GAME NOTES
Las Vegas Wranglers at Fresno Falcons
(18-18-4, 40 pts) (21-14-4, 46 pts)
2004-05 vs. Las Vegas: 3-1-0
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TONIGHT’S MATCH-UP:
The Falcons and Wranglers resume the second half of the campaign
with a re-match of last Sunday’s game at Save Mart Center.
In Fresno’s final home game and Las Vegas’ final game
overall before the ECHL All-Star Break, David Brisson and Sam
Ftorek each registered a goal and an assist and Jamie Hodson made
37 saves in the Falcons’ 4-2 victory. The win made it three
straight wins in the season series for Fresno following a 5-1
loss at the hands of the Wranglers during the first game of the
season. Two National Conference All-Stars skate for Glen Gulutzan’s
team - rookie Dana Lattery (#16) and former Falcon Jason
McBain (#7), who was named a starter.
FALCONS UPDATE:
Fresno takes the ice tonight after their season-high five-game
winning streak and 10-game unbeaten streak came to an end on Monday
due to a 2-0 loss to the West Division-leading Bakersfield Condors
at Centennial Garden. It was the Falcons’ first loss in
regulation since a 4-3 setback on New Year’s Eve to the
Wheeling Nailers and marked the third time Fresno has been shutout
this season. The team returns from the break with a busy three-games-in-three-days
weekend continuing tomorrow at 1 p.m. when they host the Long
Beach Ice Dogs. The Falcons then travel to Long Beach Arena on
Sunday to complete a home-and-home series with the Ice Dogs, the
only team against which Fresno has a losing record (1-3-0) this
season.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
The Falcons are ranked 11th (17.0%) on the power play and 16th
(83.1%) on the penalty kill, while Las Vegas owns the league’s
top-ranked power play (20.2%) and is 18th (82.9%) on the penalty
kill. Fresno had a string of 23 consecutive kills snapped during
last Sunday’s game against the Wranglers, who scored both
of their goals with the extra man.
NEWEST JR. FALCON HAS ARRIVED:
Jason Weaver’s wife, Jamie, gave birth to a son on Wednesday
morning. Aidan Weaver arrived weighing six lbs., six oz. and was
20 inches long.
BRISSON EARNS LEAGUE ACCOLADE:
David Brisson earned a runner-up nod for league Player of the
Week for the week of Jan. 17 - 23. Brisson recorded a goal,
an assist and a +2 rating in both of Fresno’s victories
last week against the Pensacola Ice Pilots and Wranglers, with
his tally against Las Vegas serving as the game-winner. He’s
the fourth Falcons player to earn league recognition this season.
Shawn Heaphy garnered Player of the Week runner-up honors for
his work from Nov. 8 - 14, and Jamie Hodson was the ECHL’s
Saver of the Week from Jan. 10 - 16. And, of course, Fresno
captain Dan Tessier was named a National Conference starter and
alternate captain at the ECHL All-Star Game this week. The National
Conference defeated the American Conference by a score of 6-2
on Wednesday, with Tessier recording zero points and three shots
on goal.
ADVANTAGE MAN BEHIND THE MASK:
Jamie Hodson made Fresno’s second stop of a penalty shot
this season when he stoned Bakersfield’s Brett Lutes at
11:24 of the second period on Monday. Brett Jaeger also stopped
a penalty shot earlier this season. Ironically, Jaeger’s
save came during the Falcons’ last regulation loss before
Monday’s setback when he denied Wheeling’s Cam Paddock
on Dec. 31. League-wide, 18 penalty shots have been awarded this
season and the shooters have only scored once.
ROSTER NOTES:
The Cleveland Barons re-called winger Scott Dobben back to the
AHL yesterday after he played two games with the Falcons (0 pts.,
2 PIM). Paul Falco (7-day), Matt O’Dette (7-day) and Lanny
Gare (30-day) all remain on injured reserve.