Falcons Host Devils Tonight
October 27, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
The Springfield Falcons and Lowell Devils meet for the first time in franchise history tonight at the MassMutual Center. Friday night will be the opening of a weekend home-and-home series between the Falcons and Devils that concludes at the Paul Tsongas Arena in Lowell on Saturday afternoon. These two Atlantic Division rivals will meet 10 times this year, five home and five away. After this weekend, Springfield and Lowell will meet again next week when the Falcons head back to Lowell on Sunday, November 5.
The Falcons head into tonight's game having shut out the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 3-0 this past Sunday with rookie goaltender Karri Ramo earning his first professional shutout and victory. Norm Milley scored a pair of goals for the Falcons, while Zdenek Blatny also tallied his team-leading fourth marker of the season. Springfield opened the home portion of their schedule last weekend losing 4-2 on Friday night to the Manchester Monarchs, followed by dropping a 4-3 decision on Saturday against the Binghamton Senators. Following this weekend, Springfield will play four of their next five games on home ice.
The Devils head into Springfield having defeated the Worcester Sharks, 3-2, in their last game played last Saturday night. The Devils used three power play goals on their way to victory, including a pair of power play markers by defenseman Dan McGillis. Lowell has posted a record of 2-3-0-0 through their first five games and have already been involved in three games decided by one goal or less. Lowell has scored at least one power play goal in each of their five games and rank fourth in the AHL in power play percentage at 26.7%.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Falcons captain Norm Milley led the Falcons offense last week with two goals and three assists for five points in three games played. Milley collected a pair of assists on Saturday, October 21 in a 4-3 loss to Binghamton. Milley came back on Sunday, October 22 and added two goals, including the game-winner, in a Falcons' 3-0 win at Bridgeport. Milley was voted the game's second star at Bridgeport. Milley currently leads the team in scoring with three goals and four assists for seven points in six games played.
FIRST AS A PRO: Falcons rookie goaltender Karri Ramo earned his first professional shutout and win on October 22 at Bridgeport making 34 saves in a Falcons' 3-0 victory. Sunday was only Ramo's third pro start and the Finland native has a 3.37 goals against average and .891 save percentage in four games played this season. Ramo became the first Falcons rookie goaltender to earn a shutout since Morgan Cey blanked Lowell 3-0 on March 25, 2006.
HELPING THE OFFENSE: Veteran forward Eric Healey collected two assists on October 22 at Bridgeport giving him four points in his last two games played. Healey netted a goal and an assist on Saturday, October 21 against Binghamton. Healey is second on the team in scoring with three goals and three assists for six points in six games played.
100 AHL GAMES: Falcons defenseman Sylvain Dufresne played in his 100th career AHL game on Sunday, October 22 at Bridgeport. Dufresne is in his first season with the Falcons after spending the 2005-06 campaign with the Rochester Americans.
LEADING THE DEVILS: Veteran Lowell defenseman Dan McGillis currently leads the Devils in scoring this season with three goals and four assists for seven points in five games played. McGillis is in his 11th professional season and has played in 634 career NHL games split between Edmonton, Philadelphia, San Jose, Boston and New Jersey. Devils goaltender Frank Doyle has started between the pipes in four of Lowell's five games posting a record of 2-2-0-0 with a 3.02 goals against average.
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American Hockey League Stories from October 27, 2006
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