Falcons Host Amerks Tonight
November 3, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
Two historic American Hockey League cities compete once again when the Springfield Falcons and Rochester Americans meet for the first time since the 2000-01 season tonight at the MassMutual Center. The Falcons and Americans have met 16 times in franchise history with Springfield posting a record of 8-7-1 in that span. Springfield and Rochester will conclude their season series two weeks from tomorrow when the Falcons visit the Americans on November 18.
The Falcons head into tonight's game having split a home-and-home series last weekend with the Lowell Devils. Springfield rallied from a 4-0 deficit last Friday scoring six unanswered goals, including four third period goals on five shots on their way to come-from-behind 6-4 win. Rookie Blair Jones netted a pair of third period goals tying the game, while veteran forward Eric Healey also scored twice, including the game-winning goal. Springfield came back last Saturday afternoon and lost to the Devils 4-1 in Lowell. Starting tonight, the Falcons will play four of their next five games on home ice where they are 1-2-0-0 through three games at the MassMutual Center. The Falcons will host the Worcester Sharks Saturday night, before returning to Lowell on Sunday afternoon.
The Americans head into Springfield having also played a home-and-home series last weekend when they split with the Syracuse Crunch. Rochester suffered their first loss of the 2006-07 season last Friday when they were blanked by the Crunch 5-0 in Syracuse. The Americans responded on Sunday when they defeated the Crunch 2-1 in a shootout improving their record to 8-1-0-0 on the season. Rochester is currently in first place in the Western Conference's North Division after starting the season with seven straight wins. The Amerks will conclude their weekend in Manchester on Saturday night to battle the Monarchs before returning home for six straight games starting next Friday.
PRODUCTIVE TRIO: The Springfield Falcons line of rookie Blair Jones, captain Norm Milley and Eric Healey combined for 16 points in two games last weekend, including the trio combining for 13 points (Jones 2goals, 2 assists, Milley 1 goal, 4 assists, Healey 2 goals, 2 assists) in Springfield's 6-4 come-from-behind win over Lowell on Friday night. The Falcons scored six unanswered goals erasing a 4-0 deficit and beating the Devils 6-4. Jones was the game's third star, Healey second star and Milley first star on Friday night.
MOVING ON UP: Rookie Blair Jones scored his first two professional goals last Friday night, and he came back on Saturday and netted his third marker of the year at Lowell. Jones has points in four straight games and has collected three goals and five assists for eight points in that span. Jones is tied for second on the team in scoring with three goals and eight assists for 11 points in eight games played. Jones is currently ranked third in the AHL in rookie scoring.
VETERAN LEADERSHIP: Captain Norm Milley has registered at least a point in five straight games collecting three goals and eight assists for 11 points in that span. Milley has registered three multi-point games in his last four contests. For the season, Milley has collected four multi-point games in eight games played this year. Milley recorded one goal and four assists and was the game's first star one week ago in Springfield's 6-4 win over the Lowell Devils. Milley leads the team in scoring with four goals and nine assists for 13 points in eight games played.
Veteran forward Eric Healey has collected points in four straight games registering three goals and six assists for nine points in that span. Healey scored the game-winning goal on Friday night in Springfield's 6-4 win and was the game's second star. Healey leads the Falcons in goals with five and is tied for second on the club in scoring with 11 points in eight games played.
FOUR IN AND ONE OUT: The Springfield Falcons recalled four players from the Johnstown Chiefs on Thursday as goaltender Jonathan Boutin, defenseman Geoff Waugh, left wing Radek Smolenak, and left wing Jean Desrochers all joined the Falcons. Boutin and Waugh both started the season with Springfield and played in two games with the Chiefs after joining Johnstown last Saturday. Smolenak was leading the Chiefs in goals at the time of his recall after collecting four goals and two assists for six points in six games played. Smolenak started the season in Falcons training camp after registering 42 goals in 65 games last year with Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League.
Desrochers also attended Falcons training camp and currently leads the Chiefs in scoring with four goals and three assists for seven points in six games. Desrochers recorded a hat trick in the first period of Johnstown's opening game this season. The Falcons reassigned forward David Spina to Johnstown.
LEADING THE AMERICANS: Rochester left wing Clarke MacArthur leads the Americans in scoring thus far this year collecting three goals and five assists for eight points in nine games played. MacArthur also leads Rochester in power play goals with three. The Lloydminster, Alberta native is in his second full season of professional hockey after collecting 21 goals and 32 assists for 53 points in 69 games with Rochester last year.
TIGHT DEFENSE: The Rochester Americans enter tonight's game tied for the league lead in goals against this season only allowing 17 goals in nine games played. The Americans have used three goaltenders through nine games with Craig Anderson collecting a 1.23 goals against average in four games, Adam Dennis posting a 2.75 goals against average in four games, followed by Jean-Marc Pelletier recording a 0.92 goals against average in one game played.
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