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Falcons fall again on the road to DiPietro, Bridgeport
March 14,
2013 |
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BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Will Weber collected his first professional goal on Tuesday night at Webster Bank Arena, as the Springfield Falcons (34-16-5-3) overcame a pair of deficits to secure a point in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (25-24-5-4).
Springfield upped its lead in the Northeast Division over Connecticut to 12 points with three games in hand in the defeat. The Falcons have now lost eight-straight decisions in games decided in sudden-death overtime since their last win in the extra session on Nov. 16, 2011.
Goaltender Curtis McElhinney and the Falcons' penalty kill rose to the occasion late in the first period after Greg Amadio took a game misconduct infraction for interference, forcing the club to face a five-minute power play. McElhinney made two scrambling saves on doorstep opportunities by Nino Niederreiter and Blair Riley, and the Falcons staved off the shorthanded situation and made it to the first intermission scoreless with the Sound Tigers.
A four-goal second followed the quiet initial stanza.
Matt Watkins stepped in front of a pass in Springfield's end and buried a shot on the doorstep 1:33 into the period, giving Bridgeport a 1-0 lead.
The Falcons returned the favor by striking on a Sound Tigers turnover. After Scott Howes and Trent Vogelhuber's rush was slowed, Weber deposited his milestone tally in his 50th-career contest. The Gaylord, Mich. native intercepted a Bridgeport clearing attempt and blasted a puck from the top of the slot by Sound Tigers netminder Rick DiPietro at 7:38, evening the contest, 1-1.
Niederreiter put Bridgeport back in front, 2-1, at 7:38. After McElhinney made a stop on an Aaron Ness shot, Niederreiter picked up the rebound, switched over to his backhand, and slid the puck in for the go-ahead strike.
Springfield responded again, this time connecting on the power play. Cody Goloubef's right-point shot was knocked down by DiPietro, but Jonathan Audy-Marchessault snapped the rebound over the goaltender's stick and into the net at 17:55, as the teams ventured into the second intermission tied, 2-2.
The Falcons outshot the Sound Tigers, 9-5, in the final regulation period, but neither team could break through for the advantage, and the teams moved into extra time.
The Falcons close out their four-game road stretch in Providence on Friday before returning to the MassMutual Center on Saturday at 7 p.m. to host the Bruins. Springfield closes out the weekend in Connecticut on Sunday against the Whale.
The first 1,500 fans in attendance on Saturday will receive a free Falcons baseball hat. Fans can also win a free bicycle from Gus Coelho Auto Repair at 442 Holyoke St. in Ludlow as part of "Cycle Saturday."
Single-game tickets can be purchased at the MassMutual Center Box Office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. through game time on Saturday home dates, and starting four hours prior to Sunday home contests.
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