Plourde nets Pacific Division title for Falcons

Published on March 28, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release


FRESNO, Calif. - J.F. Plourde scored his 30th goal of the year to catapult the Fresno Falcons to a 4-3 overtime win against the Victoria Salmon Kings at Save Mart Center. The victory secures the ECHL's Pacific Division regular season crown for the Falcons, who win their first division title since becoming a professional hockey club in 1995-96 as a member of the now-defunct West Coast Hockey League.

Fresno jumped out to an early lead just 1:16 into the game when Shawn Mather swept in his 28th of the season off a rebound. Plourde then fired a shot off a Salmon Kings defenseman's stick and over the shoulder of goaltender B.J. Boxma at 7:07. Fresno kept up the pressure, but Boxma made several key point-blank saves over the final minutes of the first to keep Victoria within 2-0 heading to the second.

The visitors got on track with the help of the power play. Rookie Taggart Desmet's back-door feed banked off a Falcons skate and in at 11:55 of the second to cut Fresno's lead to 2-1 after two. Then 5:34 into the third, Jade Galbraith went top shelf past goaltender Brett Jaeger with the extra man to square the game despite the Falcons having twice as many shots.

The Salmon Kings forged in front when another centering pass deflected off a Fresno stick, this time right to Desmet, who slid in a wide-open finish at 15:13. The Falcons were not fazed and tied the game at three 55 seconds later. From the half-boards, Pete Fregoe spotted defenseman Matt O'Dette slashing to the net. Fresno's captain was denied by Boxma on the doorstep, but Fraser Clair banged home the rebound to eventually send the game to overtime.

Victoria was awarded a power play 31 seconds into the extra session. Jaeger made three saves with his team short handed, including a game-saving, glove-hand stop from close range to deny Galbraith the winner. Once the teams returned to even strength, the Falcons were the beneficiaries of a penalty call from referee Mike Peerson. In the final minute of overtime, the puck swung to Plourde between the circles, and Fresno's leading goal scorer sent a rocket past Boxma's blocker side for the victory.

The win extends the Falcons' season-high six-game home winning streak and lifts their overall record to 39-13-13 with 91 points. The club began its wire-to-wire drive to the Pacific Division title with a season-opening victory against the Salmon Kings on Oct. 21 at Save Mart Center, and with another win over Victoria, has now earned home-ice advantage through the first two rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

Games One and Two of the first round, against an opponent yet to be determined, will take place at Save Mart Center on Tuesday and Wednesday, Apr. 11 and 12, at 7:30 p.m. both nights. Single-game tickets for both contests will go on sale this Wednesday, March 29, at 10 a.m. at Save Mart Center's box office and all Ticketmaster locations.

Fresno continues a four-game home stand tomorrow against the Bakersfield Condors at 7 p.m. The game is a Carl's Jr. Two-for-Tuesday, with two-for-one coupons available at participating Carl's Jr. locations. Individual tickets are on sale now for tomorrow's game at all Ticketmaster outlets and Save Mart Center's box office with prices ranging from $8 - $22. For complete ticket information and an arena map of Save Mart Center, visit www.fresnofalcons.com/singletickets.html, or contact the Falcons front office directly at (559) 485-PUCK (7825).

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from March 28, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central