By Brian Ring
Springfield, MA, January 8, 2012 – The Connecticut Whale were defeated by the Springfield Falcons, 4-2, Sunday afternoon at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Cam Atkinson scored twice for the Falcons, who beat the Whale for the first time in regulation this season and for the second consecutive night.
Andre Deveaux and Jonathan Audy-Marchessault both tallied a goal and an assist for Connecticut, who fell in their fourth straight overall (0-2-1-1).
“We’re going to have to find ways to spread out the scoring,” said Whale head coach Ken Gernander. “We’ve had some opportunities here in the first half to close out games in which we had a lead and failed to do so, those are points in the standings, so I think in the second half it’s going to be important for us to do that, to make more of those opportunities.”
The Whale broke through 12:48 into the first period on the power-play, as Deveaux fired his 11th goal of the season past Springfield goaltender Manny Legace (26 saves). Audy-Marchessault made a nice keep-in of the puck at the blue line before passing to Kris Newbury, who in turn fed an open Deveaux in the slot.
Deveaux’s goal was the only scoring of the opening period, despite each team receiving a pair of power-play opportunities. The teams finished the frame with 13 shots per side, although the Whale had outshot the Falcons 10-1 at one point in the period.
The Falcons tied it up on the power-play 1:45 into the second period, when Matt Calvert batted the puck out of the air to the left of Whale goaltender Cam Talbot (43 saves) and into the net. Calvert’s goal was his sixth, coming a day after scoring in regulation and winning the shootout against the Whale Saturday night.
Springfield took a 2-1 lead on Andrew Joudrey’s fourth of the season just 29 seconds later, with the assists going to Dalton Prout and Maksim Mayorov.
Audy-Marchessault tied the game at two for Connecticut at the 4:04 mark, as the Whale power-play came through once more. Deveaux’s board work in back of the Falcons’ net allowed Audy-Marchessault to sneak into position and fire a shot past Legace for his 14th of the season. Tim Erixon would also assist on the goal.
The Falcons, however, would carry a 3-2 lead into the locker room after two periods, as Atkinson tipped Brent Regner’s point shot through Talbot with just 26 seconds remaining in the period. Atkinson’s score, the eventual game-winner, was his team-leading 18th of the season.
Atkinson would strike again with his second of the night at 14:17 of the third period, banging home an Alexandre Giroux rebound for his 19th, giving the Falcons a two-goal lead with the final score of the night. Legace protected the two-goal lead when he stopped Deveaux on a penalty shot with 1:09 left.
The Whale will be back in action Friday, when they head to Norfolk to take on the Admirals (7:30 PM). The next home game for the Whale will be Jan. 20, when they host the St. John’s IceCaps.
Tickets to the January 20 game, the January 21 CWHL double-header vs. Norfolk, Trading Card Weekend and CT Hockey Hall of Fame Night, and all 2011-12 Whale home games, are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, as well as on-line at www.ctwhale.com and through TicketMaster Charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000.
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Connecticut Whale 2 at Springfield Falcons 4
Sunday, January 8, 2012 – MassMutual Center
Connecticut 1 1 0 – 2
Springfield 0 3 1 – 4
1st Period-1, Connecticut, Deveaux 11 (Newbury, Audy-Marchessault), 12:48 (PP). Penalties-Byers Spr (hooking), 1:10; Giroux Spr (holding), 11:28; Tessier Ct (slashing), 13:27; Nightingale Ct (unsportsmanlike conduct), 14:31; Byers Spr (unsportsmanlike conduct), 14:31; Newbury Ct (holding), 16:18.
2nd Period-2, Springfield, Calvert 6 (Prout, Lebda), 1:45 (PP). 3, Springfield, Joudrey 4 (Prout, Mayorov), 2:14. 4, Connecticut, Audy-Marchessault 14 (Deveaux, Erixon), 4:04 (PP). 5, Springfield, Atkinson 18 (Regner, Giroux), 19:34. Penalties-Klassen Ct (high-sticking), 0:48; Lebda Spr (interference), 3:13; Nightingale Ct (interference), 6:59; Thuresson Ct (holding), 10:16; St. Pierre Spr (hooking), 17:03.
3rd Period-6, Springfield, Atkinson 19 (Giroux, Lebda), 14:17. Penalties-Ruth Spr (tripping), 7:02; Prout Spr (boarding), 11:33; Deveaux Ct (holding), 12:11; Bell Ct (misconduct – unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:57; Deveaux Ct (boarding), 19:19; Tessier Ct (slashing), 20:00.
Shots on Goal-Connecticut 13-9-6-28. Springfield 13-21-13-47.
Power Play Opportunities-Connecticut 2 / 6; Springfield 1 / 7.
Goalies-Connecticut, Talbot 9-8-0 (47 shots-43 saves). Springfield, Legace 9-11-1 (28 shots-26 saves).
A-2,888
Referees-Ryan Murphy (5), Ryan Fraser (14).
Linesmen-Robert St. Lawrence (10), Frank Murphy (29).
