MIKE4DEVILS
12-04-2004, 11:33 PM
SPRINGFIELD, MA. (December 4, 2004). The Albany River Rats got revenge against the Springfield Falcons for the loss a week earlier on home ice. This time, as visitor, the Rats capitalized early on a Springfield mistake, retook the lead in the second period, and added an empty-netter to complete a 3-1 victory.
In the process, the Rats got their first victory in nine games, and the first in regulation time since October 24. A solid defensive effort by Scott Clemmensen, with major contributions from the penalty-kill unit, enabled the Rats to hold the lead through the final 38 minutes.
Dean McAmmond, applying forecheck pressure, intercepted a pass inside the Springfield defensive zone and went in unassisted against Brian Eklund at 6:21 of the first to give the Rats the opening marker.
Springfield got the equalizer on a power play (one of eight that the Falcons would enjoy on the night, but the only one they converted) when defenseman Brian Chapman found himself alone at the edge of the right circle. Everyone else was on the left side and when the pass got through to him, he had an open shot into half of the net, which he did not miss.
Plain, old-fashioned hard work by the Rats got their second (and, as it turned out, game-winning) goal early in the second. Ivan Khomutov, who has earned ice time replacing the injured Adrian Foster, worked the puck into the attack zone and flung a decent shot at the net. When Eklund gave up a rebound that Ray Schultz touched, Ilkka Pikkarainen, driving hard towards the rebound, put it past the Springfield netminder. Simple, basic play and pursuing the rebound got the goal that meant the game.
Thus, at 1:55 of the second period, the Rats had a lead that they preserved for the final 38 minutes. Not without some heavy lifting by the penalty kill unit (7 of 8 in killing efficiency tonight). Zach Parise and Ryan Murphy in particular did some tremendous work silencing the Springfield power play.
Ryan Murphy added an empty net goal at the end to provide the final 3-1 margin.
The three stars: third, to Ilkka Pikkarainen of Albany, with the game-winning goal; second, to Brian Chapman of Springfield, with the only Falcons' goal; and, first, to Scott Clemmensen of the Rats, with 28 saves on 29 shots.
Several Albany defensemen in particular deserve credit for strong games: Ray Schultz and Alex Brooks logged major minutes and got the job done in their end.
For the Rats, a long (150+ minute) scoring drought was ended tonight. That dozens and dozens of Albany fans drove to Springfield to cheer on their team, despite nine consecutive losses at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, says something about the team and its fans that the current low-ranking status in the standing doesn't yet reflect: faith in the team's ability to turn around the season and to start winning on a regular basis. For two nights, at least, the Rats' defense was so solid that it allowed only one goal a game: last night's 1-0 blanking by Syracuse and tonight's 3-1 victory over Springfield. Stay tuned.
In the process, the Rats got their first victory in nine games, and the first in regulation time since October 24. A solid defensive effort by Scott Clemmensen, with major contributions from the penalty-kill unit, enabled the Rats to hold the lead through the final 38 minutes.
Dean McAmmond, applying forecheck pressure, intercepted a pass inside the Springfield defensive zone and went in unassisted against Brian Eklund at 6:21 of the first to give the Rats the opening marker.
Springfield got the equalizer on a power play (one of eight that the Falcons would enjoy on the night, but the only one they converted) when defenseman Brian Chapman found himself alone at the edge of the right circle. Everyone else was on the left side and when the pass got through to him, he had an open shot into half of the net, which he did not miss.
Plain, old-fashioned hard work by the Rats got their second (and, as it turned out, game-winning) goal early in the second. Ivan Khomutov, who has earned ice time replacing the injured Adrian Foster, worked the puck into the attack zone and flung a decent shot at the net. When Eklund gave up a rebound that Ray Schultz touched, Ilkka Pikkarainen, driving hard towards the rebound, put it past the Springfield netminder. Simple, basic play and pursuing the rebound got the goal that meant the game.
Thus, at 1:55 of the second period, the Rats had a lead that they preserved for the final 38 minutes. Not without some heavy lifting by the penalty kill unit (7 of 8 in killing efficiency tonight). Zach Parise and Ryan Murphy in particular did some tremendous work silencing the Springfield power play.
Ryan Murphy added an empty net goal at the end to provide the final 3-1 margin.
The three stars: third, to Ilkka Pikkarainen of Albany, with the game-winning goal; second, to Brian Chapman of Springfield, with the only Falcons' goal; and, first, to Scott Clemmensen of the Rats, with 28 saves on 29 shots.
Several Albany defensemen in particular deserve credit for strong games: Ray Schultz and Alex Brooks logged major minutes and got the job done in their end.
For the Rats, a long (150+ minute) scoring drought was ended tonight. That dozens and dozens of Albany fans drove to Springfield to cheer on their team, despite nine consecutive losses at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, says something about the team and its fans that the current low-ranking status in the standing doesn't yet reflect: faith in the team's ability to turn around the season and to start winning on a regular basis. For two nights, at least, the Rats' defense was so solid that it allowed only one goal a game: last night's 1-0 blanking by Syracuse and tonight's 3-1 victory over Springfield. Stay tuned.