FALCONS PRACTICE REPORT
December 7, 2011 - The Springfield Falcons returned to practice on Wednesday as they prepare for a pair of home games this weekend, Saturday against the Manchester Monarchs and Sunday against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Boston Bruins enforcer Shawn Thornton will be in attendance in a partnership with Dunkin Donuts on Sunday. He will be signing autographs from 3-4 pm inside of the MassMutual Center behind section 14 at the Arbors Kids Club area. Call the Falcons Office at 413-739-GOAL for more info.
The Falcons will be looking to make it two straight wins on Saturday as they are coming off a hard-fought 2-1 win over Portland last Sunday. The Falcons take on a Manchester team on Saturday that they have not seen since October 26 when they beat the Monarchs 2-1 in Manchester. Springfield saw Manchester three times in October and they are 2-1 against the Monarchs this year, including a 5-3 win on home ice back on October 16.
Springfield hosts the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Sunday, a match-up that has been very physical in the previous two contests between these two divisional rivals this year. The Falcons and Sound Tigers have split the season series thus far with the road team winning both games. Springfield beat Bridgeport 4-1 back on November 19, with the Sound Tigers beating the Falcons 4-3 on November 12.
Many questions have come in this week through e-mail, facebook and twitter regarding the Falcons injuries heading into the weekend. Goaltender Manny Legace left Sunday's game early, but he is back skating with the team on Wednesday with full participation in practice. Cody Goloubef missed Sunday's game due to injury and his status is uncertain heading into the weekend. The same with Wade MacLeod, who left Sunday's game with an undisclosed injury. His status will also be updated as the week moves forward. Nick Drazenovic missed both games last weekend due to injury and his status will also be updated as the week moves forward.
On the transaction side of things, the Falcons had a goalie swap on Tuesday as Allen York was assigned to the ECHL's Chicago Express and Paul Dainton was recalled to Springfield from Chicago. York has been a traveling man this year seeing time in Chicago, Springfield and Columbus over the last month of the season. York will get a chance to play a lot of minutes in Chicago this week. Dainton started the year with the Falcons and he was steady during his duty with the Express as well.
Following Wednesday's practice, the team will take to the bowling lanes for tonight's ticket package holder event at AMF Airway Lanes located at 1387 Liberty Street in Springfield from 6 -8 pm. Stay tuned to Falconsahl.com, the Falcons Facebook Page at Official Springfield Falcons, and the team's twitter account at TheFalconsAHL for updates throughout the day.
