FALCONS END 2011 IN HARTFORD

 

December 31, 2011 - The Springfield Falcons concluded 2011 in Hartford, CT on Saturday as they battled the Connecticut Whale.  The Falcons lost to the Whale 5-2 at the XL Center with Tomas Kubalik and Dane Byers scoring for the Falcons.  Springfield will return to game action on January 6 when they host Worcester. 

The Whale took a 1-0 lead at 7:28 of the first period when Kris Newbury scored his 11th goal of the year, but just 1:20 later, Kubalik evened the score at 1-1 with his seventh marker on the campaign.

The Falcons took their first lead of the night at the 16:00 mark of the opening frame when Byers scored on the power play assisted by Maksim Mayorov and Brett Lebda. 

In the second period, the Whale tied the score just 1:06 into the middle frame when Andreas Thuresson scored his ninth goal of the year.  Connecticut regained a one goal advantage at 12:42 of the second period when Pavel Valentenko converted on the power play giving the Whale a 3-2 lead through 40 minutes of play.

In the third period, Newbury added his second marker of the night and Brendan Bell also chipped in with one goal as Connecticut concluded a 5-2 victory.

Saturday's Lines

Alexandre Giroux - Martin St. Pierre - Maksim Mayorov
Matt Calvert - Ryan Garlock - Cam Atkinson
Ryan Russell - Andrew Joudrey -  Tomas Kubalik
Dane Byers - Aaron Bogosian -  Tim Spencer

Brett Lebda - Theo Ruth
Dalton Prout - Brent Regner
Patrick Cullity - Anton Blomqvist

Manny Legace
Allen York

Not dressed:    David Savard (Columbus), Adam Mair (Injured), Nick Holden (Injured), Nick Drazenovic (Injured), Cody Bass (Injured), Wade MacLeod (Injured), Cody Goloubef (Injured), Chad Costello

Springfield Falcons 2 at Connecticut Whale 5 - Status: Final
Saturday, December 31, 2011 - XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Springfield 2 0 0 - 2
Connecticut 1 2 2 - 5

1st Period-1, Connecticut, Newbury 11 (Erixon), 7:28. 2, Springfield, Kubalik 7 (Joudrey, Russell), 8:48. 3, Springfield, Byers 8 (Mayorov, Lebda), 16:00 (PP). Penalties-Klassen Ct (hooking), 14:08; Newbury Ct (hooking), 16:46.

2nd Period-4, Connecticut, Thuresson 9 (Tessier, Bouchard), 1:06. 5, Connecticut, Valentenko 4 (Bell, Bouchard), 12:42 (PP). Penalties-Audy-Marchessault Ct (tripping), 5:15; Bell Ct (holding), 7:09; Russell Spr (holding), 11:43; Prough Ct (hooking), 15:13.

3rd Period-6, Connecticut, Newbury 12 (Valentenko, Parlett), 4:33. 7, Connecticut, Bell 6 (Bouchard, Erixon), 6:11 (PP). Penalties-Nightingale Ct (tripping), 1:19; Cullity Spr (roughing), 4:23; Thuresson Ct (roughing), 4:23; Giroux Spr (hooking), 5:14; Byers Spr (roughing, roughing), 8:39; Tessier Ct (roughing), 8:39; Newbury Ct (holding), 13:35; Calvert Spr (tripping), 15:14.

Shots on Goal-Springfield 9-8-8-25. Connecticut 10-13-11-34.
Power Play Opportunities-Springfield 1 / 7; Connecticut 2 / 4.
Goalies-Springfield, Legace 7-11-1 (34 shots-29 saves). Connecticut, Talbot 9-6-0 (25 shots-23 saves).
A-5,448
Referees-Dan Dreger (51).
Linesmen-Luke Galvin (2), Marty Demers (79).

Some pregame tidbits:

  • Maksim Mayorov is on a three-game scoring streak collecting two goals and one assist in that span.
  • Manny Legace has started the last nine straight games for the Falcons and he has moved into 5th in the league with a 2.19 goals against average.
  • Friday night was Springfield's first shootout at home and they are now 1-1 in the shootout this year.
  • Jonathan Audy-Marchessault has three goals and six assists for nine points in four games against the Falcons this year.
  • Connecticut goaltenders have a combined 1.75 goals against average against the Falcons this year.
  • With his assist Wednesday night, Cam Atkinson extended his scoring streak to seven straight games and he has also moved into 5th in the AHL in rookie scoring.  Atkinson has 15 goals and 10 assists for 25 points in 29 games and he continues to lead the Falcons in goals.  He now has points in seven of his last eight games. 
  • Manny Legace has started the last nine straight games for the Falcons posting a .938 save percentage stopping 228 of 243 shots on goal in that stretch.  
  • Connecticut's Andre Deveaux four goals in his last four games.
  • Kris Newbury has points in six straight games collecting two goals and 11 assists in that span.  He has four multi-point games in his last six contests.
  • Brendan Bell has six assists in his last four games.
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