McLeod scores twice in Falcons' 5-3 win over Manchester

April 3, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Springfield, MA – Rookie center Kiel McLeod scored two goals and right wing Peter Ferraro collected three assists as the Springfield Falcons upended the Manchester Monarchs, 5-3, before 3,497 at the Springfield Civic Center on Saturday evening. After surrendering a two-goal lead in the second period, the Falcons scored three unanswered tallies to open the final frame en route to the victory. Jean-Marc Pelletier made 34 saves in the Springfield net.

McLeod put Springfield in front to stay 1:14 into the third period with his second goal of the night and seventh of the season. The 21-year-old obtained position in front of the Manchester net to force the rebound of a Peter Ferraro shot past goaltender Adam Hauser.

Goals by Jason Jaspers and Jeremiah McCarthy 40 seconds apart later in the stanza made the score 5-2. Jaspers deflected a slap shot from defenseman Todd Reirden into the net during four-on-four play at the 8:04 mark. The goal was Jaspers' 16th of the season. McCarthy then snapped a wrist shot from the top of the right wing face-off circle inside the far post at 8:44 after Peter Ferraro set up the Boston native with a pass from the goal line during a Falcons' power play.

McCarthy's goal chased Hauser from the game as Manchester head coach Bruce Boudreau replaced the netminder with Mathieu Chouinard.

The Monarchs scored with 2:43 remaining to play after Chouinard vacated the Manchester crease for an extra skater. Defenseman Tomas Zizka snuck in from the point to one-time a crossing feed from Sam Ftorek for his fourth goal of the season.

With the win, the Falcons evened their season record against the second-place Monarchs at 4-4-0-0.

The game also marked the first time this season that the Falcons had scored as many as five goals while Pelletier was in the team's net.

Jaspers finished the contest with a goal and an assist for Springfield while rookie blueliner Joe Callahan collected an assist and was +3.

The Falcons opened scoring 12:53 into the contest after Chris Ferraro collected a Monarchs turnover at the Manchester blue line. Ferraro attempted to move to the front of the net from the left wing boards, but lost the puck. However, Podlesak skated into the slot where he one-timed the loose puck past Monarchs goaltender Adam Hauser for the fifth goal of his rookie season.

McLeod made the score 2-0 at the 7:59 mark of the second period. The 21-year-old collected a rebound to the left of the net before placing a shot into an open net. Right wing Peter Ferraro registered the lone assist on the tally.

Manchester responded to tie the game by the end of the second period with goals by forwards Pavel Rosa and Yanick Lehoux. Rosa snapped a shot from the high slot past a screened Pelletier for his 35th goal of the season at 9:55.

Lehoux knotted the game by stick-handling from the right point to the edge of the left wing face-off circle where the center backhanded a shot inside the near post with 1:58 left in the middle period.

The Falcons will return to action on Sunday as Shane Willis and the Hershey Bears make their only Springfield appearance of the campaign. Game time is 4:05 p.m. To order tickets by phone, please contact the Civic Center box office at (413) 787-6600 or (800) 639-8602.



American Hockey League Stories from April 3, 2004


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