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Falcons Weekly Notes

March 24, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Springfield, Mass. - The Springfield Falcons (39-20-1-5) earned two of six possible points last week, defeating the Worcester Sharks Friday night, before falling to the Manchester Monarchs Saturday night and the St. John's IceCaps Sunday afternoon.

Through 65 games, the Falcons currently rank third in the Eastern Conference in wins (39), point total (84) and points percentage (.646), and remain atop the Northeast Division, leading the second-place Devils by five points.

The Falcons play three divisional games in this week, beginning with a Wednesday-night home tilt versus the Adirondack Phantoms. The team then hits the road for back-to-back away games, Friday at the Hartford Wolf Pack and Saturday at the Phantoms.

Single-game tickets throughout the 2013-14 season can be purchased at the MassMutual Center box office from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to game time on Saturday home dates, and four hours prior to any Sunday home contests. Fans can also purchase tickets at Ticketmaster.com. For information about discounted group packages, call a Falcons' sales representative at (413) 739-GOAL (4625).

WEEK IN REVIEW

Springfield 4, Worcester 2

Friday, March 21

DCU Center

The Falcons defeated the Worcester Sharks for their fifth consecutive win, scoring three unanswered goals in the third period to dissolve a 2-1 Worcester lead after 40 minutes of play. Dana Tyrell scored the equalizer just 0:22 into the final frame, Matt Taormina notched the eventual game-winner at 4:18 and Sean Collins added an insurance tally at the 11:41 mark. Mike McKenna made 30 saves on 32 shots in net for the Falcons, earning his 20th victory of the season.

Springfield 2, Manchester 5

Saturday, March 22

MassMutual Center

Springfield had it win streak snapped Saturday versus Manchester, as the Monarchs defeated the Falcons by the final score of 5-2. Denny Urban and Dana Tyrell scored the Springfield tallies, while Brian O'Neill, Linden Vey and Jordan Weal all posted multi-point games for Manchester.

Springfield 4, St. John's 5

Sunday, March 23

MassMutual Center

The Falcons lost their second straight game, falling to the St. John's IceCaps Sunday afternoon by the final score of 5-4. Despite eliminating a 4-1 deficit to even the score in the third period, Zach Redmond's power-play goal with 1:19 remaining in regulation gave St. John's the late victory. Patrick McNeill scored twice for the Falcons, as did John Albert for the IceCaps.

WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, March 26 - Springfield vs. Adirondack, MassMutual Center, 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Package Holder Redemption Night

Friday, March 28 - Springfield at Hartford, XL Center, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 29 - Springfield at Adirondack, Glen Falls Civic Center, 7:00 p.m.

PLAYOFF PUSH

The Falcons are currently ranked second in the Eastern Conference standings, leading the Northeast Division with a record of 39-20-1-5 and 84 points through 65 games. The magic number to clinch a playoff berth is 11, meaning 95 points at season's end would solidify a spot in the postseason as it stands right now. Three of Springfield's remaining 11 games are against teams that would make the playoffs if the season were to end today, while the other eight are against teams on the outside looking in. The team also will play eight of its remaining 11 games on the road.

SPECIAL TEAMS PRODUCTION

Over the Falcons' last six games (5-1-0-0), the team has gone 14-for-31 on the power play, a rate of 45.2 percent. The recent success with the man advantage has boosted Springfield to 13th in the American Hockey League this season at 18.2 percent. However, the Falcons penalty kill has suffered over the span, allowing six goals on 27 opposing power-play opportunities. Springfield now ranks third in the AHL in penalty kill efficiency at 85.9 percent.

ATOP THE NORTHEAST DIVISION

At 39-20-1-5, the Falcons lead the Northeast Division by five points over the second-place Albany Devils. Springfield's .646 points percentage, 39 wins and 84 points are all good for third-best in the American Hockey League's Eastern Conference.

ERIXON RECALLED BY COLUMBUS

The Springfield Falcons announced Monday that defenseman Tim Erixon has been recalled by the Columbus Blue Jackets, the team's NHL affiliate. Erixon, 23, leads all Springfield defensemen this season with 33 points and 28 assists in only 36 games. The Sweden native has totaled 95 points (13 goals, 82 assists) in 128 career AHL contests and represented the Falcons at the 2013 AHL All-Star Game. In 51 NHL games between the Blue Jackets and the New York Rangers, Erixon has amassed seven assists, 24 penalty minutes and a +4 rating. This season, the 2009 first-round draft selection has appeared in two games with Columbus, notching two penalty minutes and a +2 rating.

ST. DENIS RETURNED ON LOAN TO SPRINGFIELD

The Columbus Blue Jackets returned defenseman Frederic St. Denis on loan to Springfield Monday morning. St. Denis, 28, has played 51 games for the Falcons this season, totaling 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) and a team-high +14 rating. The Greenfield Park, Quebec native was recalled by the Blue Jackets Monday, March 7, but has not appeared in an NHL game this season. St. Denis, who was named to his second AHL All-Star team in 2014, has accumulated 112 points (28 goals, 84 assists) in 314 career AHL games between Springfield and the Hamilton Bulldogs.

TICKET PACKAGE HOLDER REDEMPTION NIGHT

The Falcons host the Adirondack Phantoms Wednesday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m. for Ticket Package Holder Redemption Night at the MassMutual Center. Single-seat package holders who have unused tickets from past games can redeem them at the MassMutual Center box office for tickets to Wednesday night's game at no charge. For more information or with any questions, please contact a Falcons sales representative at (413) 739-GOAL (4625).

BIG Y HOCKEY MOM OF THE YEAR

The Falcons are accepting nominations for the Big Y Hockey Mom of the Year until Tuesday, April 1. Every nominated hockey mom will receive a free ticket to Hockey Mom Day Saturday, April 12 versus the Hershey Bears at 7:00 p.m. The Hockey Mom of the Year will win a free ticket to the April 12 game, a special on-ice recognition, a Big Y gift card and a Springfield Falcons prize pack! Nominate a deserving hockey mom by filling out the form here.

COME TO A FALCONS GAME

For information about available ticket packages or single-game tickets, fans can contact a Falcons' sale representative at (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visit the team website by clicking here. All the information is also available at Ticket Headquarters, located on the MassMutual Center concourse behind section 31 at all Falcons' home games.

The Falcons offer a number of affordable ticket packages to allow fans to enjoy the family entertainment for a low price. In addition to season-ticket plans, the team also offers flex packages for those who want to choose what games they want to attend and how many people they want to bring to each game. Flex packages are broken down into 44, 20 and 12-voucher plans, and the customer can use any number of those vouchers to any game, based on seat availability.

FALCONS NEST PRO SHOP

Fans can purchase their favorite team gear and apparel at the Falcons Nest Pro Shop, located inside the team office at 45 Falcons Way during normal business hours (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday) or online by clicking here. The shop is stocked with brand new merchandise for the 2013-14 season, including limited-edition apparel and novelty items featuring the new 20th anniversary logo. The Falcons Nest Pro Shop moves to the MassMutual Center concourse behind section 27 during all home games.



American Hockey League Stories from March 24, 2014


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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