The former RPI netminder has piled up the travel mileage this season.
Former RPI goaltender is back with the Springfield Falcoons, who play three games this week. SPRINGFIELD – Ever since the Columbus Blue Jackets signed goaltender Allen York in March, they have been trying to get a good look at him.
So far, that hasn’t been easy. Because of injuries to himself and other goaltenders in the Columbus organization, York has been shuttled around, all the while missing valuable playing time.
Well, maybe that can change. He will be with the Falcons when they get back to work Tuesday morning after their Christmas break.
With an immediate three-game schedule facing them – Wednesday at Syracuse, Friday at home against Providence and Saturday at Connecticut – it seems likely that York will see some action.
So far, the Falcons have piled the burden of goaltending on the willing shoulders of Manny Legace, a 38-year-old veteran who’s prepared to play every day.
It might be more prudent, though, for the team to have York share some of the workload as it heads deeper into the American Hockey League schedule.
So far this season, York has played at three levels. He has been with Columbus for four games, the Falcons for five and the Chicago Express of the ECHL for seven.
For all of that, he has played a total of 706.46 minutes, sometimes starting, sometimes relieving. That total averages out to slightly less than 12 games of actual playing time.
Compare that to his three seasons as the No. 1 goaltender for Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute. His RPI record shows 4,898 minutes played, which averages out to 81.6 games out of a possible 83. York, a native of Wetaskiwin, Alberta, was drafted by Columbus in the sixth round of 2007, when he was 18. He played two seasons for Camrose of the Alberta Junior League before moving on to RPI.
In three seasons for the Engineers, he improved steadily with goals-against averages of 3.62, 2.54 and 2.17.
York signed at the end of his junior year, and made four appearances with the Falcons last March/April.
BYERS BACK: Dane Byers, a veteran left wing who was serving as captain of the Falcons until he got promoted to Columbus on Dec. 12, will be back with the team after the Christmas break.
Byers made three appearances with Springfield’s parent club before being reassigned to the Falcons. He has seven goals and 16 points in 23 games with them.
The addition of Byers comes at a time when the Falcons are definitely in need of help up front. Before the Columbus decision, coach Rob Riley was hoping that a forward from the Chicago Express could be recalled to improve the Falcons’ manpower situation.
ICE CHIPS: Columbus general manager Scott Howson reported that center Cody Bass, who had joined Springfield in mid-December, will be sidelined for the season because of a shoulder injury ... The Falcons have six other injured players, with center Nick Dravzenovic likely to be out long-term ... The return of injured goaltender Curtis Sanford to active duty on the Columbus roster could mean that York could settle in with the Falcons (barring other injuries) ... Red Sox broadcaster Don Orsillo got his start in the business as Falcons play-by-play man from 1994-96. He will be a special guest at the Falcons’ Jan. 21 game, which has been designated as “Red Sox Night” at the MassMutual Center. Orsillo bobbleheads will go to the first 2,000 fans through the gate. Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster also will attend, sharing the spotlight with Screech of the Falcons.