For those not tagging along in the Game Thread (such as it is), it's been a rough night for the Falcons. Curtis McIlhenny started the game for Springfield, and was beaten early by Providence's Jamie Tardif. The night didn't improve from there, with Tardif adding a second tally on the power play, and a late second period goal by Matthew Pistilli put the Falcons into a 3-0 hole.

McIlhenny would switch out with Mike Clemente to start the final period, but Justin Florek would bang one past him to deepen the deficit, and the Birds are being outshot 21-14 at the last update from the club's official twitter feed.

For those interested in the pugilism, we have bouts reported between Nathan Moon and Tyler Randell, Dalton Smith and Alden Hirschfeld, and Theo Ruth against Ryan Button.

It's pre-season and then some, and remember that the Falcons are missing almost all of their big guns. No reason to panic here, but not the best start for Springfield tonight.