Falcons in a Scoring Funk

It's a well known fact that sports teams suffer through slumps. Right now, the Springfield Falcons are in a scoring slump. The Falcons have managed to go 3-3 in their last six games, so it's not the end of the world. Yet. Without the high quality goaltending provided by Manny Legace, it could be a lot worse.

A five goal outburst against the woeful Bridgeport Sound Tigers on December 11th wasn't enough to kickstart the Falcons scoring machine. The Sound Tigers have fallen into the cellar of the Northeast Division of the AHL. Their 100 goals against is the second worst in the 30 team AHL, trailing only the Rockford IceHogs' 102 goals against.

Falcons scoring over the past six games:

12/17 at Albany: Atkinson 14 (Bass, Calvert)

12/16 at Providence: Giroux 9 (St. Pierre, Atkinson) PP

12/13 Worcester: Atkinson 13 (penalty shot)

12/11 Bridgeport: Calvert 3 (Regner, Legace) PP
Giroux 8 (St. Pierre, Ruth)
Savard 1 (Bass, Byers)
Savard 2 (Giroux, St. Pierre) PP
Atkinson 12 (St. Pierre, Byers) PP

12/10: Manchester: Atkinson 11 (Russell, Savard) PP
St. Pierre 6 (Atkinson)

12/4: Portland: Byers 7 (Joudrey) SH
Giroux 7 (St. Pierre, Lebda)

Take the names Atkinson, Giroux and St. Pierre out of the mix and it could easily be panic button time in Springfield.

Counting the fivespot against Bridgeport, the Birds have registered 12 goals in the last six games. Two goals a game doesn't consistently win hockey games at this level.

Remove the Bridgeport game and things look a little more dire. Seven goals in five games. Of the seven, two were on the power play and one came on a Cam Atkinson penalty shot. Looking at it another way, of the 12 total goals there have only been five even strength goals and one shorty.

Overall point production for the team is representative of these last two weeks. Martin St. Pierre leads the team in scoring (6-23-29), followed by Atkinson (14-8-22). The Falcons third leading scorer, despite not playing since November 27th is Nick Drazenovic who was injured against Albany and has been out of the lineup ever since.

After Draz, is Captain Dane Byers who is currently on recall to the Blue Jackets. Fifth is Alexandre Giroux. Giroux in only 18 games with Springfield has 9 goals and 6 helpers for 15 points.

Ryan Russell and Wade MacLeod round out the Falcons forwards who have more than 10 points. Right at the 10 point cutoff is defenseman David Savard (2-8-10).

The Falcons top six forwards from the past weekend looked like this:

The third and fourth lines have been doing what's expected of them, mainly keeping the opponents off the score sheet.

There are only two games in the next eight days, one on the road in Worcester tomorrow night and another roadie to Syracuse on the 28th of December. Here's hoping that Santa brings a bagful of scoring punch to all of the Falcons and they use it early and often the rest of the season.

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