Jones, Monarchs Deny Falcons in Game 3
Published on May 2, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Manchester, N.H. - Martin Jones and the Manchester Monarchs (1-2) prevailed in a goaltenders' duel on Thursday night at the Verizon Wireless Arena, netting a 2-1 victory over the Springfield Falcons (2-1) in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals and extending the best-of-five series into the weekend.
Game 4 of the series is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Manchester on Saturday. If necessary, a decisive Game 5 would be played on Sunday in Springfield at 4 p.m. Tickets for Game 5 go on sale on Friday at 10 a.m. at the MassMutual Center Box Office and on Ticketmaster.com. If the Falcons win Game 4 on Saturday, tickets for Game 5 can be exchanged at the MassMutual Center Box Office for seats to Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the price difference of a dollar.
In Thursday's game, the two teams traded power-play goals in the first period to come away tied.
Nick Deslauriers corralled a feed at the middle point from Colton Yellow Horn and steered a puck through a screen and past Springfield netminder Curtis McElhinney at 4:49, as Manchester, for the first time in the series, scored the opening goal to make it 1-0.
The Falcons drew even while working on a four-on-three advantage at 8:43. David Savard one-timed a Nick Drazenovic setup in the high slot past Jones, pulling the Falcons into a 1-1 deadlock.
Springfield chipped away at Jones in the second, but were foiled at every turn. Jones gloved Michael Chaput's opportunity on the doorstep and then kicked away a two-on-none with Cody Bass and Andrew Joudrey in front minutes later.
Manchester took the lead for good at 15:30 of the second with another power-play strike. Jordan Weal's shot from the high slot was knocked down by McElhinney, but David Meckler slammed in the rebound, putting the Monarchs up, 2-1.
McElhinney made a pair of saves to keep Springfield in the contest in the third. He set aside Yellow Horn's chance from the slot early in the final frame, and then made a diving rob of Hunter Bishop late in regulation.
The Falcons dominated the third, outshooting the Monarchs, 10-4. Jones refused each of the 10 tries by Springfield, pushing the series to a fourth game.
McElhinney (2-1) was resilient in defeat, allowing two goals on 28 shots. Jones (1-2) relinquished one tally on 33 bids.
For information on cost-saving postseason ticket packages, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or click here.
Notes:
The loss was Springfield's first of the postseason...Both Savard and Deslauriers have scored on the power play in consecutive games. They are in a seven-way tie for the Calder Cup Playoff lead with two power-play goals...McElhinney has stopped 96 of 101 shots in the first three games of the series. Jones has set aside 100 of 106...Savard and Ryan Russell are tied for the club lead with three points...Springfield is 13-10 in its postseason history in one-goal games...Tonight's game marked the Falcons' first in May since 1997...Springfield was bidding for its second series sweep in franchise history, and first since it beat Hartford, 2-0, in the 2003 Eastern Conference Qualifying Round
American Hockey League Stories from May 2, 2013
- Pens Complete Sweep, Defeat B-Sens 3-2 in Game 3 - Binghamton Senators
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- Crunch Sweep Pirates with 4-3 OT Win - Syracuse Crunch
- Penguins Rally Past Sens to Sweep Series - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Jones, Monarchs Deny Falcons in Game 3 - Springfield Falcons
- Pirates Face Crunch in Must Win Game 3 - Portland Pirates
- Falcons Playoff Game Preview: Game 3, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals - Springfield Falcons
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