After a tough night on Saturday, the Falcons returned to The Nest on Sunday afternoon for the second of a two game set with the Norfolk Admirals. Playing a much more disciplined game than on Saturday, the Falcons used three third period goals to take a big 4-2 victory over the Admirals.

The Falcons didn't give up the first goal this time. Instead, it was Matt Calvert who picked up his tenth of the campaign on assists from Cam Atkinson and Brent Regner on the power play.

Perhaps a carryover from Saturday, the play remained punishing, with five minors called in the period.

Midway through the middle stanza, it looked like the Falcons opened up a two goal lead when Tomas Kubalik converted an unbelievable one handed, diving pass from Matt Calvert. To many's amazement, including an irate coach Rob Riley, the goal was waved off due to goalie interference. This was a flat out bad call. No other way to put it.

The momentum shifted with 5:20 remaining and the Admirals tied it up on a goal by Pierre-Cedric Labrie. Labrie had his way with the Falcons on Saturday night, and the goal was his eighth of the season. Michel Ouellet connected for his tenth goal on the power play at 18:44 to give the Admirals a 2-1 lead. Another late period goal that could have been a backbreaker.

A well skated third period was scoreless through the first half. Finally at 11:29, Patrick Cullity cut in from the blue line. He was only about 15 feet from the cage, went down to one knee and finished off a Matt Calvert pass for the tying goal. The secondary assist went to Greg Amadio. This was a big goal at a big time for the Birds.

Thirty seconds later, after an Andrew Joudrey scoring bid, the puck momentarily lay flat after a Dustin Tokarski save. Maksim Mayorov was Johnny-on-the-spot (Maks-on-the-spot?) and banged home the loose biscuit for his fifth of the season, giving the Falcons the lead at 3-2. Setting up the play in addition to Joudrey was Brent Regner.

I thought I was going to jump out of my skin later in the period when Alexandre Giroux carried the puck into the offensive zone. Giroux carried and held and held and held...moving closer to the cage. Finally he was on the verge of the blue paint when both Admirals defenders finally committed and Giroux found Martin St. Pierre unmarked on the left wing. MSP took the pass and blew one past Tokarski, extending the Falcons lead to two goals. An amazing play by the two veterans!

Paul Dainton stood tall over the final four and a half minutes, making a couple of game saving stops. This one finished up 4-2 Falcons, a huge character win for Springfield.

Today's Three Stars
1. Matt Calvert
2. Patrick Cullity
3. Brent Regner

Three Stars that were well earned. After Saturday's blowout, I can't stress enough what an enormous win this was for the Falcons. The Falcons return to action Friday night at 7:30 when the Connecticut Whale come to The Nest.

Two Hall of Famers: Eddie "Ted" Shore, Jr. and Jim Anderson

Also honored was AHL Hall of Famer, Jimmy Anderson. By the time I had attended my first game, Anderson's career was winding down. In his prime though, the NHL only had six teams, while the AHL sported eight. Anderson was legitimately one of the greatest wingers of all time. Trouble was, he was playing at a time when there were only 120 jobs available in the six team senior circuit. By the time he got a taste of the NHL, he was a fading 37 year old who still managed to put up one goal and two assists in seven games on the expansion Los Angeles Kings of 1967-68. It seems a shame, but those were his only seven games on an NHL stage.

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The Falcons returned home after a five game road trip, dug themselves a deep hole from which they never recovered, falling to the Norfolk Admirals 6-1 on Saturday night at the MassMutual Center.

Things started out badly and only got worse. For the second consecutive night, the opponents scored on their first shot on goal. Friday night in Providence, it took 1:21. Saturday night it took but 37 seconds, and the flood gates opened.

Manny Legace, playing his first game since January 22nd (and celebrating his 39th birthday), was beaten early and often, surrendering four goals on Norfolk's first nine shots. Manny was pulled after the fourth marker in favor of Paul Dainton.

After the fifth Admiral tally, an ugly scrum took place in front of the Falcons net. The Falcons were on a 5 on 3 PK when Mark Barberio connected for his sixth goal of the season. In front of the Falcons cage, Theo Ruth was covering Norfolk All-Star Cory Conacher. After the goal, the exchange continued with Conacher doing a bit of chirping when Ruth blatantly cross-checked Conacher in the head. With Springfield being two men down, the dance wasn't quite even, so Captain Dane Byers grabbed hold of two Admirals, giving them some simultaneous whatfor. After things settled down and the players were going to the box, Byers circled away and engaged Norfolk captain Mike Angelidis at center ice. One can only imagine what Byzee said to Angelidis as he went SlapShot crazy trying to get at Byers. Finally the linesmen literally escorted both into their respective benches and down the tunnels to their locker rooms.

Falcons broadcaster Mike Kelly aptly summed it up this way:

Out of hand indeed. The visitors added one more before a much quieter third period, leaving the score at 6-1.

The Falcons lone score was netted by Matt Calvert, his 9th, assisted by Cam Atkinson.

The teams will have a rematch this afternoon at 3PM at The Nest. With the sometimes unpredictable nature of AHL games, anything can happen. If you're in Springfield, tickets this afternoon are just $8.

The Falcons returned to action Friday night in Providence, RI dropping a 4-1 decision to the Providence Bruins. Coming into the contest, the Bruins were on a modest 4-0-1 streak, pulling even with Springfield in the battle for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

A large part of the first period was played in the neutral zone. There were not many scoring opportunities, despite a 9-8 shots on goal advantage for the Baby B's. In the early stages, while the clubs were getting a feel for the ice surface, Josh Hennessy added to his team lead for Providence, netting his 14th goal of the season. It was the only score of the period, staking the Bruins to a 1-0 lead.

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AHL NORTHEAST DIVISION STANDINGS (as of 1/30/12):

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The American Hockey League wrapped up their All-Star Classic Weekend in Atlantic City, NJ on Monday night. The Western Conference came back from a 6-2 deficit to tie the game as regulation time wound down, then prevailed in a shootout, 8-7.

Cam Atkinson was the only representative in the Classic of the Springfield Falcons. Atkinson, named to the starting lineup, made his presence felt early when he assisted on the East's second goal of the game, just over three minutes into the first period.

By the end of the period, the East's lead ballooned to a margin of 6-2. The goalie on the receiving end of the half dozen was none other than Matt Hackett of the Houston Aeros. Hackett, you may recall, saw some unexpected and successful NHL action earlier in the season for the Minnesota Wild.

The West put up three unanswered goals in the second period, setting up a wide open and exciting third period.

Cory Conacher (who will be coming to Springfield with his Norfolk Admirals this weekend), tied for the AHL lead in goals with 25, gave the East a two goal margin halfway through the final period. Two minutes later, TJ Hensick pulled the West back to within one goal. Kevin Connauton brought the West all the way back when he scored on Tyson Sexsmith of the Worcester Sharks, in goal for the East.

Rather than play any overtime hockey, the teams went straight to a shootout. Ben Bishop of the Peoria Rivermen (and St. Louis Blues) was great in the third period. He showed more of that in the shootout, as he stopped all four Eastern shooters he faced, sealing the victory as he earned the game's MVP honors.

The AHL will get back to action on Thursday night. The Falcons will have an extra day off, and get back to business on Friday night.

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