Quick Start Helps Falcons Slide Past Sharks

March 22, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release


Springfield, Mass. - Sean Collins scored moments into the first period on Friday night at the MassMutual Center, sparking the Springfield Falcons (36-18-5-4) to a 2-1 victory over the Worcester Sharks (28-25-1-6).

Goaltender Curtis McElhinney was strong in net again for the Falcons, winning his 25th contest of the season after registering his team-record ninth shutout of the campaign on Wednesday. Springfield swept its two home games on the week and maintained its 11-point edge on Connecticut for first place in the Northeast Division with 13 games left in the regular season.

Off the game's opening face-off, Nick Holden dumped the puck into Worcester's zone. Adam Comrie chased the puck down and touched it, anticipating an icing call. When no whistle came, Spencer Machacek freed the puck from Comrie and fed Collins in front, who snapped a quick shot past Sharks netminder Harri Sateri just 13 seconds into the contest, putting Springfield up, 1-0.

McElhinney was pivotal in ensuring that the Falcons held their lead from that point, turning away Bracken Kearns later in the stanza with a right-pad save and then making a tough stop in the second on a Jon Matsumoto power-play opportunity from the top of the crease.

With Springfield on a power play in the middle frame, Nick Holden fired a Ryan Craig setup at the blue line past a Matthew Ford screen and by Sateri at 16:24, extending Springfield's edge to 2-0.

McElhinney's shutout streak ended at 134 minutes and seven seconds when Comrie atoned for his early error by backhanding a rebound in at 9:03 of the third, reducing Springfield's advantage to 2-1.

From there, McElhinney (25-13-3) kept the Sharks off the board, setting aside 25 of 26 attempts overall on the evening. Sateri (13-14-3) allowed two goals on Springfield's 21 bids.

The Falcons, 2-0-0-0 on the week after beating Manchester on Wednesday, head to Bridgeport on Saturday to battle the Sound Tigers.

Springfield returns home on Thursday, taking on Bridgeport at the MassMutual Center at 7:00 p.m.

Single-game tickets to see the Falcons in 2012-2013 can be purchased at the MassMutual Center Box Office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. through game time on Saturday home dates, and starting four hours prior to Sunday home contests. Fans can also purchase tickets by logging onto Ticketmaster.com. For information about discounted group packages to Falcons home games, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625).



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