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1st Career Shutout as Heeter Stays Hot

November 8, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


Somehow Cal Heeter did it even better than before. After turning aside 98 out of 101 shots in three consecutive wins last week for a .971 save percentage, the second-year goalie was perfect on Friday night with 26 saves for his first career shutout. Adirondack's fifth straight win came in a 3-0 final at the Springfield Falcons. The game is the opener of a three-in-three weekend for the Phantoms taking the team to three different cities in three days. It was a good way to get it started.

In his last two starts, Heeter came within seven minutes and then within five minutes of securing his elusive first shutout but was spoiled late each time. But on this night the whole team would help finish it off for the full 60 minutes. It wasn't easy for the Ohio State University product. Springfield found the iron a couple different times. And a few big, scrambling saves for Heeter at the key times somehow kept the frustrated Springfield Falcons squad out of the net.

Chris VandeVelde (4th), Tye McGinn (3rd) and Matt Mangene (1st) scored the goals to propel the Phantoms to another win. Adirondack improved to 6-4-2 while Springfield falls to 7-3-1. Of Springfield's three regulation losses this year, two have come against the Phantoms within the last nine days.

It was the first shutout for the Phantoms in almost exactly one year. Scott Munroe had a 26-save shutout on November 3, 2012 against the Albany Devils in a 4-0 win in Glens Falls. Heeter becomes the sixth ever Phantoms goalie to record a shutout joining Scott Munroe, Michael Leighton, Nic Riopel, Jeremy Duchesne and Johan Backlund.

Now with a remarkable 124 saves on 127 shots, Heeter has an amazing .976 saves percentage in his last four games. The Adirondack penalty-kill has been equally remarkable. After holding Springfield to 0-for-4 on the power play, the Phantoms have now killed the last 21 in a row and also 29 of their last 30. Adirondack pushed past the 89% mark for the season on the P.K.

The Phantoms won the game despite a season-low 19 shots on goal. But when your defense and goaltending is able to prevent the other team from scoring entirely, you don't require a lot of offense. Still, the Phantoms were able to put three past Falcons' goalie Mike McKenna.

Chris VandeVelde opened the scoring about midway through the first period. Marcel Noebels dug the puck away along the boards in the neutral zone and pushed it across to Jason Akeson who entered the zone with VandeVelde. Akeson's give to VandeVelde provided a wide opportunity in the right circle. VandeVelde stopped on a dime and picked his spot and went top shelf for his fourth of the year and his third in his last four games.

Tye McGinn raced off the bench in the second period when a gassed Phantoms team had been pinned in their own zone and was trying to get some relief after an icing call. Mangene got the puck out to allow McGinn to come in with fresh legs. He raced across to receive a pass up along the boards from Mark Alt. McGinn raced past a defenseman and buried his try to the far-post for his third of the year with the Phantoms and his sixth of the season overall including the three goals he has scored in the NHL with Philadelphia as well.

In the third period, Kyle Flanagan won a center faceoff after a puck had been sent out of play. Matt Mangene on the right wing saw the opportunity to race around and past a defenseman and turn it into a breakaway which he converted on McKenna for the final score of the night.

The clock quickly wound down after that and the team was soon-after able to all go out to Heeter and congratulate the 25-year-old on his first career professional shutout.

The five-game win streak is the longest in the history of the Adirondack Phantoms. The Philadelphia Phantoms had a six-game win streak in March, 2009.

The Phantoms head to Albany on Saturday for a 5:00 start at the Times Union Center. Adirondack will play at the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Sunday at 3:00 to complete their difficult stretch of three games in under 48 hours.

Adirondack is currently in their longest stretch between home games, 20 days. The Phantoms next play at home on November 22 on Scoville Diamond Dig Night and November 23 on Youth Jersey Night presented by Glens Falls Hospital. Fans can bring a bag of canned goods to either game that weekend to receive a free ticket for the upcoming game on Wednesday, November 27. Call the Phantoms for tickets and further information at 518-480-3355.

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