FALCONS GAME PREVIEW: SPRINGFIELD AT WORCESTER, GAME #51
Springfield Falcons (30-13-4-3) at Worcester Sharks (24-21-1-5)
Sunday, February 24, 2013
3:00 p.m.
DCU Center
RADIO: (presented by FalconsWireless.com) WHYN NewsTalk 560 AM/WHYN.com
WEBCAST: AHLLive.com
Falcons Game Notes (PDF)
IN JUST A FEW HOURS...
The Springfield Falcons finish out their three-in-three weekend when they venture to Worcester to take on the Sharks, with the opening face-off scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the DCU Center. Springfield was shut out for the first time this season on Saturday night, enduring a 3-0 defeat on the road at the hands of the Syracuse Crunch. Allen York made a career-high 43 saves, but Cedrick Desjardins was perfect on all 26 of Springfield's tries. Mark Barberio, Pierre-Cedric Labrie, and J.T. Brown all struck in the third period for the Crunch, as Syracuse increased its lead in the Eastern Conference to three points over Springfield. The Falcons were unable to score a goal for the first time in 66 regular-season games dating back to Mar. 9, 2012 against Manchester. Springfield's advantage in the Northeast Division slid to 10 points with four games in hand on the Connecticut Whale. The Falcons and Sharks square off for the fourth of eight times this season this afternoon.
Today's broadcast is presented by FalconsWireless.com and starts at 2:45 p.m. on WHYN 560 AM, WHYN.com, the iHeartRadio App, or AHLLive.com.
The Falcons return to the MassMutual Center to host Adirondack next Friday, concluding their suspended Feb. 17 contest at 6:05 p.m. before playing a full-game versus the Phantoms at 7:30 p.m. Springfield welcomes Providence to The Nest on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and finishes its home three-in-three on Sunday, taking on the Sharks at 3:00 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).
YORK HAS CAREER NIGHT
Despite allowing two goals in Saturday’s loss, Allen York made a career-high 43 stops. York turned aside each of the first 37 shots he faced before allowing in Mark Barberio’s goal 4:37 into the third period.
STREAKS COME TO A CLOSE
Ryan Craig’s nine-game point streak (4g-7a) ended on Saturday, as Springfield’s captain was unable to register a goal or an assist for the first time since a 3-1 loss to Worcester on Jan. 25. Craig’s six-game road assist streak (0g-10a) also came to a close. He had notched helpers in each away contest since Jan. 15 prior to Saturday. Ryan Johansen’s seven-game point streak ended (5g-4a), while Cody Goloubef’s three-game goal streak ceased (3g-1a).
SUNDAY SUCCESS AT STAKE
The Falcons have played their best hockey of the season in Sunday games this season, with a 10-1-0-0 record in the final day of the weekend. Springfield is 5-1-0-0 in the final game of a three-in-three this season, with each finale occurring on a Sunday. The Falcons are 5-0-0-0 in away Sunday action this year. Springfield has won five-straight Sunday contests since last falling on Nov. 25 to Connecticut at The Nest, 3-2.
TWO-GOAL BARRIER CRACKED
The Crunch became the first team to score three times on the Falcons in the same period since the Providence Bruins did so twice on Dec. 14 in a 6-3 victory. The Falcons had played in 26-straight games without allowing more than two goals in a period since that contest.
PENALTY KILL PERFECT AGAIN
Springfield’s penalty kill was perfect for the sixth time in the last seven full games on Saturday. Since relinquishing three power-play goals to the Crunch on Feb. 1, the Falcons are 32/33 in shorthanded situations (factoring in the Feb. 17 suspended game). Springfield is third in the AHL on the penalty kill at 86.3%. The Falcons have not allowed a power-play goal since Feb. 12.
QUIET START
The Falcons played their first game on Saturday that was scoreless through two periods since Nov. 9, when Tim Erixon struck twice in the final frame in a 2-0 win over Connecticut.
MILESTONE WITHIN REACH
Ryan Craig is two power-play goals shy of equaling Danny Briere and Jean-Guy Trudel for the most tallies on the man advantage in team history. Craig has 27 power-play goals, while Briere and Trudel each accumulated 29 while sporting a Falcons sweater.
NEAR THE TOP
Jonathan Audy-Marchessault is tied for fourth in the AHL in scoring with 48 points (16g-32a). He is tied for second place in the league with 32 assists.
