Falcons crush P-Bruins 7-2

(WPRI) - The Providence Bruins fell to the Springfield Falcons 7-2 Friday evening at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. The P-Bruins had goals from Carter Camper and Jamie Tardif.

The Falcons offense controlled much of the play in the opening minutes of the game, getting perhaps their best opportunity off a breakaway attempt from Claude Giroux, fresh off a nine-game recall to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

However, P-Bruins net minder Anton Khudobin proved why he is the league leader in saves, easily stoning Giroux's attempt. However, Springfield wouldn't be kept off the board for long as Nick Drazenovic scored on the power play at 4:27 to take a 1-0 lead.

Providence would draw it's own power play opportunity off a rush from Max Sauvé, but they couldn't find the extra man to even the score. Providence's best opportunities of the period came on their second power play halfway through the frame when rookie defenseman David Warsofsky rang a slap shot off the post.

Despite Providence's chances, Springfield's offense wouldn't be silenced as they scored twice more, once on the power play, to go into the first intermission with a 3-0 lead over the P-Bruins.

Play was fairly two-sided throughout the first eight minutes of the second stanza with both Providence and Springfield getting scoring opportunities.

The P-Bruins were able to create multiple odd-man rushes on the Falcons defense, but Manny Legace was solid between the pipes. The Falcons trio of Giroux, Cam Atkinson and Martin St. Pierre continued to be the biggest offensive threat to the P-Bruins and connected at 15:12 on the power play for their sixth point of the night and extend the lead to 4-0. Just over a minute later Providence answered.

Zach Hamill won the battle along the boards to bring the puck into the Falcons zone and found Lane MacDermid low below the goal line. MacDermid quickly fed the puck to Camper, alone in the slot, who beat Legace with a quick one-timer to cut the deficit to three going into the final intermission.

Springfield picked up the scoring just 1:06 into the final frame with Atkinson netting his second of the game after the P-Bruins defense fumbled on the breakout. After the goal, which gave the Falcons a 5-1 lead, Khudobin was relieved by Michael Hutchinson.

Halfway through the frame, Atkinson was assessed with a delay of game penalty and the P-Bruins' power play unit was quick to capitalize on the man advantage opportunity. Warsofsky found Camper on the left point, who brought the puck along the half-wall. Camper then through the puck towards traffic in front of the net where Tardif deflected it past Legace for his third goal of the year and to cut the deficit to two goals.

Play went and forth until the final two minutes when Springfield struck again on the power play and then on even strength with 42 seconds remaining to seal the 7-2 victory.

Khudobin suffered the loss, stopping 23 shots in 41:06 before being relieved by Hutchinson who blocked 6 of 8 Springfield attempts. Legace's 34 saves earned him the win.