Power play helps Falcons to 5-3 win over River Rats
February 15, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Springfield, MA â The Springfield Falcons scored a season-high three power-play goals to vault to a 5-3 win over the Albany River Rats before 3,897 at the Springfield Civic Center on Sunday. Center Erik Westrum posted three points with a goal and a pair of assists while Chris Ferraro scored twice. Forwards Peter Ferraro and Jason Jaspers each tallied a goal and an assist for the Falcons. In outshooting the River Rats, 46-33, the Falcons equaled their season-high for shots on net.
Jaspers' score off the rebound of a shot by Bryan Helmer to make the score 4-2 with 7:13 remaining to play appeared to give the Falcons the breathing room they needed to collect the team's third win of the season over Albany. However, the River Rats answered 35 seconds later when left wing Steve Kariya shot the puck into the net during a scramble in front of the crease. The goal stood to pull Albany back to within one despite the net being turned sideways when the puck crossed the goal line. Referee Dave Hansen ruled that the Falcons had caused the net to come off its moorings and allowed the goal to count.
The River Rats' best chance to tie the game came in the closing minute when a loose puck landed on the forehand of former Edmonton Oilers' first-round draft pick Joe Hulbig in the slot. However, Falcons goaltender David LeNeveu kicked out Hulbig's wrist shot to preserve the one-goal lead.
Moments later, Chris Ferraro skated across the center red line before shooting the puck into an empty Albany net to seal the game for the Falcons. Defensemen Dustin Wood and Helmer collected assists on the empty-net marker. The score capped a three-assist night for Helmer and marked the third straight game in which Wood has registered a helper.
LeNeveu made 30 saves in the game to earn his 10th win of the season.
Springfield grabbed a 3-0 lead in the game on the strength of their power play which has struggled in recent months. The Falcons capitalized on both of their opportunities with the man advantage in the first period and their second power-play chance in the middle frame.
Westrum lifted a shot over the shoulder of Albany netminder Ari Ahonen to open scoring with 5:21 remaining in the period. The Falcons center scored from the bottom of the right wing face-off circle after receiving a pass from the point by Jaspers.
Westrum helped set up Peter Ferraro for the Falcons' second goal with a pass across the goal mouth that the veteran right wing converted into his 11th goal of the season with 1:23 remaining in the first period.
Chris Ferraro scored the Falcons' third power-play goal of the game at the 7:11 mark of the second period. Ferraro knocked in the puck from the low slot after receiving a centering feed from behind the net by his brother Peter.
The River Rats narrowed the gap on the scoreboard to a single goal by scoring twice before the second intermission. Left wing Ryan Murphy collected a loose puck between the face-off circles before whirling around to score his fifth goal of the campaign with 9:21 left in the stanza.
Rats leading-scorer Craig Darby connected again for the club 5:19 later by banging in a puck that LeNeveu juggled in his pads after making the save on a shot from defenseman Ray Giroux. Darby, who also collected an assist in the game, paces Albany with 45 points (17, 28a) on the season.
The Albany loss extended the team's road winless streak to 14 games (0-9-2-3).
For the game, the Falcons were three-for-six with the man advantage while killing off four of five Albany power plays.
The Falcons will host the rival Hartford Wolf Pack at the Springfield Civic Center on Wednesday evening in a 7:05 pm contest. For ticket information, please call the Falcons' team office at (413) 739-3344.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from February 15, 2004
- Reirden recalled to Phoenix, Falcons Sign Blueliner P.J. Martin to PTO - Springfield Falcons
- Power play helps Falcons to 5-3 win over River Rats - Springfield Falcons
- Moose re-assign Burrows to Columbia - Manitoba Moose
- Tickets still available for tomorrow's Presidents' Day game - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Savage, Toivonen lead P-Bruins past Manchester - Providence Bruins
- IceCats' win streak lassoed by Rampage - Worcester IceCats
- Sound Tigers Shutout 1-0 At Home By Hershey - Bridgeport Islanders
- P-Bruins Snap Monarchs' Unbeaten Streak - Providence Bruins
- Phantoms win 2-1 in Lowell - Adirondack Phantoms
- Gamache, Finley help Admirals extend winning streak to seven - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Bears put together huge effort for 1-0 win at Bridgeport - Hershey Bears
- Canucks re-assign Auld to Moose - Manitoba Moose
- Cincinnati Mighty Ducks Preview - Cincinnati RailRaiders
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.
