Falcons Weekly Notes
March 31, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Springfield, Mass. - The Springfield Falcons (42-20-1-5) earned all of six possible points last week, defeating the Adirondack Phantoms twice, Wednesday and Saturday, and the Hartford Wolf Pack Friday.
Through 68 games, the Falcons currently rank second in the Eastern Conference in wins (42), point total (90) and points percentage (.662), and remain atop the Northeast Division, leading the second-place Devils by eight points.
The Falcons play three road games this week, beginning with a Tuesday-morning tilt versus the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The team then travels to St. John's, Newfoundland to visit the IceCaps for back-to-back matchups Friday and Saturday.
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 3, Adirondack 0
Wednesday, March 26
MassMutual Center
The Falcons defeated the Adirondack Phantoms by the final score of 3-0 Wednesday behind Jeremy Smith's first shutout of the season and ninth of his AHL career. Smith stopped all 28 shots he faced en route to his 19th win of the season. Andrew Joudrey, Ryan Craig and Jake Hansen scored the goals for Springfield.
Springfield 6, Hartford 1
Friday, March 28
XL Center
The Falcons won their second straight game with a 6-1 rout of the Hartford Wolf Pack Friday at the XL Center. Darryl Boyce and Jean-Francois Jacques each scored twice in the contest, while Carter Camper and Cody Bass also found the back of the net. For Jacques, his first goal served as the game-winner, his team-leading sixth of the season. Camper's tally was his first as a member of the Falcons. Jeremy Smith won his second consecutive start and earned his 20th victory of the season, making 26 saves on 27 shots.
Springfield 4, Adirondack 3 (SO)
Saturday, March 29
Glens Falls Civic Center
Springfield extended its winning streak to three games, defeating the Adirondack Phantoms in a shootout by the final score of 4-3. Cody Bass scored the decisive conversion in the sixth round, while Andrew Joudrey and Cody Goloubef also notched tallies in the shootout. Dana Tyrell scored the equalizer in the third period, sending the game to overtime and Adirondack dissolved a 2-0 Springfield lead with three unanswered goals. Ryan Craig and Darryl Boyce scored the first two goals of the game.
WEEK AHEAD
Tuesday, April 1 - Springfield at Bridgeport, Webster Bank Arena, 11:00 a.m.
Friday, April 4 - Springfield at St. John's, Mile One Centre, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 5 - Springfield at St. John's, Mile One Centre, 6:00 p.m.
PLAYOFF PUSH
The Falcons are currently ranked second in the Eastern Conference standings, leading the Northeast Division with a record of 42-20-1-5 and 90 points through 68 games. The magic number to clinch a playoff berth is just four, meaning 94 points at season's end would solidify a spot in the postseason as it stands right now. Three of Springfield's eight remaining games are against teams that would make the playoffs if the season were to end today, while the other five are against teams on the outside looking in. The team also will play six of its remaining eight games on the road.
CRAIG IN MARCH
In the month of March, Ryan Craig produced individual statistics and also led the team to a 9-3-0-1 record. In 14 March games, Craig totaled 14 points (nine goals, five assists). The Abbotsford, British Columbia native registered at least one point in 11 of the 14 games, notching three power-play goals and two first goals. Among all AHL players, Craig ranked ninth in points and third in goals in the month of March.
ATOP THE NORTHEAST DIVISION
At 42-20-1-5, the Falcons lead the Northeast Division by eight points over the second-place Albany Devils. Springfield's .662 points percentage, 42 wins and 90 points are all good for second-best in the American Hockey League's Eastern Conference.
DANO'S DEBUT
Marko Dano, a first-round selection of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2013 NHL Draft, made his North American professional debut Friday at the Hartford Wolf Pack. The Bratislava, Slovakia native registered an assist, two shots and a +2 rating in the team's 6-1 victory. Dano backed up his debut with a team-high six shots in the Falcons' 4-3 shootout win over the Adirondack Phantoms Saturday. Dano signed an AHL standard player contract with Springfield earlier this month after spending the past two seasons with Bratislava Slovan of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
ROAD WINS
With two road wins to close out the weekend, the Falcons extended their road winning streak to five games, matching a franchise record. Springfield last won five consecutive road games from November 19 to December 7, 2005. The Falcons matched another franchise record with an eight-game road point streak earlier this season, spanning from December 8, 2013 to January 7, 2014. The team had not accomplished that feat since the 2004-05 campaign. Springfield is 21-8-1-2 away from the MassMutual Center this season.
ONLINE JERSEY AUCTION
The Falcons online auction of game-worn jerseys is available for one more day. The auction, which includes the 2014 All-Star jerseys worn by defensemen Cody Goloubef and Frederic St. Denis, ends Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. Click here to make a bid today.
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.
WATCH ROAD GAMES ON AHL LIVE
Springfield plays its next three games away from the MassMutual Center. But while the team is away, fans can watch all of the Falcons' road games LIVE on AHL Live. Click here to sign up, see the team's broadcast schedule, watch highlights and more.
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.
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