FALCONS GAME PREVIEW: SPRINGFIELD AT CONNECTICUT, GAME #20
Springfield Falcons (11-4-1-3) at Connecticut Whale (9-8-2-0)
Sunday, December 2, 2012
5:00 p.m.
XL Center
RADIO: WHYN NewsTalk 560 AM/WHYN.com
WEBCAST: AHLLive.com
Falcons Game Notes (PDF)
IN JUST A FEW HOURS...
The Springfield Falcons close out their third three-in-three stretch of the 2012-2013 season when they travel 26 miles south on I-91 to the XL Center in Hartford to take on the Connecticut Whale at 5:00 p.m. After pulling off a dramatic comeback victory in Manchester on Friday night, the Falcons could not get by the Monarchs on Saturday evening at the MassMutual Center, falling 2-1. Cam Atkinson scored Springfield's only goal at 11:13 of the first, giving the Falcons a 1-0 lead. The Monarchs responded almost immediately, as Dwight King at 13:40 and Linden Vey at 15:50 each connected to build a 2-1 Manchester lead through 20 minutes. The Falcons were unable to light the lamp in the final two periods, suffering the one-goal loss.
Springfield enters today's action trailing the Syracuse Crunch by two points for first place in the Eastern Conference. The Falcons are five points in front of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for Northeast Division supremacy.
Fans who cannot make it out to Hartford today can access live coverage of the contest beginning at 4:45 p.m. on WHYN NewsTalk 560 AM, WHYN.com, the iHeartRadio App, or AHLLive.com.
After playing the next four games on the road, Springfield returns home to host the St. John's IceCaps on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 7:30 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).
ATKINSON STRIKES AGAIN
Cam Atkinson buried his team-leading ninth goal of the season on Saturday. Atkinson is tied with Ryan Potulny for 13th on the Falcons' all-time goal-scoring list after connecting for the 41st time in a Springfield sweater. Last night's goal was his fourth on the power play this season, which places him in a tie for ninth in the league in that category along with Matt Calvert and Nick Drazenovic. Atkinson is a goal or an assist shy of tying Jonathan Audy-Marchessault for the team lead at 19 points.
CRAIG CONTRIBUTES
Ryan Craig posted his third point in the last two games (2g-1a), jamming a puck at Manchester netminder Peter Mannino to set up Atkinson's goal.
TOUGH TO GET PAST TWO
For the 12th time in 19 games this season, the Falcons allowed fewer than three goals on Saturday.
STRENGTHENING PENALTY KILL
After allowing seven power-play goals in two games last Friday and Saturday, Springfield has shut down each of its opponents' man-advantage opportunities over the last three contests. The Falcons were perfect on seven penalty kills Saturday, and are 12 for 12 in each of the last three games. Springfield is sixth in the league in that category at 85.8%.
