WILKES-BARRE, PA - The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins scored three second period goals and held off a determined third period Phantoms rally as they beat Adirondack 3-1 Saturday night at Wachovia Arena.s
Adirondack entered the game looking for their first road victory since November 4th at Bridgeport and there was not much between the two teams in the first period. The Penguins out-shot the Phantoms 10-6, but goaltenders Johan Backlund and John Curry kept the game scoreless.
In the second period the scales were tipped sharply in the Penguins direction as the hosts scored three times and out-shot their guests 17-3. First Luca Caputi gave Wilkes-Barre the lead with a power play goal at 7:28, taking a rebound off the end boards and lifting his shot over the right shoulder of Backlund. The Penguins doubled their lead at 11:42 as Lane Caffaro's shot from the left wing was tipped into the net by Eric Tangradi. It was 3-0 at 18:36 when captain Wyatt Smith jammed in a rebound for a shorthanded goal from Dustin Jeffrey during a scramble on top of the crease; it was the first shorthanded goal allowed by the Phantoms this season.
Adirondack came to life in the third period, making a complete 180-degree turn from the second frame. The Phantoms fought off an early penalty and started to push the Penguins back in their zone. Rookie defenseman Kevin Marshall put Adirondack on the board at 6:36 with his second goal of the season. After a scramble in the Penguins goal mouth the puck squirted out towards the point and Marshall jumped on it, firing it past the fallen John Curry, assisted by Marc-Andre Bourdon and Jonathon Kalinski. The momentum continued to build as the Phantoms tried to rally from a three goal deficit, out-shooting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 21-9 over the final twenty minutes. Curry made several key saves to keep Adirondack from closing the gap further and even with a late power play, and the net empty for a six-on-four advantage, time ran out on the Phantoms the final horn would sound a 3-1 Penguins win.
John Curry finished the game with 29 saves on 30 shots to get the win and help the Penguins improve to 9-6-1-1 on the year. Johan Backlund was excellent in goal for Adirondack, making 33 saves on 36 shots as the Phantoms dropped to 8-7-1-0. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton out-shot Adirondack 36-30 in the game and went 1-for-5 on the power play; the Phantoms were 0-for-6 with the man-advantage.
The Phantoms now return home to prepare for a busy three-game-in-three-day schedule beginning on Thanksgiving as they travel to Binghamton for a 6:05 pm face off with the Senators at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Adirondack's next home game is on Friday, November 27th as they host the Hershey Bears for a 7:30 pm face off ; the first 3,000 fans in the building will receive a pair of Phantoms Thunder Sticks courtesy of Pyrofax Energy.
The Time Warner Cable Cup Four-Pack is now on sale at the Phantoms office, starting as low as $56. 2009-10 Phantoms full and partial season ticket packages are still available for the 2009-10 season presented by Bud Light. For more information please contact the Adirondack Phantoms at (518) 480-3355 or online at www.phantomshockey.com.
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