Well folks there’s a new sheriff in town with the hiring of Jarmo Kekalainen as the Blue Jackets GM. Let’s see how the kids performed that he inherited from Scott Howson (who I wish all the best to in his future endeavors).

Starting off in Springfield as usual, while the previous week was a light one due to the winter storm the past week, this week was busy as  the Falcons played four games with three being at home. Starting off on Tuesday, the Falcons travelled to Bridgeport to face the Sound Tigers. Ryan Johansen opened the scoring with his 16th of the season by scoring just 46 seconds into the first period. The goal came on the Falcons first shot as Johan skated into the zone and around a Tigers defenseman before snapping a shot over Kevin Poulin’s shoulder. The Sound Tigers would score the next three goals but the Falcons clawed back in scoring two minutes after the third Tiger goal. Nick Drazenovic took a Wade McLeod pass for his 16th of the season. Late in the third with Curtis McElhinney pulled, Tomas Kubalik would charge the net flipping it over Poulin’s shoulder to tie the game at three. The Falcons outshot the Tigers 13 to two in the third period. The Falcons ultimately lost the game 2:46 into the overtime when Matt Donovan’s point shot was tipped in by John Persson. McElhinney finished with 28 saves in the loss.

Friday night the Worchester Sharks came to town with the Falcons picking up a 3-1 victory. Ryan Craig opened the scoring when he deflected a Nick Holden point shot for his 15th of the season. Midway through the third period, Sean Collins feathered a pass off the cycle to a pinching Holden for his fifth of the year. Later in the third, Andrew Joudrey scored an empty net goal when he cleared it off the boards from the Falcons zone, with the puck sliding all the way into the Sharks net. From tweets/the game story it sounds like Joudrey and Ryan Russell put on a penalty killing clinic in this game as the Sharks went go 0/7 with the man advantage, including a 1:56 of five on three in the third. Allen York was solid making 22 saves in his sixth win of the season. Saturday night the Falcons would host the Portland Pirates making it a rare double with  NHL and AHL affiliates playing on the same day (the Pirates are the Coyotes affiliate so it was a double dose of Jackets-Coyotes). In the 3-1 Falcons loss it’d be a mostly non-CBJ with Ryan Johansen as the only Jackets signed player contributing. Johansen sent a pass to Ryan Craig in front of the crease who then sent a no look pass to a rushing Wade MacLeod who’d score his fourth of the season. Curtis McElhinney would make 35 saves in the loss.

Sunday, the Falcons hosted the Adirondack Phantoms with the Phantoms starting ex OSU goalie Cal Heeter. Ryan Craig opened the scoring with his 16th goal of the season just six minutes into the first period. The Phantoms would score five minutes later, then adding an early second period goal. But with 3:42 remaining in the second a scary moment occurred as Springfield forward Wade MacLeod was hit hard into the boards but while heading back to the bench, he collapsed and suffered what Springfield uberfan @Katyloveshockey described as a seizure. MacLeod was taken off on a backboard with David Savard helping the EMT’s. It was later announced that Wade was alert and responsive. The game was later postponed with the remainder of the game to be played at a later date. Here is the Falcons statement on the incident. After the game Brandon Manning, the Phantoms defenseman who hit Wade, was remorseful, sending out these tweets. Continue reading February 11-17 CBJ Prospect Week in Review