Falcons Weekly Notes
October 29, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
WEEK IN REVIEW (1-2-0-0):
OCTOBER 23 Springfield-1 at Manchester-6
OCTOBER 25 Springfield-4 at Manitoba 6
OCTOBER 26 Springfield-3 at Manitoba-1
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE
OCTOBER 30 Springfield at Worcester 7:05 PM Centrum Centre
NOVEMBER 1 Springfield at Albany 7:35 PM Pepsi Arena
NOVEMBER 2 Springfield vs. Providence 7:35 PM Springfield Civic Center
NOVEMBER 3 Springfield at Providence 4:05 PM Dunkin' Donuts Center
THIS WEEK'S GAME CAPSULES
---WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2002 AT WORCESTER ICECATS---
The Springfield Falcons will meet the Worcester IceCats in the first of four meetings this season when they face off on Wednesday night in Worcester. The Falcons were 2-6 against the IceCats last season and trail 33-37-10 in the all-time series. Worcester is currently in fifth place in the North Division with a 2-3-1 record for five points. Worcester is 2-0-1 in their last three games. John Pohl is tied for fifth among AHL rookies and leads Worcester in scoring with four goals and three assists for seven points in five games. Two of Pohl's goals have come on the power play and one was a game-winning goal. Mark Rycroft and Sergi Varlamov are tied for second in team scoring with six points each. Varlamov leads the team in assists with six. Rycroft is also tied for second in goals with Aris Brimanis, and Justin Papineau with three each. Jame Pollock and Steve McLaren are tied for the team lead in penalty minutes with 17 each. Jason Dawe is third on the team in penalty minutes with 15. Goaltender Phil Osaer is 2-1-1 with a 2.47 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Goaltender Curtis Sanford was 0-2 with a .845 save percentage and a 5.76 GAA before being called up by the St. Louis Blues. Worcester is ranked 23rd in the AHL in power play efficiency, scoring on 13.0 percent of their opportunities. Worcester is ranked 19th in penalty killing, successfully killing 83.7 percent of their shorthanded situations.
---FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2002 AT ALBANY RIVER RATS ---
The Springfield Falcons and Albany River Rats will meet for the first time this season when they face off on Friday night in Albany. This will be the last game in a five game road trip for the Falcons. The Falcons were 6-1-1 last season against the River Rats and are 16-17-7 all-time against Albany. Albany is currently in first place in the East Division with a 4-3-1 record for nine points. Albany dropped their last game 4-2 against the Hartford Wolf Pack. Albany is 3-1 at home this year. Craig Darby leads the River Rats and the league in points with 15, three goals and 12 assists. Darby is also the league leader in assists. Ray Giroux is second on the team and is tied for second in the league with 11 points, three goals and eight assists. Joe Hulbig and Christian Berglund lead the team in goals with four each. Three of Hulbig's goals have come on the power play. Mike Matteucci leads the team and is second in the league in penalty minutes with 51. Goaltender Scott Clemmensen ranks 16th among AHL goalies with a record of 2-1-1 with a 2.64 GAA and a .897 save percentage. Goaltender Ari Ahonen is 2-2 with a 4.20 GAA and a ..861 save percentage. Albany ranks 3rd in the league in power play efficiency, scoring on 21.3 percent of their opportunities. Albany's penalty kill is ranked 24th in the league, killing 78.2 percent of their shorthanded situations.
---SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2002 VS. PROVIDENCE BRUINS ---
---SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2002 AT PROVIDENCE BRUINS ---
The Springfield Falcons and Providence Bruins will face off in their second home and home series of the season when they play on Saturday in Springfield and on Sunday in Providence. The Falcons are 1-1 against Providence this season with both games ending in a score of 2-1. The home team has won both games. The Falcons won the last meeting between the teams when Dmitry Afanasenkov scored the game-winning goal on a penalty shot in the second period. Providence is in second place in the North Division with a 4-2-2 record this season for 10 points, they are one point behind Manchester. Matt Herr leads the Bruins in scoring with nine points and in goals scored with six. Herr leads the AHL in game winning goals with four and is tied for the team lead in power play goals with Lee Goran with three each. Andy Hilbert is second on the team in scoring with seven points, four goals and three assists. Hilbert is tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals with two. Jay Henderson is the team leader in penalty minutes with 47. Herr is second on the team with 20 penalty minutes. Goaltender Andrew Raycroft is 12th among AHL goalies with a 3-2-1 record, a 2.47 GAA and a .921 save percentage. Goaltender Peter Hamerlik is 0-0-1 with a 3.69 GAA and a .909 save percentage. Providence is tied for 12th in the AHL in power play efficiency, scoring on 16.1 percent of their opportunities. They are also tied for 3rd in the AHL in penalty killing, successfully killing 90.2 percent of their shorthanded situations.
PLAYER/TEAM NOTABLES:
Ramzi Abid had a seven-game point-scoring streak and a three-game goal-scoring streak snapped on 10/26/02 against Manitoba.
Erik Westrum scored his first two goals of the season against Manitoba in a 3-1 win on 10/26/02, both goals were scored on the power play.
Darren Rumble had three points, one goal and two assists, in a 6-4 loss to Manitoba on 10/25/02 earning the game's second star.
Darren Rumble, Jeff Taffe, Boyd Kane and Martin Cibak each have a two-game point-scoring streak.
Zac Bierk made 48 saves on Saturday night in Manitoba earning the game's first star in a 3-1 win. It was Bierk's 2002-03 season debut and he was only one save shy of tying Manny Legace's team record for most saves in a single game.
The Falcons have scored four power play goals in their last three games.
Ramzi Abid leads the Falcons in scoring with five goals and four assists for nine points.
Ramzi Abid is tied for the league lead in power play goals with four.
TRANSACTIONS:
10-22-02 â Springfield Falcons reassign Matt Elich to Pensacola of the ECHL.
10-22-02 â Springfield Falcons release Yves Sarault from his PTO Contract.
10-22-02 â Phoenix Coyotes reassign Jeff Taffe to the Springfield Falcons.
10-23-02 â Phoenix Coyotes recall goaltender Patrick DesRochers from Springfield.
10-23-02 - Springfield Falcons recall goaltender Zac Bierk from Augusta of the ECHL.
10-25-02 â Phoenix Coyotes recall Deron Quint from Springfield.
NEXT THREE HOME GAMES:
Saturday November 2 vs. Providence 7:35 PM
Friday November 8 vs. Albany 7:35PM
Saturday November 9 vs. Worcester 7:35PM
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