When the Falcons skated away with a 5-2 victory over the host Providence Bruins on Friday night, the Falcons established a new mark for an undefeated start to a season. The club then extended the mark to five consecutive wins with a thrilling come from behind shootout win on Saturday night in Glens Falls, NY.
Falcons President Bruce Landon put it in perspective when he told Garry Brown of MassLive.com:
Our 5-0 start is a tremendous credit to the players, and to the coaches who make sure they’re prepared for every game. No matter who’s hurt, or who’s called up, this team finds a way to win.
Falcons Game 4 – Friday October 18 at Providence Bruins
Springfield had a hard time finding their road legs at the outset of this one.
Through the first 12 minutes of play, the host Bruins were dominating the Birds at both ends of the ice, outshooting the Falcons at one point 13-3.
Springfield rallied on a power play with Rob Flick in the box for a high stick. Jonathan Marchessault fed the white hot Tim Erixon at the point and he one timed the pass for a 1-0 Falcons lead.
It only took the Falcons 46 seconds to add to the margin when a Lukas Sedlak redirect made it quickly a 2-0 lead for the Falcons and there was no looking back.
The Bruins pulled within one when Matt Fraser scored the only goal of the middle frame, but that was as close as the P-Bruins would get.
Springfield stepped right back on the gas in the third period when Jean Francois Jacques scored his first goal in a Falcons sweater since January 18, 2008. The goal was not without some drama, however.
The sequence started when Joe Morrow of the baby B’s tested Jeremy Smith in the Springfield cage. Smith came up with the save, and on the breakout Erixon (again) passed to Michael Chaput. Chaput got the biscuit to JFJ, who followed his own rebound off of Malcolm Subban for the 3-1 lead.
Not so fast.
In the best interest of satisfying some chirping from the Bruin bench, the referees Trent Knorr and Geno Binda, decided to take a closer look at Smith’s rejection of Morrow. Knorr took a look and decided that Morrow’s effort was indeed not a goal, thus allowing the Falcon lead to stand at 3-1.
Jack Skille added an insurance tally, his first in a Falcon sweater, from Cody Goloubef midway through the third period. Alex Aleardi closed out the scoring with an empty netter giving the Falcons a convincing 5-2 win.
Friday’s Three Stars:
1- Jack Skille
2- Tim Erixon
3 – Craig Cunningham (PRO)
Falcons Game 5 – Saturday October 19 at Adirondack Phantoms
Springfield spotted their hosts an early lead on Saturday. Nick Cousins scored just 47 seconds into the game. Things remained quiet until Cousins goal was followed by Rob Bordson’s fourth of the season at 4:38 of the middle stanza.
Broc Little scored his first regulation time goal for the Birds, lighting the lamp with help from Ryley Grantham and Frederic St. Denis, late in the second period. Grantham would fall just a goal short of the Gordie Howe hat trick, having already served a major for dropping the mitts with Phantoms captain Ben Holmstrom.
Will Weber drove home a Sean Collins feed midway through the third period to knot the game at 2-2.
Weber’s rough and tumble style almost made the difference in OT, when he was assessed a minor for boarding with just over two minutes to go. McKenna and the Falcons foiled the Phantoms on the power play, leading to the shootout.
In the skills competition, Adirondack struck first when Cousins scored in the second round. Sean Collins beat Yann Danis in the fourth round. Tied through five rounds, Cody Goloubef picked up the winner in the sixth round of the shootout, enabling the Falcons to pick up the win, their fifth consecutive to start the season.
Saturday’s Three Stars: (selected by a real homer!)
1 – Nick Cousins (ADIR)
2 – Chris VandeVelde (ADIR)
3 – Jason Akeson (ADIR)
One of the more bogus three star selections in recent memory.
Transactions this week:
Oct. 14: Thomas Larkin (D) reassigned to Evansville
Oct. 14: Sean Collins (LW) recalled by Columbus
Oct. 14: Joe Lavin (D) loaned to Evansville
Oct. 16: Jean-Francois Jacques (LW) signed to PTO
Oct. 19: Sean Collins (LW) returned from Columbus
Oct. 19: Jack Skille (RW) recalled by Columbus
Oct. 20: Jack Skille (RW) returned by Columbus
The week ahead:
The Birds have two games again this week. First up is a Friday night rematch in Providence, RI against the Bruins. Face off time is set for 7:05PM. Then, on Saturday night, Springfield returns home for the first time in two weeks when they host the Worcester Sharks. Game time is 7PM.