Falcons Announce 2007-08 Schedule

Falcons Host Intra-State Rival Worcester Sharks in Home Opener, October 6

• 2007-08 Falcons Schedule

Springfield, MA – The Springfield Falcons, proud members of the American Hockey League, announced today their 2007-08 regular season schedule. The Falcons will once again play an unbalanced 80-game schedule, 40 home games and 40 road games. Springfield will play in the seven-team Atlantic Division located within the Eastern Conference.

The Falcons will open the 2007-08 campaign on the road against the Portland Pirates on Friday, October 5, but return to the MassMutual Center on Saturday, October 6 for their home opener against the Worcester Sharks. Springfield concludes a three-game in three-day stretch opening weekend when they host the Manchester Monarchs on Sunday, October 7.

“We are once again very pleased with our regular season schedule,” said Falcons president and general manager Bruce Landon. “We will be hosting an action-packed opening weekend at the MassMutual Center and we are anticipating an exciting year.”

The Birds will once again play a majority of their home games on weekend dates, including 15 Friday games and 15 home contests on Saturdays. Springfield will play three Sunday home games this year, including two of those Sunday matinees occurring in October. Of the seven games occurring on a weekday, four of those contests occur either on a holiday or during school vacation. The Falcons will host a New Year’s Eve contest with a special starting time of 1:00 PM.

“With 15 Fridays, 15 Saturdays, three Sundays and four games occurring either during school vacation or on a holiday, it is certainly a fan friendly schedule,” said Landon. “We have tried to get creative with some new starting times on a couple of special dates, which will continue to allow families to attend our games and enjoy a fun afternoon of hockey.”

Starting times for home games this season will be 7:30 PM for Friday contests, 7:00 PM for games Monday-Thursday and Saturday, and the traditional 4:00 PM for Sunday matinees. The Falcons will host a pair of 1:00 PM starting times including Monday, December 31 and President’s Day, Monday, February 18.

Once again joining the Falcons in the Atlantic Division will be the following teams: Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR), Lowell Devils (NJ), Manchester Monarchs (LA), Portland Pirates (ANA), Providence Bruins (BOS), and Worcester Sharks (SJ). Springfield will play a total of 60 of their 80 regular season games within the Atlantic Division, including facing all six divisional opponents 10 times each.

The Falcons will also play a total of 16 contests against teams in the East Division giving Springfield a total of 76 Eastern Conference matchups for the 2007-08 campaign. Springfield will play the Albany River Rats (CAR), Binghamton Senators (OTT), Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI), Hershey Bears (WAS), Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) twice, while going head-to-head with the Norfolk Admirals (TB) four times this season.

Springfield’s only contests against teams from the Western Conference will be a pair of games against both the Houston Aeros (MIN) and San Antonio Rampage (PHX), the first time in franchise history the Birds will play the Aeros and Rampage.