza, knotting the game up, 4-4.

With the Falcons on a power play later in the third, Audy-Marchessault rushed back into Springfield's end to prevent a Bridgeport scoring chance. The second-year pro dove to push the puck away from Brandon DeFazio, obtained possession, and sprung Spencer Machacek back up ice. Machacek moved into Bridgeport's zone and peppered DiPietro with a wrister from the right circle. The puck wobbled out of his glove and into the crease, and Aleardi pushed in his milestone tally to give Springfield its first and final lead of the evening, 5-4, at 4:15.

After relinquishing goals to Bridgeport on the Sound Tigers' first two power plays, the Falcons quieted the Sound Tigers on their final six chances, including one last window midway through the third. After their last successful penalty kill, the Falcons silenced the Sound Tigers with DiPietro pulled for an extra attacker late, and won, 5-4.

York (9-5-0) set aside 15 of 19 shots to win his first game since Mar. 2. Dainton made four saves prior to leaving the game early in the second. DiPietro (5-4-0) allowed five goals on Springfield's 31 attempts.

Springfield tied Providence for second place in the Eastern Conference standings with the win. The two clubs trail Syracuse for the top spot by one point with a game in hand on the Crunch.

The Falcons' lead over Connecticut for first place in the Northeast Division remained 11 points with two games in hand on the Whale. Springfield's magic number to seal the division title decreased to eight points.

Springfield finishes off the week at home against Connecticut at the MassMutual Center on Saturday, presented by Z Airport Parking (www.ZAirportParking.com) at 7 p.m. The first 250 people into the building that night will receive a Falcons removable wall graphic, courtesy of Super Big Pics, while the first 500 fans will get an LED flashlight keychain from Z Airport Parking. All fans will be given a coupon for two free days of parking at Z Airport Parking. Fans can also participate in a raffle held by Z Airport Parking during the game.

During the second intermission of Saturday's game, the Springfield Team Final for the 2013 Labatt Blue AHL Bubble Hockey Tournament of Champions will be held on the MassMutual Center ice. The Team Final champion will move onto the Tournament Finals at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. on Sunday, Apr. 21. Falcons players Jake Hansen and Allen York kicked off the Springfield 2013 tournament on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at Pasquale's Restaurant in East Longmeadow. The 2013 Labatt Blue AHL Bubble Hockey Tournament of Champions winner receives a Super Chexx Bubble Hockey game.

Fans will also have a chance to win a free bicycle at Saturday's game, courtesy of Gus Coelho Auto Repair at 442 Holyoke St. in Ludlow, as part of "Cycle Saturday." Additionally, characters from Six Flags New England in Agawam will be in attendance.

Single-game tickets to see the Falcons in 2012-2013 can be purchased at the MassMutual Center Box Office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. through game time on Saturday home dates, and starting four hours prior to Sunday home contests. Fans can also purchase tickets by logging onto Ticketmaster.com. For information about discounted group packages to Falcons home games, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625).

Notes:

Craig's goal was his 28th on the power play in a Falcons uniform, putting him one shy of tying Danny Briere and Jean-Guy Trudel for the all-time club lead in that category. He equaled Eric Healey for sixth in franchise history with his 57th goal overall...Drazenovic had an assist on Craig's goal, and leads the AHL with 27 power-play points (9g-18a)...Audy-Marchessault's three-point game (1g-2a) was his most productive since he notched a hat trick in a 7-5 win in Manchester on Jan. 15. He paces Springfield with 58 points (19g-39a) and is two points away from the league's scoring lead...The Falcons have won 16 of their last 19 home games since Dec. 30...Springfield is 3-12-2-2 when trailing after two periods this season, having taken points in seven of 19 situations when facing a deficit entering the third...Aleardi signed an ATO with Springfield on Mar. 19...Ford's three-point night (1g-2a) marked a season high

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American Hockey League Stories from March 28, 2013


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