Falcons Weekly

November 20, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


THIS WEEK'S GAME CAPSULES

---FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2002 AT PROVIDENCE BRUINS ---

The Springfield Falcons and Providence Bruins will meet for the sixth time this season when they face off on Friday at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The Falcons are 3-2 against the Bruins this season, but the home team has won each contest. The Falcons won the last meeting between these two teams 4-1 on November 11th at the Springfield Civic Center. The Bruins won the last meeting in Providence 7-3. Providence is in first place in the North Division with a record of 8-5-4-1 for 21 points. Providence is 1-0-2 in their last three games. Andy Hilbert is tied for the team lead in scoring with nine goals and seven assists for 16 points. He has three power play goals and two short-handed goals. Lee Goren is tied with Hilbert in scoring with seven goals and nine assists for 16 points. Four of Goren's goals have come on the power play. Martin Samuelsson is second among AHL rookies in goals scored with eight and is 12th among rookies in scoring with 10 points. Jay Henderson is second in the AHL in penalty minutes with 99. Andrew Raycroft is 6-4-2 with a 2.88 GAA and a ..907 save percentage. Tim Thomas is 2-2-1 with a 3.11 GAA and a .896 save percentage. Providence has the 21st ranked power play in the AHL scoring on 14.2 percent of their power play opportunities. Providence is ranked 12th in the AHL in penalty killing, killing 84.6 percent of their short-handed situations. The Falcons won the last meeting in a dominating 4-1 win in Springfield. Peter Fabus, Michael Schutte, Martin Grenier, and Alexander Svitov scored for the Falcons while Chris Paradise scored the lone goal for Providence. Zac Bierk stopped 35 out of 36 shots and earned the games first star. The last time these teams met in Providence the Bruins won 7-3. Matt Herr and Keith Aucoin scored two goals each while Martin Samuelsson, Andy Hilbert, and Darren Van Oene each added a goal. Erik Westrum, Harlan Pratt, and Jeff Taffe each scored for Springfield. Andrew Raycroft made 20 saves for the Bruins.

---SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2002 AT HARTFORD WOLF PACK---

---SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2002 VS. HARTFORD WOLF PACK---

The Springfield Falcons will meet the Hartford Wolf Pack for the second time this season when they open a home and home series on Saturday night at the Hartford Civic Center. They will meet again on Sunday afternoon at the Springfield Civic Center. Hartford won the first meeting of the year 4-2 at "The Nest." Hartford is currently in second place in the East Division with a 7-5-2-1 record for 17 points. Hartford has dropped their last two games to the Utah Grizzlies. John Tripp is second in the AHL and leads Hartford in goals scored with 11, two were scored on a power play. Dixon Ward leads the team in scoring with six goals and nine assists for 15 points. Joel Bouchard leads the team in power play goals with three. Jason LaBarbera is 6-4-2 with a 2.52 GAA and a .921 save percentage. Scott Meyer is 1-2 with a 4.83 GAA and a .837 save percentage. Hartford has the 3rd ranked power play in the AHL, scoring on 19.8 percent of their power play opportunities. Hartford is 23rd in the AHL in penalty killing, killing 81.7 percent of their shorthanded situations. The last time these teams met Hartford won 4-2 in Springfield. Rico Fata scored two goals while Roman Lyashenko and Ken Gernander each added goals for Hartford. Ramzi Abid and Yves Sarault scored for the Falcons, Sarault is no longer on the Falcons roster. Scott Meyer made 23 saves in recording his only win of the season to date.

PLAYER/TEAM NOTABLES:

Springfield played five games in a week for the first time in franchise history and had a record of 4-1.

Springfield has won three consecutive games, overall, and three consecutive home games.

Springfield is now tied for third in the East Division with Albany.

Zac Bierk is 3-1 in his last four starts, with a 1.26 GAA and a .950 save percentage.

Ramzi Abid leads the team in scoring with 10 goals and seven assists for 17 points.

Ramzi Abid has scored a goal in three straight games.

Jason Bonsignore scored the game-winning goal on Saturday vs. Lowell and received the games first star.

Jason Bonsignore has eight points in eight games since joining the Falcons, three goals and five assists. Martin Grenier leads the Falcons in penalty minutes with 73.

Peter Fabus scored his first goal of the season on 11/11/02 against Providence.

Alexander Svitov scored his first goal of the season on 11/11/02 against Providence.

Martin Grenier scored his first goal of the season on 11/11/02 against Providence.

Darren Rumble is 2nd in the AHL in scoring among defensemen and leads the Falcons in assists with 12.

Martin Cibak has moved into 4th on the team in scoring with one goal and nine assists for 10 points.

TRANSACTIONS:

11-13-02 – Phoenix Coyotes reassign Ramzi Abid to Springfield.

11-14-02 – Phoenix Coyotes recall right wing Frank Banham from Springfield.

11-16-02 – Tampa Bay Lightning recall goaltender Evgeny Konstantinov from Springfield.

11-16-02 – Springfield recalls goaltender Brian Eklund from Pensacola of the ECHL

11-17-02 – Phoenix Coyotes recall center Jason Jaspers from Springfield.

NEXT THREE HOME GAMES:

Sunday November 24 vs. Hartford 4:05 PM

Saturday November 30 vs. Binghamton 7:35 PM

Friday December 6 vs. Syracuse 7:35 PM



American Hockey League Stories from November 20, 2002


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