The Falcons will have a "bandwagon" in downtown Springfield on Thursday.
Falcons goalie Curtis McElhinney, poking the puck away from Worcester's Daniel Tarasov March 3 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, was cited by captain Ryan Craig in a letter to fans. Ryan Craig, captain of the Springfield Falcons, posted an open letter Wednesday to hockey fans, urging them to be the team’s “seventh man” at their home games in the American Hockey League playoffs, which start Saturday night at the MassMutual Center.
Craig’s letter, which can be found on social media, reads as follows:
“Dear Falcons Faithful,
“On behalf of all the Falcons players, I would like to thank you for your support this season. With your help, we were able to make ‘The Nest’ one of the toughest places to play in the AHL in 2012-13. From Mac’s (Curtis McElhinney) goaltending to JAM’s (Jonathan Audy-Marchessault) highlight-reel shootout goal in early March, to a big win on Fan Appreciation Weekend, the regular season was full of memories!
“Now it’s playoff time! Your support is more vital to our success than ever. We plan on playing hockey in Springfield well into spring, and we hope to have our Seventh Man, you, the best fans in the AHL, along with us for the ride. If you get a chance, share this letter with your friends and bring them out to a Falcons game.
“Once again, thanks for your spirit. My teammates and I look forward to seeing you at The Nest over the next couple of months. It’s our time! Ryan Craig, #12 captain”
Craig, 31, is in his 10th year of professional hockey and his second tour with the Falcons. He played a full season here in 2004-05 and part of the 2005-06 season as a Tampa Bay Lightning farmhand. He returned this season as a free-agent signee of the Springfield organization.
Craig’s leadership, displayed in his letter, has been noteworthy throughout his career. On four occasions, he has served as captain of his team – in Springfield (twice), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Norfolk.
A sturdy left wing noted for his durability, the 6-2, 221-pound Craig played 75 of Springfield’s 76 games this season and scored 20 goals.
He has played 457 games in the AHL and 190 in the NHL. He has logged a total of 37 playoff games, including 11 with Tampa Bay.
BANDWAGON TIME: Falcons management will set up a Hyundai-towed “bandwagon” on Main Street outside One Financial Plaza in downtown Springfield on Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Falcons invite new fans to “Jump on the Bandwagon” and support the team through the playoffs.
The bandwagon will move to Uno Chicago Grill at 4 p.m., then continue to Samuel’s Sports Bar and Plan B Burger Bar at the Basketball Hall of Fame until 7 p.m.
The Falcons will hold a free raffle during the afternoon and evening stops. The top prize at each location is two tickets to every home postseason game. Winners will be notified on Friday by telephone.
Fans at the bandwagon events are advised to follow @TheFalconsAHL on Twitter and use hashtag #ItsOurTime to notify friends and family that they have jumped aboard.
ICE CHIPS: Nolan Pratt, one of the Falcons’ assistant coaches, has been to the playoffs before as a member of the Springfield organization. He played 62 games as a defenseman for the 1995-96 Falcons, who won a first-round playoff series against Providence, then lost a semifinal set to Portland in six games ... Providence won only one game in that first-round series, getting the winning goal from Peter Laviolette, a Westfield State grad who now coaches the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers ... The Manchester Monarchs, the Falcons’ playoff foe this weekend, were put together by general manager Ron Hextall, a former NHL goaltender. On Dec. 8, 1987, he scored against the Boston Bruins – the first goal in league history scored by a goaltender ... Boone Jenner, a blue-chip prospect who joined the Falcons late in the season, is the second Springfield player with that surname. The first was Merlin Jenner, a goaltender who played seven games for the 1970-71 Springfield Kings.