Phantoms Third Period Comeback Falls Short
December 16, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release
Ben Holmstrom's sixth goal of the season with 3:15 remaining pulled the Phantoms to within a goal and gave Connecticut one Whale of a scare but the visitors were able to hang on and hand Adirondack a 6-4 defeat Wednesday night at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The contest was the opener of a three game homestand for Adirondack.
Adirondack trailed 5-2 in the 3rd period with 12 minutes remaining before the Phantoms would surge back late on tallies by Erik Gustafsson (4th) and Holmstrom (6th). Denis Hamel (8th) and Danny Syvret (5th) had the other goals for the Phantoms who fell in both ends of their home-and-home series to the Connecticut Whale. Adirondack had a couple of chances with their pulled goalie in the closing minute but were unable to convert and the Whale fired in an empty netter for the 6-4 victory stopping the Phantoms' dramatic comeback efforts in their tracks.
Gustafsson led the way for Adirondack with three points on a goal and two assists. The rookie blueliner out of Northern Michigan University is the team's leading scorer with 24 points.
Hamel's goal was his team leading 8th of the season. He is two goals shy of becoming just the 19th AHL'er ever to reach the exclusive 300 goal club. Hamel is currently tied for 20th on the all-time goal scoring list with Larry Wilson (1951-68) with 298 lamplighters. He moved into 55th place all-time in total points with his two point effort giving him 568 for his career leapfrogging him past Joe Szura's 567 (1962-72).
The game was Brian Stewart's first since November 28th when he picked up a win for Greenville (ECHL). He had not played for the Phantoms since November 13 and had not started for Adirondack since November 7.
In the opening period, the Phantoms and Whale each went 0-for-1 on the power play while both netminders turned aside all eight shots they faced
The Whale opened the scoring 5:04 into the second period on Kris Newbury's fourth goal of the season on a 5-on-3 power play.
NHL Veteran Wade Redden scored his third goal of the season on the power play to give the Whale a 2-0 lead. His shot from the point snuck underneath Phantoms goaltender Brian Stewart's pad. Off the ensuing center faceoff the Phantoms committed a turnover allowing Tim Kennedy to pick up the puck and move around Brian Stewart poke-check for his fourth goal of the season. The back-to-back goals 11 seconds apart gave the Whale a 3-0 lead.
At the 14:35 mark of the 2nd, Danny Syvret got the Phantoms on the board on a power play blast from the right point for his fifth goal of the season. The tally was assisted by Ben Holmstrom and Erik Gustafsson.
But with less than a minute remaining in the second period, Whale forward Kelsey Tessier converted on a 3-on-1 after Stewart made the initial save as Connecticut carried a 4-1 advantage into the second intermission.
Adirondack's Denis Hamel blasted home a shot from the left win past Whale goaltender Cameron Talbot short side to score his 298th career goal and eighth of the season to cut the Whale lead back to two. The goal was set up by a Mike Testwuide steal in the Whale zone. A minute later, Connecticut's Dale Weise scored his third goal in the home-and-home series between the Phantoms and Whale to give the Whale the three goal cushion again at 5-2 lead.
Ben Holmstrom jumped on a rebound of a Denis Hamel shot with 3:15 remaining to make it a 5-4 game and the Phantoms pushed into the zone a couple of times in the closing minute with an empty netter including a couple attempts to jam it in by Michael Ryan which Talbot denied. Mats Zuccarello found open space up the left wing and sealed the win with 26 seconds left for the 6-4 final.
Connecticut outshot the Phantoms 28-20 on the game. Both teams lit it up on the power play as the Whale went 3-for-6 and the Phantoms were 3-for-7 which included a 2-for-4 performance in their comeback efforts of the third period.
Notes:
Andrew Rowe returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games with injury. Johan Backlund remains sidelines with an injury. Danny Syvret has a two game goal scoring streak. Luke Pither had his two game goal scoring streak snapped. Matt Clackson of the Phantoms dropped the gloves with Justin Soryal for the second time in the home-and-home series.
Phantoms Upcoming Games
Friday, December 17 - Hershey at Adirondack - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 18 - Abbotsford at Adirondack - 7 p.m.
Bring a new, packaged toy or a non-perishable food item and get a free ticket for either the Wednesday or Friday night game. Wednesday night is Check It Out Night. Show your library card and receive $3 off adult tickets or get kids tickets for only $5. Friday night is $1 hot dog night. Saturday is Phantoms T-Shirt Night for the first 2,500 fans courtesy of Papa John's.
Don't be left out! Tickets for all Phantoms games are on sale now. Discount rates are available for groups of 15 or more. Save off the individual ticket price by asking the Phantoms about their great group rate packages.
The AHL is celebrating their 75th anniversary season and is the top development league for the NHL. More than 85 percent of today's NHL players are American Hockey League graduates and more than 6 million fans attend AHL games every year.
Come watch future NHL stars and up-and-coming Flyers prospects with exciting Adirondack Phantoms hockey! A variety of ticket packages for all the fast-paced action are on sale now. The Phantoms selection of discount ticket packages includes 3-packs, 6-packs, 12 and 22 Select Plans, full season plans and Flex Packs. Choose the plan that works best for you! Get your tickets at the Phantoms office inside the Glens Falls Civic Center, online at ticketmaster.com or by calling the Phantoms at 518-480-3355.
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