The American Hockey League team has been playing exceptional, but has yet to nail down a victory in a shootout.
Goaltender Paul Dainton and his Springfield Falcons teammates are trying to nail down a shootout victory this season.
SPRINGFIELD – Shootouts. Most hockey purists hate them, most hockey fans like them.
However, a shootout can be disappointing at times, as fans of the Springfield Falcons know well from two of the last three home games for their American Hockey League team.
The Falcons stand 6-1-0-2 for first place in the Northeast Division, but that 2 stands for 3-2 shootout losses to Bridgeport on Oct. 27 and Hershey on Nov. 1.
Shootout losers do get a point for taking the game into overtime.
“We’ve had no luck so far,” coach Brad Larsen said of the two shootout games. “We work on them in practice, but mainly, shootouts are a crapshoot.”
As Larsen points out, hockey statistics taken over the long haul favor the goaltender in shootout situations, yet on certain nights, it can go the other way.
For instance, Paul Dainton had an outstanding game in goal against Bridgeport, including a point-blank save in near the end which kept the Falcons from losing in regulation time.
Yet, in the shootout, Dainton gave up four goals in seven shots. The Falcons lost that one because they had four misses to go with scores by Cam Atkinson, Ryan Johansen and Nick Drazenovic.
“Actually, our goalies have been outstanding in the shootouts, but that night, Bridgeport just happened to bury some great shots,” Larsen said.
In the Hershey loss, Curtis McElhinney allowed only two goals in seven shots, but the Falcons went 0 for 6 after getting a goal from leadoff shooter Matt Calvert.
“In a shootout, you just never know how it’s going to go,” Larsen said.
In hockey, you never know what’s coming next, either. One night after that shootout loss, the Falcons went to Hartford and romped to a 10-2 victory.
Whether it’s good or bad to play the same team twice in a row is another hockey question. For the Falcons, the answer will come Friday night when they host a Connecticut Whale team intent on doing something about that drubbing.
The Falcons also will play at home Sunday, in a 5 p.m. start against Norfolk. Their first extended road trip will follow – Wednesday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, then Nov. 16-17 at Norfolk.
Friday’s 7 p.m. game will be “Hometown Heroes Night,” designed to honor local military men and women, police officers, firefighters, and emergency personnel. The Falcons will wear special jerseys.
ICE CHIPS: Players get a plus if they’re on the ice when their team scores, and a minus if they’re out there when the other team scores. Jonathan Audy-Marchessault leads the Falcons at plus 11 . . . McElhinney’s season so far: Six victories, two shutouts, .945 save percentage, 1.61 goals-against average . . . If the NHL lockout ever ends, the Falcons likely would lose some players. The questions then would be – who, and how many? “Whatever might or might not happen, we’re not changing our approach. It’s the same with whoever is playing,” Larsen said.