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Falcons Weekly Notes

April 5, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


THIS WEEK'S GAME PREVIEWS

--WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2006 AT MANCHESTER MONARCHS & FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2006 VS. MANCHESTER MONARCHS--

The Springfield Falcons and the Manchester Monarchs will play consecutive games this week - first on Wednesday night in Manchester and then Friday night in Springfield. These two games are the last of ten meetings between the two teams. The Falcons have a 2-4-1-1 record against the Monarchs this season. The two teams last met on February 3rd at the Verizon Wireless Arena in a 4-2 win for the Monarchs. Richard Seeley, Greg Hogeboom and Matt Ryan helped to outscore the Falcons, whose only goals came from Chris Dingman and Timo Helbling, both of whom are currently with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Goaltender Adam Hauser allowed both of Springfield's goals and was pulled after the first period and replaced by Barry Brust, who earned the win after stopping 17 shots on goal. Gerald Coleman was dealt the loss despite stopping 19 shots on goal. Left wing Petr Kanko is ranked fourth in the league with four shorthanded goals in 54 games. Marty Wilford is ranked 14th in the AHL for defenseman scoring with 5 goals and 34 assists for 39 points in 73 games. Manchester has already clinched a playoff spot with their 40-27-3-4 season record which includes a 21-11-2-2 home record and a 19-16-1-2 road record.

--SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 2006 VS. PROVIDENCE BRUINS & SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2006 AT PROVIDENCE BRUINS--

The Springfield Falcons and the Providence Bruins will finish the weekend with back-to-back games. They will play in Springfield on Saturday night and in Providence on Sunday afternoon. The two-game series will end the 12-game season series between the two teams. The Falcons are 1-7-1-1 against the Bruins this year. On April 2, the Bruins hosted the Falcons for a 6-2 victory. Goals for Providence were scored by Jason MacDonald, Tyler Redenbach, Ben Guite, Pascal Pelletier and David Lundbohm. Springfield's two goals came from Ryan Vesce and Jason Jaspers. Netminder Derek Gustafson earned the win after he stopped 21 shots on goal. After six games with Providence, Gustafson posts a 1.79 goals against average and a .934 save percentage. Center Eric Healey is ranked 11th in the league for game-winning goals with six in 64 games this season. Goaltender Jordan Sigalet is ranked ninth in the AHL with a 2.62 goals against average and a .897 save percentage. The Providence Bruins have already clinched a playoff spot with their 39-28-1-5 record, good for fourth place in the AHL's Atlantic Division.

LAST WEEK'S GAME RECAPS

---Game 1 - Springfield vs. Hartford, March 31 - L 9-3---

The Springfield Falcons lost to their Atlantic Division rivals, the Hartford Wolf Pack, 9-3 in front of 5,014 at the MassMutual Center on Friday night. This was the final time Springfield would host the Wolf Pack this season. The two teams will play the backend of their home-and-home series on Saturday night in Hartford. The Falcons opened up the scoring with a power play goal from Norm Milley at 12:40 of the first period. Hartford tied the game at 1-1 when Hugh Jessiman was able to get one past Jonathan Boutin. Springfield's P.J. Atherton scored his first American Hockey League goal in his first AHL game at 2:45 of the second period giving the Falcons a 2-1 lead. In the middle of the period, a five-minute power play gave Hartford the opportunity to tally two more goals from Brad Smyth and Daniel Girardi, less than two minutes apart giving the Pack a 3-2 lead. Dwight Helminen scored again at 18:35 and Dan Cavanaugh responded with a goal for Springfield with just 59 seconds left in the middle period giving Hartford a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes. Helminen, Purinton, and Pock extended Hartford's lead to 7-3 after 10:36 of play in the third period. Gerald Coleman came in to relieve Boutin, but gave up a goal from Nigel Dawes just 1:28 after taking his place in the net. The Wolf Pack scored their ninth and final goal when Helminen earned the hat trick at 19:56.

---Game 2 - Springfield at Hartford, April 1 - L 5-3---

The Springfield Falcons lost to the Hartford Wolf Pack 5-3 Saturday night at the Hartford Civic Center concluding their season series in wild fashion combining for 99 minutes in penalties. Dan Cavanaugh converted on the power play at 1:59 of the opening period giving the Falcons a 1-0 lead. Hartford's Brad Smyth evened the score at 1-1 when he tallied his 32nd marker of the year at 4:53 of the opening period. The contest became physical right away as Smyth and Springfield's Ray Schultz squared off at 7:20 of the opening period each collecting fighting majors. The Falcons regained a 2-1 lead at 16:48 of the first period when Nick Tarnasky scored his 10th goal of the year, but Thomas Pock responded for Hartford tying the score at 2-2 at 18:50 of the opening period. In the second period, Hartford scored twice within the first 3:04 when Dale Purinton and Nigel Dawes gave the Wolf Pack a 4-2 advantage. Tarnasky responded for Springfield cutting their deficit to 4-3 when he tallied his second marker of the game at 8:44 of the middle period. Springfield's Mitch Fritz and Purinton battled at 12:13 of the second period with

Purinton receiving an extra four minutes in penalties for a hair-pulling incident with Fritz. In the third period, Colby Genoway gave Hartford a 5-3 advantage when he scored his 26th goal of the year at 3:38. The game's third fight took place at the 6:32 of the third period when Hartford's Alexandre Giroux and Springfield's Jared Nightingale each earned fighting majors. The first period featured some playoff type intensity with coaches Dirk Graham and Jim Schoenfeld having words at the end of the opening period after Giroux delivered a dangerous hit on Nightingale.

---Game 3 - Springfield at Providence, April 2 - L 6-2---

The Springfield Falcons lost to the Providence Bruins 6-2 on Sunday evening in front of 7,521 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The P-Bruins scored two goals in the first period - one from Jason MacDonald and one from Tyler Redenbach - while Springfield could only respond with one from Ryan Vesce. The Falcons were scoreless in the second period but Providence scored three more. At 1:14 of the third period, David Lundbohm scored the Bruins' final goal. Jason Jaspers was able to tally the Falcons' second goal with just 19 seconds left of the game, but the game ended in a 6-2 victory for Providence. For the third straight game, no players from the Springfield Falcons received a game star. The game was wild as four fights broke out over the course of the evening.

PLAYER / TEAM NOTES:

Falcons defenseman Timo Helbling was recalled by the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 28. The 6-foot-2, 209-pound Basel, Switzerland native has collected seven goals and 14 assists for 21 points in 60 games with Springfield this season.

Defensemen P.J. Atherton and Jared Nightingale were both signed to Amateur Tryout Agreements (ATO) on March 28. Atherton is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound University of Minnesota senior. He scored his first AHL goal in Friday's 9-3 loss to the Harford Wolf Pack. Nightingale is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound Michigan State University senior who has already collected 14 penalty minutes in three games with the Falcons.

Falcons forward Ryan Vesce earned four points in three games last week. He had two assists in Friday's 9-3 loss to Hartford, an assist in Saturday's 5-3 loss at Hartford, and a goal in Sunday's 6-2 loss at Providence. Vesce is currently eighth in the league in rookie scoring.

Center Dan Cavanaugh earned at least a point in each game last week, totaling four points for the week. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Springfield, Massachusetts native had a goal on Friday and Saturday and an assist on Saturday and Sunday. He has now earned at least a point in his last five games.

Falcons newly acquired right wing Kevin Croxton earned his first AHL point on Friday with an assist on Dan Cavanaugh's second period goal.

5,014 fans attended Friday's game at the MassMutual Center as the Falcons took on the Hartford Wolf Pack. The Falcons have played host to a crowd of more than 4,000 in seven of their last 10 home games.

INJURY REPORT

Falcons forward Steve McLaren, defenseman Jay Rosehill, and left wing Travis Brigley missed games due to injury.

TRANSACTION REPORT

3-28-06 - Tampa Bay Lightning recall defenseman Timo Helbling.

3-28-06 - Springfield Falcons sign P.J. Atherton to Amateur Tryout Agreement.

3-28-06 - Springfield Falcons sign Jared Nightingale to Amateur Tryout Agreement.

3-28-06 - Springfield Falcons release Doug Andress from his Professional Tryout Agreement.

3-28-06 - Springfield Falcons reassign goaltender Morgan Cey to the Johnstown Chiefs.

3-30-06 - Tampa Bay Lightning return Gerald Coleman to Springfield Falcons.

ON THE FARM - JOHNSTOWN CHIEFS

The Johnstown Chiefs (30-25-15) went 1-1-1 last week. They lost to the Trenton Titans 4-3 in a shootout on Wednesday night as Doug Andress and Morgan Cey returned to the lineup after spending the weekend with the Springfield Falcons. Jon Hedberg, Jean Desrochers and Justin Kelly all tallied for the Chiefs. Friday night in Dayton, the Chiefs beat the Bombers 5-2. Jean Desrochers had two goals while Justin Kelly, John Toffey and Dmitri Tarabrin also scored for Johnstown. Goaltender Josh Disher earned the win in his ECHL debut and first professional start after stopping 40 shots on goal. The Chiefs concluded their weekend with a 5-2 loss at the Wheeling Nailers on Saturday night. Goals from Andre Deveaux and Jean Desrochers were not enough for a victory. The Chiefs will finish their regular season this weekend with back-to-back games against the Toledo Storm on Friday and Saturday. Johnstown has already clinched a playoff spot as they reside in fourth place in the North Division.

COMMUNITY

PINK RIBBON POWER PLAY: This program was started by #9 Ryan Vesce, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor. For each power play goal scored by the Falcons starting with the December 9th game, sponsors will donate funds that will benefit area breast cancer centers. We are looking for sponsors, both from an individual and corporate level, to pledge any amount. For example, if Screech pledged $1 for each power play goal and the Falcons score 20 power play goals for the rest of the season, Screech will donate $20 to the breast cancer cause. To join the Pink Ribbon Power Play, contact Carole Appleton at 413-739-3344 x.112.

FRITZ NAMED FALCONS' MAN OF THE YEAR: The Springfield Falcons, proud members of the American Hockey League, announced today that left wing Mitch Fritz has been named the team's winner of the American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Springfield community during the 2005-06 season.

Fritz's willingness to be a part of the Falcons Community Outreach has played a huge role in the team's community efforts. He is far and away the most active community player the organization has been associated with in the franchise's 12 years of existence. Not only has Fritz attended youth hockey practices, local hospitals, and Family Fun Nights at Friendly's Restaurants, but he has played a vital role in various charity events held during the season. They include: The Columbus Day Italian Open Golf Tournament that benefited Shriner's Hospital; a Fashion Show to benefit the Breast Cancer cause; a post-game event to benefit Brightside for Families and Children; and a Celebrity Bartending Event that benefited Springfield Falcons Charities, Inc.

Fritz enjoyed giving back to the community and like most of his teammates, he was "adopted" by a school and taught students not only the sport of hockey, but also the importance of staying in school and choosing the right path in life. He also played an active role in the "Falcons' Kitchen Cupboard" by delivering food to the Palmer Food Share in Palmer, MA.

WEEK IN REVIEW

MARCH 31 Springfield-3, Hartford-9

APRIL 1 Springfield-3, Hartford-5

APRIL 2 Springfield-2, Providence-6

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

APRIL 5 Springfield @ Manchester 7:05 PM Verizon Wireless Arena

APRIL 7 Springfield vs. Manchester 7:35 PM MassMutual Center

APRIL 8 Springfield vs. Providence 7:05 PM MassMutual Center

APRIL 9 Springfield @ Providence 4:05 PM Dunkin' Donuts Center

*Radio Broadcasts on WMAS 1450 AM

*Watch Live on the B-2 Network



American Hockey League Stories from April 5, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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