FALCONS GAME PREVIEW: SPRINGFIELD VS. BRIDGEPORT, GAME #6
Springfield Falcons (4-1-0-0) vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers (3-1-0-0)
Saturday, October 27, 2012
7:00 p.m.
MassMutual Center
TICKETS: Ticketmaster.com/MassMutual Center Box Office
RADIO: WHYN NewsTalk 560/WHYN.com
WEBCAST: AHLLive.com
Falcons Game Notes (PDF)
IN JUST A FEW HOURS...
The Springfield Falcons return to the MassMutual Center to host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at 7:00 p.m. On Friday night, the Falcons and goaltender Curtis McElhinney earned their second shutout of the opening five games of 2012-2013, defeating the Providence Bruins, 3-0. McElhinney made 33 saves in the victory while Nick Drazenovic, Ryan Russell, and Cam Atkinson scored for the Falcons. The win propelled the Falcons into sole possession of first place in the Northeast Division by two points over Bridgeport and into second place in the Eastern Conference. Springfield has four victories in its first five games for the first time in its 19-year history.
DOMINANT DEFENSE, GOALTENDING
Through five games, McElhinney and the Falcons have surrendered just seven goals to their opponents. Springfield, which leads the league as a club at 1.40 goals against/game, is the only team in the AHL to have allowed fewer than 10 goals in 2012-2013. The Falcons' goal differential of +9 is tops in the Eastern Conference and is second in the league to the Abbotsford Heat's +11 advantage. McElhinney's two shutouts tie him for first in the AHL with Lake Erie's Calvin Pickard, while his four wins place him atop the league along with Rochester's David Leggio. The seventh-year pro is fifth in the league with a 1.41 goals-against average and is sixth with a .953 save percentage. The quickest the Falcons, who also silenced Adirondack 3-0 on Oct. 14, had ever reached two shutouts in a season was 20 games during their first campaign of 1994-1995.
SCOUTING THE SOUND TIGERS
Bridgeport dropped its first decision of the season last night, falling 5-1 to the Worcester Sharks on the road. The Sound Tigers are led in scoring by Nino Niederreiter, who paces his club with five points and three goals. Niederreiter and Ryan Johansen were teammates in Portland (WHL). Bridgeport has been affiliated with the New York Islanders during each of its 12 seasons. Scott Pellerin is in his first season as the Sound Tigers' head coach.
FALCONS REMAIN HOME ON SUNDAY
Springfield stays home on Sunday to welcome the Portland Pirates to town at 3:00 p.m. Sunday's game is the Falcons' "Halloween Hockey Night." Fans are encouraged to showcase their Halloween apparel as Falcons in-arena host Kevin Johnson will give away prizes to fans wearing the best costumes throughout the game. After the game, fans are invited to stick around and skate on the MassMutual Center ice. Fans must bring their own skates to participate. 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.
