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Detroit Falcons (CoHL, 1994-95)

1994-95 Regular Season
Falcons vs. Muskegon Fury
     After the Falcons' embarrassing end to the 1993-94 season, changes were made for the following season. Lou Franceschetti was replaced as head coach/GM by San Diego Gulls forward Larry Floyd. The team added an affiliation, now working as a farm team for the IHL's Detroit Vipers.
     The Falcons had a strong season in 1994-95, finishing in first place in the Western Division with a 45-27-2. The franchise-record 92 points were three points better than second place Muskegon, and 8 behind Tarry Cup Champion Thunder Bay. The Falcons set franchise records for wins, points and, oddly enough, losses. Attendance dropped by 413 fans per game, as the Falcons had the second-lowest average in the Colonial Hockey League (1,578). This was likely due to the arrival of the Vipers, who played at the nearby Palace of Auburn Hills and were drawing record-breaking crowds in their first season in the IHL.
     Detroit had the fifth-best offense in the Colonial League in 1994-95, scoring 329 goals. The offense was more balanced than last year, as several players had at least 20 goals. They were led on offense by Moscow native Egor Bashkatov. The rookie center had a career season, scoring 49 goals and 92 points (both franchise records) in 69 points. Right winger (and fellow Russian) Stas Tkatch chipped in 39 goals and 84 points in 74 games. Captain Bob McKillop continued his fine play for the Falcons, scoring 32 goals and 77 points in 63 games. Savo Mitrovic (23), Jamie Allan (24), Chris MacKenzie (20) and Dan Gravelle (23) were the 20-goal scorers.
     Defense was very strong, as the Falcons allowed the fewest goals in the league, with just 273. The team used five different goaltenders (two on loan from the Vipers), but the main goalies were the returning Maxim Michailovsky and rookie Sergei Zvyagin. In his final season in North America, Michailovsky put up impressive numbers, going 20-7-0 in 29 games with a 3.02 GAA and 1 shutout. His efforts won him the Best Goaltender award as well as a Second Team All-Star. Zvyagin, a 23-year old from Moscow, played 32 games, sporting a 12-15-2 record and 4.36 GAA. Zvyagin would go on to become arguably the best goaltender in Colonial/United Hockey League history, winning two Colonial Cups with the Quad City Mallards. Mike Risdale was back with the team and played 12 games with a  7-4-0 record and 3.90 GAA. David Goverde and Norm Foster were loaned to the team by the Vipers. Zvyagin and Risdale split the goaltending duties in the postseason.
     On the blueline, the Falcons featured such players as the returning Steve Beadle (5 goals, 45 points), Clarke Polgase (11 goals, 24 points, 116 PIM) and Garry Gulash (10 goals, 39 points, 239 PIM). Another player of note is veteran John Blum, who spent several years in the NHL with Boston, Washington, Edmonton and Detroit. Blum had recently turned his life around by getting sober, and was featured in a Mitch Albom column on December 19, 1994.
     The Falcons qualified for the playoffs for the fourth straight season and drew the Utica Blizzard in Round 1. The Blizzard were in third place in the Eastern Division with a mediocre 31-38-5 record. In the best of seven series, the Falcons did something they had never done before: win a series. Detroit knocked off Utica in 6 games, winning Game 6 in overtime. The Falcons then faced the Muskegon Fury in the semifinals. The Fury and Falcons had battled for the West Division crown most of the season, with the Falcons winning it by just 3 points. In a tight series, Muskegon prevailed in 6 games to advance to the Colonial Cup Finals. Thunder Bay would defeat Muskegon in 6 to win their second Colonial Cup.
     This is a 32-page program, all in black-and-white. The article "Building for the Future" talks about changes to not only the Falcons' front office and coaching staff, but also the agreement with the Vipers and the arrival of the Colonial League offices. This program is from a February 19, 1995 game vs. the Muskegon Fury. According to my scorekeeping, the Falcons won, 6-0, with Max Michailovsky getting his first shutout.
     Local advertisements include London's Dairy, Marinelli's Bar & Grill, B&R Sports, The House of Watch Bands, and Rabaut Printing. There is also a form for the 1994-95 Detroit Falcons and Detroit Vipers Hockey Clinics, held at Fraser Ice Arenas. There were three different clinics: one on power skating, one on coaching and a Christmas Clinic featuring Larry Floyd, Vipers Assistant Robbie Nichols and Florida Panthers Director of Player Personnel Doug McLean. Costs ranged from $35 to $89. 

 Reference:
Detroit Falcons 1994-95 Season Statistics, Detroit Falcons 1995-96 Game Day Program
Colonial Hockey League Season Statistics: 1994-95, from hockeydb.com

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