FALCONS GAME PREVIEW: SPRINGFIELD AT WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON, GAME #12
Springfield Falcons (8-1-0-2) at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (6-6-0-0)
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
7:05 p.m.
Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
TICKETS: Ticketmaster.com/MassMutual Center Box Office
RADIO: WHYN NewsTalk 560 AM/WHYN.com/Sirius 207/XM 92
WEBCAST: AHLLive.com
Falcons Game Notes (PDF)
IN JUST A FEW HOURS...
The Springfield Falcons play the first of four-straight road games when they take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 7:05 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. The Falcons, who lead the Eastern Conference with 18 points and have the AHL's best record of 8-1-0-2 (.818), are bidding for their first four-game winning streak within the same season since Dec. 23 to 30, 2006. Springfield has taken points in each of the last seven games (5-0-0-2), its longest points streak since it went 5-0-1-1 from Nov. 9 to 21, 2007. The Falcons have posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time since they blanked three-straight opponents from Jan. 21 to 26, 1996. Tonight's game between the Falcons and the Penguins is the final meeting between the two clubs in the 2012-2013 season. Springfield took the first battle against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Oct. 19, 4-2, at the MassMutual Center.
Fans can listen to "Voice of the Falcons" Mike Kelly call tonight's game on WHYN NewsTalk 560 AM, on WHYN.com, and through the iHeartRadio App, with coverage beginning at 6:58 p.m. The game is also being aired on NHL Network Radio (Sirius 207/XM 92) with the Penguins' feed.
After tonight's contest, Springfield travels to Norfolk to take on the Admirals on Friday and Saturday. Springfield concludes its away stretch in Portland on Friday, Nov. 23 when it meets the Pirates.
The Falcons return home for "Movember Night presented by Baystate Health" on Saturday, Nov. 24 against the Manchester Monarchs at 7:00 p.m. The first 1,000 fans into the building that night will receive mustaches as part of an effort to generate awareness of prostate cancer and other male illnesses.
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).
LENGTHY STREAKS
The Falcons have scored 11 unanswered goals since Connecticut's Matt Gilroy struck at the 1:40 mark of the third period in a 10-2 Springfield win on Nov. 4. Their team shutout streak is 138 minutes and 20 seconds entering tonight's game. Springfield has outscored its opponents 17-2 over the last three games and has a 40-17 goals advantage for a league-high +23 differential.
Curtis McElhinney's personal shutout streak is at 137 minutes and 46 seconds, as he was credited with 59:26 of game action in Sunday's 5-0 win over Portland. McElhinney's eight wins and four shutouts lead the league, while his save percentage of .955 and goals-against average of 1.29 both check in second in the AHL. With one more shutout, he will match Manny Legace's team-record five, captured in the 1995-1996 campaign.
HISTORIC START
The Falcons have their best record through the first 11 contests in franchise history and are looking for points in 11 of their opening 12 games for just the second time in their 19 years of competition tonight (8-1-3, 1995-1996).
