The team will complete an earlier game, then play a regularly scheduled contest Friday night.
SPRINGFIELD – Coach Brad Larsen of the Springfield Falcons was 8 when he last was involved in a hockey doubleheader.
“It was one of those kid hockey tournaments (in his native British Columbia). We played two games in one day,” he recalled.
Well, now Larsen and his Falcons face something close to a “doubleheader” – and it’s believed to be a first in professional hockey.
It happens Friday between the Falcons and Adirondack Phantoms at the MassMutual Center, starting with the completion of a suspended game at 6:05 p.m. The teams then will play a regularly scheduled game at 7:30.
The teams suspended their Feb. 17 American Hockey League game following the on-ice collapse of Falcons forward Wade MacLeod after he had taken a hit along the boards. The scene was so disconcerting, coaches and players from both teams agreed that the game should not continue.
It will be resumed with Adirondack leading 2-1 and Springfield about to start a power play with 3:42 remaining in the second period. The power play resulted from the hit on MacLeod, for which Adirondack defenseman Brandon Manning received a two-minute penalty for boarding.
The public is invited to attend the conclusion of the Feb. 17 game free of charge. After the suspended game ends, fans will be asked to exit the MassMutual Center before re-entering the building to have their tickets for the 7:30 contest scanned.
The teams will stay in their respective locker rooms during the break and will return to the ice at approximately 7:20 for a warm-up before the opening faceoff of the second game.
“We go into the suspended game down 2-1 with 23½ minutes to go, so we need to apply pressure right away, especially on that power play,” Larsen said.
As MacLeod undergoes treatments following his collapse, his teammates carry on without malice toward the Adirondack club.
“There was a lot of remorse on both sides after what happened to Wade,” Larsen said. “But we all realize it was nothing more than a two-minute boarding penalty. Everyone understands that.”
Springfield players also understand the need to find a way to replace the firepower lost through players being promoted their NHL parent club, the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“No doubt, we have to generate more offense, and guys here have to pick it up,” said Ryan Russell, a sixth-year pro who has been getting more playing time since returning from an early season injury.
Russell skated in practice on a newly formed line with Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, the team’s leading scorer, and Sean Collins, just back from a stint with Columbus.
“We get used to playing with different guys,” Russell said.
The Falcons certainly have lost considerable firepower. The four forwards now with Columbus – Cam Atkinson, Ryan Johansen, Nick Drazenovic and Matt Calvert – had a combined 60 goals and 138 points.
As for MacLeod, he had an eight-game point string going when he went down.
Also with Columbus are defensemen Tim Erixon, Cody Goloubef and John Moore. Erixon, a key on the power play, had a team-leading 24 assists among the defensemen.
“I guess you could say we’re in a mini-slump, but it’s not a time to panic. It’s a time for awareness of what we have to do,” Larsen said. “We’ve lost a lot of highly-skilled players, but the resources needed to carry on are here. Now is a chance for these players to respond to adversity.”
ICE CHIPS: One of the Friday questions concerns how goaltenders Curtis McElhinney and Allen York will be used against Adirondack. That won’t be settled until the morning skate ... “It’ll certainly be a change-up from the usual schedule. But it’s a chance to get the weekend off to a good start by picking up four points,” McElhinney said ... The weekend also includes home games with Providence on Saturday and Worcester on Sunday afternoon ... Andrew Joudrey, basically used as a checking forward, has scored two short-handed goals ... The Falcons went 5-3-1-0 in February.