Playoff Push Continues - Falcons Host Devils Tonight

Published on February 25, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


The Springfield Falcons and Albany Devils meet for the second time this season and first overall meeting in Springfield this year. The Devils beat the Falcons back on January 15 in Albany by a score of 6-3. The Falcons received goals from Chris D'Alvise, Ben Guite and David Savard in the first meeting. Jonathan Sigalet also pitched in with two assists in that contest.

The Falcons have won four of their last five games and have inched to within four points of the third place Connecticut Whale in the Atlantic Division.

Albany has a record of 22-29-1-3 on the season and they are in sixth place in the East Division. The Devils have gone 3-0-1-0 in their last four games entering this week.

Albany's Adam Henrique led the Devils in the first meeting with Springfield with a pair of goals. Henrique is currently eighth in the league in rookie scoring with 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points in 50 games. Alexander Urbom also pitched in with one goal and one assist in the Albany win.

Center Matt Anderson continues to lead Albany in scoring with 17 goals and 22 assists for 39 points in 51 games. Former Falcon Chad Wiseman has six goals and 20 assists for 26 points in 30 games. Former Falcons captain Tim Sestito is also with Albany having collected three goals and five assists for eight points in 14 games. Tim Sestito was the Falcons captain during the 2008-09 campaign. Tim's younger brother Tom currently plays for the Falcons.

Newly acquired Steve Zalewski has been on a tear since being acquired by the Devils collecting five goals and one assist in six games. Zalewski had four goals in 50 games with Worcester before the trade.

FALCONS PLAYER/TEAM NOTES

The Springfield Falcons have 28 wins through 57 games this year. This year marks the fastest pace the Falcons have reached 28 wins in a season since 1997-98 when the Falcons had 28 wins through 56 games.

Kyle Wilson continues to produce since joining the Falcons back on January 22. Wilson collected four goals and one assist in three games last week, including a natural hat trick on February 19 as he scored all three goals in a 3-2 Falcons overtime win over the Worcester Sharks. Wilson has continued his hot streak this week scoring the game-winning goal on Wednesday night in Worcester.

Wilson has 11 goals and seven assists for 18 points in 15 games with Springfield. Wilson has collected at least a point in 11 of the 15 games he has played. Wilson's hat trick was the first by a Falcons player since Chad Wiseman scored four goals for Springfield back on January 17, 2010.

Trevor Smith has been very productive since joining the Falcons on January 4. Smith has six goals and four assists for 10 points in 11 games with the Falcons. Smith has four goals and four assists for eight points in his last seven games, including four multi-point games in that span.

Tomas Kubalik enters the week second in the AHL in rookie scoring with 17 goals and 21 assists for 38 points in 57 games.

David Savard had a very productive week last week collecting two goals and two assists for four points in three games. Savard scored a pair of goals on February 18 against Manchester, including the game-winner in overtime. The two goals marked the first multi-goal game of Savard's pro career. Savard leads all Falcons defensemen in scoring with seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points in 50 games this year.

Captain Ben Guite has four assists in his last four games. Guite has two goals and four assists for six points in his last seven games.

DEVILS PLAYER/TEAM NOTES

Five of the team's last six games have been decided by one goal and the Devils are 3-1-1-0 in those games. For the season, Albany is 14-6-1-3 in one goal games.

‚¬" The Devils have earned at least one point in five of their last six games (4-1-1-0). They've done so in dramatic fashion, winning Friday night's game against Worcester with 4.9 seconds remaining and then in a shootout Sunday against Adirondack. Not to mention, Binghamton slipping by Albany with one second remaining in overtime on Saturday.

‚¬" Adam Henrique saw his four-game point streak halted at Binghamton on Saturday, however, he came right back with an assist against Adirondack on Sunday. In his last six games, Henrique has tallied seven points with four goals and three assists. He is second on the team with 34 points, including tying a team-high 17 goals.

‚¬" Dave Caruso, who was recalled from Trenton on Jan. 11, has won three-straight games and four of his last five. He had 27 saves in a 4-3 overtime win at Charlotte on Feb. 12. After a 29-save performance against the Checkers on Feb. 13 in a 3-2 loss, Caruso rebounded by making 37 saves for his first-career AHL shutout in a 3-0 win at Charlotte on Tuesday. He then posted 26 saves in a 4-3 win against Worcester on Friday and 22 stops, not including five in the shootout, in a 4-3 win against Adirondack on Sunday.

LEADERS FOR ALBANY:

Goals: Matt Anderson (17), Adam Henrique (17)

Assists: Matt Anderson (22)

Points: Matt Anderson (39)

PIM: Louis Robitaille (193)

+/-: Dan Kelly (+6)

Wins: Jeff Frazee (9)

GAA: Jeff Frazee (2.77)

Save %: Jeff Frazee (.904)

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American Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2011


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