The Falcons faced off against the Providence Bruins in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs. Unforunately, the Bruins earned the 3-2 series win. Let’s take a look back at the one playoff series the baby Jackets played in this season.
Starting off in game one, with the Falcons trailing 1-0 in the second Michael Chaput, Marko Dano and JF Jacques had a three on two with Dano sending a cross rink pass to Jacques (even tho it looked like he didn’t put much on it) to get a shot past Svedberg to make it 1-1. Later in the second period, Ryan Craig tipped in a Patrick McNeill shot to make it 2-1. The Bruins tied the game just before the midway point of the third and thus sent the game to overtime. Andrew Joudrey started and finished the rush when he passed the puck and then received it back to snap a shot just above the circle to win the game. Mike McKenna made 35 saves in the win.
In game two when the series switched to Springfield, the Falcons again gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead before tying it in the second. Marko Dano worked behind the net and got the puck to Tim Erixon whose point shot was stopped but the rebound went right to Michael Chaput at the side of the net to make it 1-1. The Bruins won it 3:54 into overtime to tie the series. Mike McKenna made 34 saves in the overtime loss.
In game three, after a scoreless first period, the Bruins again took the lead before the Falcons struck. Darryl Boyce sent a backhand that Niklas Svedberg stopped but Carter Camper banged the puck home to tie it at one. Early in the third, Matt Taormina sent a stretch pass to Lukas Sedlak who tapped it ahead to Jake Hansen. Hansen streaked in and put it past Svedberg as he was hauled down. Late in the third, Dana Tyrell scored a pretty one when he skated in, slammed on the brakes and maneuvered around a Bruins Dman to snap off a shot making it 3-1. The Bruins scored less than a minute later to make it 3-2. Mike McKenna made 42 saves in the win – the second most saves all time (Manny Legace made 43 saves on May 18, 1997).
In game four the Bruins scored twice in a 1:54 span for a 2-0 lead before Ryan Craig banged home a Carter Camper pass to make it 2-1. The Bruins would score with only four seconds left in the first to make it 3-1. In the second, Darryl Boyce picked up the rebound of a Carter Camper shot and snapped it over Malcolm Subban’s should to make it 3-2. The Bruins scored three straight with the second one ending Mike McKenna’s night after he had stopped 23 of 28 in the loss. Late in the third, Tim Erixon scored on the power play to make it 6-3, Anton Forsberg would stop nine of ten in relief.
In the do or die game five, the Falcons scored first for the first time all series when Michael Chaput worked a quick give and go with Sean Collins that resulted in Chaput banging it home to make it 1-0. After a Bruins goal, Ryan Craig scored two goals in a 1:05 span to take a 3-1 lead. Craig’s first goal came when he drove to the net and deflected a Carter Camper pass. 1:05 later Craig chipped the puck in with Dana Tyrell shooting on Nicklas Svedberg (Craig’s first goal ended Subban’s night 9:56 in) with the rebound going right to Craig to make it 3-1. After the Bruins turned the tables and scored two goals in a 1:38 span Mike McKenna’s night came to and end after stopping three of six. Anton Forsberg entered the game and allowed a goal on the first shot he faced to make it 4-3 going into the first intermission. Anton allowed a goal in the second before the team allowed an empty net goal to seal the 6-3 loss and another early playoff exit (the Falcons made it to the second round last season), Anton stopped 24 of 26 taking the loss – his only with Springfield.
As for the offseason, it’ll be a busy one for GM Jarmo Kekalainen and Assistant GM/Springfield GM Chris McFarland as the team only has six players under contract. Those players are captain Ryan Craig, leading goal scorer Michael Chaput, Lukas Sedlak, Austin Madaisky, Thomas Larkin and goaltender Anton Forsberg. The team has a lot of restricted free agents including Ilari Melart, Tim Erixon, Cody Goloubef, Will Weber, Jake Hansen, Sean Collins, Dana Tyrell and Anton Blomqvist (who I’m betting gets qualified but remains in Europe). Oliver Gabriel‘s entry level contract runs out but since he’s been injured most of his contract I doubt he returns. As for the team’s unrestricted free agents that could return I’m hoping Mike McKenna is brought back to mentor Forsberg along with leading scorer Carter Camper.
As for next year’s rookies, I’ve mentioned Forsberg as this will be his first full season in North America after spending the last month and the playoffs in Springfield. TJ Tynan and Marko Dano also joined Springfield late in the year after their team’s seasons were completed. Other rookies likely making their professional debuts will be power forward Josh Anderson and 2013 first round pick Kerby Rychel.
There you have it folks – the final recap of our AHL team after a successful regular season. I’ll be back with a CHL league finals recap and a Memorial Cup preview before my annual prospect awards to go with my draft coverage.
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