A comeback attempt fell just short as the Falcons go into the AHL All-Star break.
Springfield's Ryan Craig bats at a high puck in front of Worcester's Mikael Tam and goalie Harri Sateri Friday at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.
By NATE OWEN
HARTFORD – The Springfield Falcons’ recent hot streak has suddenly turned into a mini dry spell.
Springfield lost for the second straight time, dropping a 3-2 decision to the Connecticut Whale Saturday night at the XL Center.
Allen York made 30 saves for a fatigued Springfield squad that entered the weekend on a six-game winning streak and an eight-game stretch with at least one point.
“We’ve had a lot of hockey in the last little bit here,” said Falcons coach Brad Larsen. “We just had poor execution and (some) tired mistakes.”
The loss came at a rink in which the Falcons had outscored the Whale 15-2 in a pair of previous wins.
Springfield finished 2-for-4 on the power play, but was called for eight penalties.
“When you take that many penalties (you) play with fire, and that’s what it was,” Larsen said.
The Falcons (25-11-3-3) pulled York with 1:23 left and had several good looks in the final minute, including a point-blank chance at the right post by Jonathan Audy-Marchessault that was denied by Connecticut’s Cameron Talbot (26 saves) with 42 seconds left.
Nick Drazenovic’s power-play goal tied the game at one midway through the second period. Ryan Craig shoved the puck at Talbot, who tipped it up the air with his stick. Craig jumped on the rebound, shoving it on net despite getting hauled down by the Whale’s Sean Collins, and Drazenovic tipped it in at 8:20.
The Whale (20-20-3-1) regained the lead at 13:16 when Blake Parlett launched a shot from the point that went past York when Springfield’s Bryan Helmer tried to bat it away, but wound up pushing it into the net.
Mike Vernace fired home a rebound on a 5-on-3 power play to give the Whale a 3-1 lead at 19:44 of the second. The puck came to him after glancing off the Whale’s Brandon Mashinter near the right circle.
“I saw that it hit his shoulder, so I looked down and it was on their guy’s stick,” York said. “Before I could react, he buried it.”
Springfield’s Scott Howes scored for the third straight game, on the power play at 13:22 in the third to make it 3-2, but the Falcons couldn’t complete the comeback.
Andrew Yogan put Connecticut up 1-0 just 2:08 into the game when he drove to the net and tipped in a rebound of Michael Haley’s shot.
York drew the start as Larsen elected to give Curtis McElhinney the night off. McElhinney will dress as a member of the Eastern Conference squad in Monday’s AHL All-Star game.
“Curtis is great,” York said. “It’s good not only to get his feedback, but to watch him play.”
The Falcons will host Syracuse Friday at 7 p.m.
NOTES: Audy-Marchessault and defender Tim Erixon will join McElhinney in Providence Monday, as both will start for the Eastern Conference ... Larsen said the Falcons will only have one practice this week. “We look like a tired team,” he said. “If we would have been asked would we have been happy where we’re at, yeah. But we know we need to get some rest and rejuvenate and come back and play some good hockey.”