Back again with the week in review with a minor change of format. I’m going to wait until the end of the playoff round to update the OHL prospects; otherwise, I’d only have stats for one game for two series this week, but ‘ll include how the series is with their stats. On with the show.
Starting off in Springfield as always. The Falcons could have clinched a playoff spot with a win over Albany but would fall 3-1 to the Devils. After allowing two first period goals, the Falcons’ Ryan Craig would strike for his 19th goal of the season when Nick Drazenovic sent a cross crease pass to Jonathan Audy-Marchessault. JAM’s shot would rebound to Craig who was at the doorstop. Allen York made 16 saves in the loss.
Wednesday, the NHL trade deadline would happen and Jarmo would leave the Falcons untouched adding one player to the roster via defenseman Blake Parlett as part of the Marian Gaborik trade. The Blue Jackets also reacquired Steven Delisle who was part of the Nash trade but he will still be staying with the Ranger’s ECHL affiliate the Greenville Road Warriors (no seriously). The Warriors are in the playoffs currently down 0-2 to the Reading Royals and their awful Washington Capitals jersey rip-offs. Another player the Jackets would acquire on Wednesday is goaltender Patrick Killeen but, like Delisle, I think this was a deal to get Pittsburgh under the 50 contract limit because he is still on the Orlando Solar Bears despite the team missing the playoffs.
Moving back to the games. Friday night, the Falcons would face the Connecticut Whale knowing a win would clinch a playoff spot and a loss would also ensure clinching but only with some help. Since it’s a road game I don’t have highlights, only the game story. The Falcons got off to a good start, taking a 2-0 lead while outshooting the Whale 12-1 with Spencer Machacek and Matthew Ford scoring 21 seconds apart when Machacek tipped in a Nick Holden pass while Ford would redirect a Holden shot. It would be almost all Whale from there on out as they’d score four straight. Andrew Joudrey scored his eighth goal of the season on a tip of a Ryan Russell shot; recently acquired Blake Parlett would pick up an assist on the goal. It was a rough night for Curtis McElhinney as he’d stop 12 of 16 in the loss. The Falcons would get the help they needed though with Portland and Providence winning thus leaving Springfield to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2003.
Saturday night it would be off to Worchester for a game against the Sharks and it looked like it may be get ugly as Allen York allowed a goal on the Sharks first shot of the game; however, he responded by being perfect the rest of the way stopping 15 of 16 in the Birds 7-1 win. The Falcons offense remained dormant until midway through the second then it’d be wide awake as they scored seven straight. Ryan Russell would open the scoring with his first of two when he tapped in a Michael Chaput shot for his ninth of the season. Ryan Craig scored off the rebound of a Nick Holden shot for his 20th goal of the season. Sean Collins got his ninth when Spencer Machacek would find Sean with a backdoor pass. The goals kept coming as Ryan Russell’s second of the game came on a breakaway to open the scoring in the third just 21 seconds into the period. Machacek would add to his career night when he slammed home the rebound of a Collins shot. Michael Chaput would score less than a minute later when he scored on a breakaway to make it 6-1. Sean Collins then would strike again when he and Matthew Ford would score on a two on one rush finishing the scoring of the game. The win clinched Springfield two things that haven’t happened since the 97-98 season: (1) a winning record on the road and (2) 40 wins. On the week the Falcons leading scorers were Spencer Machacek (1-4-5) and Nick Holden (0-5-5) each having five points and both with four against Worchester. Other Falcons with multiple points include Michael Chaput, Sean Collins and Ryan Russell each with three points. Finally, there were five players with two points including Craig, Audy-Marchessault, Matthew Ford, David Savard and Blake Parlett.
OHL PLAYOFF STATUS
London leads its series 2-0
Josh Anderson 6GP 1-1-2 +4 8PIM
Oshawa trails in its series 0-2
Boone Jenner 7GP 2-5-7 E 8PIM
Plymouth leads its series 1-0
Gianluca Curcuruto 5GP 1-1-2 +8 7PIM
Lukas Sedlak-Chicoutimi Sagueneens
Final Playoff Stats 6GP 1-4-5 +1 8PIM
Lukas and the Sagueneens would play in game six of their QMJHL playoff series with Lukas picking up an assist in a 4-3 overtime loss. In the loss, Lukas won 16 of 31 faceoffs. The loss eliminated the Sags from the playoffs and according to Dave Ainsley, who covers the team, it also sends Lukas back home (tweet is from 4/4) to the Czech Republic. Now with Lukas being a 2011 draft pick, I thought Lukas had to be signed or he would reenter the draft but since Lukas was drafted from Europe and came over to the CHL the CBJ should hold his rights for two more years. Going off another comment from Dave, it sounds like Lukas could not be returning to Chicoutimi as he said the team will use two picks in the CHL Import Draft (CHL teams can only have two foreign players on their rosters). Lukas had a down season in Chicoutimi scoring 11 points less in two less games. He dealt with injuries along with missing time with the World Juniors.
Daniel Zaar-Rogle BK (Sweden)
Kval Till Elitserien Stats 7GP 1-0-1 -3 2PIM
Daniel and Rogle would play the last two games of the Kval Till Elitserien last week going 1-1 with Daniel being held scoreless in both games. I’m not sure if I put this in an earlier recap, so if I’m repeating I’m sorry but it was announced Daniel had signed a new contract with Rogle for one year. Most European contracts have a NHL out clause so the CBJ could sign him but I’m guessing Jarmo and JD are more than happy leaving him over in Europe as long as he’s on one of Rogle’s top two lines or with the J20 team where he is a key part of the team’s offense. Next season, Rogle will play in Allsvenkan (the lower league). Daniel played part of the year with Karlskoga in this league picking up seven assists in 15 games this season.
Anton Forsberg-Sodertalje SK (Sweden)
Kval Till Elitserien Stats 8GP 2-5 2.78GAA .910Sv%
Anton and SSK opened the week against Rogle and Anton made 42 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss. To close out the series SSK would face Leksands. Anton had 24 saves in a 3-2 loss. SSK and Rogle went 2-1-7 in the series finishing in the bottom two spots. As for Anton next season he should be back with MODO but I’m not sure in what capacity whether it will be as the team’s number one or the backup.
There you have it folks the prospects are slowly finishing up their seasons but for the first time in a while, we’ll have AHL playoffs on which to keep you up to date.
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