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Phantoms Weekly

November 15, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


The Phantoms posted a trio of 3-2 wins (all in different ways) over the weekend to extend their club-record win streak to 10 games. On Friday, Peter White evened the score with 36.2 seconds left in the third period and the Phantoms participated in their first-ever shootout vs. the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Antero Niittymaki, who had 23 saves in regulation and overtime, stopped 3-of-5 shootout attempts by the Penguins, while Joni Pitkanen, Patrick Sharp and R.J. Umberger all beat Wilkes-Barre/Scranton netminder Marc-Andre Fleury to lift Philadelphia to victory. On Saturday, Umberger's goal 54 seconds into the second period was the game-winner in a 3-2 triumph at Binghamton. Sharp and Tony Voce each added first-period power-play goals and Neil Little finished with 33 saves. Philadelphia made it 10 straight wins on Sunday when Ben Stafford scored 2:41 into overtime of a 3-2 victory over Norfolk. Umberger and Wade Skolney chipped two points apiece and Niittymaki won his seventh start in a row by making 22 saves.

UPCOMING OPPONENTS

Philadelphia hosts Binghamton this Wednesday at 11:05 a.m. in its third-annual School Day Game. The Phantoms posted a 3-2 victory in the first meeting between the teams on Nov. 13 as R.J. Umberger's second-period goal was the game-winner. Philadelphia is now 3-3-0-1 all-time against the Senators. The teams, who never faced each other prior to 2003-04, will next face off on Sunday, Dec. 19 in Philadelphia.

The Phantoms and Bridgeport Sound Tigers are 1-1 against each other this season heading into Friday's game at the Wachovia Center. Bridgeport posted a 4-2 home victory during the teams' first encounter on Oct. 17, snapping Philadelphia's three-game unbeaten streak in the series. The Phantoms bounced back at home on Oct. 27 with a 5-0 shutout. Philadelphia is 8-7-2-1 all-time vs. the Sound Tigers, including a 5-3-0-1 mark when playing at home. The teams will next meet on Dec. 22 in Bridgeport.

Philadelphia and Albany begin their six-game season series on Saturday. The Phantoms went 4-2 vs. the River Rats in 2003-04, but won just one of three trips to Albany. Philadelphia is 14-13-4-1 all-time against Albany, including a 5-9-2 mark when playing on the road. The River Rats will host the Phantoms again on New Year's Day.

The Phantoms take a three-game winning streak against the Providence Bruins into Sunday's showdown. Philadelphia actually shut out the Bruins in both meetings last year, posting a 1-0 home win on Nov. 16 and a 4-0 decision on the road on March 12. Philadelphia now leads the all-time series, 12-3-1, including a 6-2 mark when playing in Providence. The Bruins are set to visit Philadelphia on Wednesday, Nov. 24.

WIN STREAK REACHES CLUB-RECORD 10 GAMES

Following a pair of season-opening losses, Philadelphia has responded with a franchise-record 10-game winning streak, breaking the previous mark of nine straight victories set from Dec. 6-27, 1997. The Phantoms are now the first AHL team to win 10 games in a row since the Hershey Bears accomplished the feat from March 9-April 3, 2002. In case you're wondering, the AHL record for longest winning streak is 16 games, established by the Baltimore Skipjacks during the 1984-85 season.

STREAK NOTES

* The Phantoms have outscored their opponents, 37-16, during the streak and tallied at least three goals in every game.
* Philadelphia has scored first in just four of the 10 games.
* Antero Niittymaki is 7-0 with a 1.54 GAA and Neil Little is 3-0 with a 1.66 GAA during the streak.
* Four of the 10 wins have been by a 3-2 margin.
* Patrick Sharp has a club-high 10 points (4G, 6A) in the 10 games.

HOME SWEET HOME

The Phantoms have won their first seven home games for the first time in club history. The previous best start at home was a 5-0-1 record in 1998-99. Philadelphia's seven-game home win streak is tops in the league this season and the best in club history since winning eight in a row late in the 1998-99 season.

SIM ACQUIRED, WHITE LOANED TO UTAH

The Phantoms on Sunday acquired left wing Jon Sim on loan from the Utah Grizzlies. In exchange, the Phantoms loaned veteran center Peter White to Utah. Sim recorded four points (2G, 2A) and 12 penalty minutes in 10 games with the Grizzlies this season. The 27-year-old spent all of last season in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins, combining for 18 points (8G, 10A) and 33 PIM in 63 games. White, who had eight points (2G, 6A) in 10 games this season, departs as the Phantoms' all-time leader in points, goals, assists, games played, power-play goals, game-winning goals and plus/minus.

UMBERGER ON A ROLL

Rookie center R.J. Umberger is on a five-game point streak (3G, 2A), including goals in three of his last four games. The 22-year-old netted an important insurance goal in a 3-1 win over Cincinnati on Nov. 7 and tallied the game-winning shootout goal in Friday's 3-2 triumph over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Umberger then scored another game-winner in Binghamton on Saturday and recorded a goal and an assist in Sunday's 3-2 victory over Norfolk. Umberger is currently tied for third on the Phantoms with nine points.

STAYING SHARP

Patrick Sharp's recent nine-game point streak (4G, 7A) to start the season is the longest in the AHL this year. His 11-game point streak (8G, 7A) dating back to last season was the longest by a Phantom since Kirby Law went 14 games in a row with a point from Feb. 24-March 30, 2001. Sharp currently leads the Phantoms in points (12) and power-play goals (4).

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS

The Phantoms' third annual School Day Game is on Wednesday at 11:05 a.m. at the Wachovia Spectrum. Throughout the game against the Binghamton Senators, students from all across the Delaware Valley will take part in educational lessons in math and science that revolve around hockey. Four members of the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleading Squad will drop the opening puck prior to Friday's game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the Wachovia Center. Friday is also Word of Life Night, presented by Chick-fil-A.

PHANTOMS TRANSACTIONS

11/14 - ADD B.J. Abel & Nick Deschenes, recalled from Trenton (ECHL)
11/14 - ADD Jon Sim, acquired on loan from Utah (AHL)
11/14 - DELETE Peter White, loaned to Utah (AHL)
11/14 - DELETE B.J. Abel & Nick Deschenes, reassigned to Trenton (ECHL)

PHANTOMS AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS (thru 11/14)

* Antero Niittymaki is seventh in goals-against average (1.76) and tied for first in wins (7).
* Josh Gratton is fifth in penalty minutes (70).
* Ben Eager is tied for second in minor penalties (16). He is also tied for first among rookies in plus/minus (+6), first in minor penalties and third in penalty minutes (67).
* Dennis Seidenberg is tied for eighth among defensemen in points (9), tied for third in power-play goals (2) and tied for first in game-winning goals (2).
* Freddy Meyer is tied for sixth among defensemen in goals (3) and fifth in shooting percentage (.150) and plus/minus (+8).
* Tony Voce is tied for fifth among rookies in points (9), tied for second in goals (6), tied for first in power-play goals (4) and fifth in shooting percentage (.194).
* R.J. Umberger is tied for fifth among rookies in points (9) and assists (6)
* The Phantoms are first in shots allowed per game (25.67), first in power-play percentage (23.9), first in penalty minutes per game (37.92), third in goals per game (3.33) and fourth in goals allowed per game (1.83).

PHANTOMS NOTES

* Ryan Ready played in his 300th AHL game on Friday
* Patrick Sharp played in his 100th game as a Phantom on Sunday

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets to all Phantoms home games are $19, $18 and $14 for adults, and $8 for all children 14 and under, and are available now at the Wachovia Center box office and all Ticketmaster locations throughout the Delaware Valley. Tickets can also be charged by phone by calling (215) 336-2000, (856) 338-9000 or (302) 984-2000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Contact the Phantoms office at 215-465-4522 or log on to www.phantomshockey.com for information on group discounts, birthday packages and the Family Four Pack.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 15, 2004


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