Both the Springfield and Worcester clubs are supported by excellent goaltending (the Falcon's Scott Langkow and Manny Legace are the top two goaltenders in the AHL, the IceCat's Eric Fichaud was rated 7th overall before the game), which was evident by the way Fichaud and Legace kept the first period scoreless despite some great offensive chances by both teams. Penalties, however, were "awarded" liberally to both benches - including a game misconduct on first-time IceCat center Ian Laperriere for instigating a fight. Laperriere, who was the 4th highest scoring rookie in the NHL last season, was sent down from St. Louis on Monday. After being blatantly cross-checked by the Falcon's left wing Michal Grosek, Laperriere dropped the gloves, taught Grosek a lesson, and was subsequently ejected from the game.
"I don't know what the refs let go down here," Laperriere later said, "but I don't let [that type of penalty] go!"
Hopefully, Laperriere will get a chance to play for the Cats in the future and add his offensive threat to the team.
Finally, late in the second period, it was Legace who yielded the first goal of the game to IceCat's left wing Craig Johnson, on a well fought break-away assisted by defenseman Steve Staios. Although the Cats were outshot throughout the first two periods, they were able to hold their lead and maintain their momentum to the end of the second period.
Halfway through the third period, however, the Falcons tied it up with a slapshot from defenseman Jeff Finley that beat Fichaud, ruining his hopes for a first professional shutout. But Fichaud didn't give in - in fact, he appeared not even to give it much thought - as he held the Cats in the game with several spectacular saves. With a little over six minutes remaining in regulation time, the other IceCats rewarded him for his hard work when Johnson one-timed his second goal of the evening past Legace, assisted by right wing Lindsay Vallis and left wing Dave Roberts. The remainder of the game passed with each team failing to connect on several great scoring chances, and the final score held at 2-1 in favor of the IceCats. Both penalty killing units played incredibly, defending against strong power-plays by each team.
Johnson's two goals (his 2nd and 3rd of the season) earned him the game's first star award, with Fichaud (34 saves) and Legace (25 saves) placing as the 2nd and 3rd stars, respectively.
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