Four-Game Home Win Streak Ended

Published on January 21, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


The Adirondack Phantoms fired away for 38 shots in another consistent offensive attack but ran into Anders Nilsson of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers who turned away 37 of those shots in almost single-handedly guiding the visitors to a 2-1 win. The Glens Falls Civic Center crowd of 3,675 on Pink in the Rink Night could sense the potential comeback from the Phantoms and they certainly came close on several opportunities. But they just couldn't get the equalizer and the hottest team in the AHL came away with their eighth straight win.

Adirondack had their four game home-ice win streak snapped in the process and the Sound Tigers were able to catch up to the Phantoms in the standings with 44 points apiece. Both teams trail first place Connecticut in the Northeast Division who failed to win for their ninth straight game with a 5-4 shootout loss to Norfolk. The Whale with 46 points hold a two point edge over the Phantoms, Sound Tigers and Albany Devils who also are part of the three-way tie for the second spot in the extremely tight and exciting race.

Bridgeport scored both of their goals in the second period. Rookie Casey Cizikas notched his 10th of the year 2:22 into the middle frame to break the scoreless deadlock. And Tomas Marcinko chopped at a puck in mid-air just in front of Michael Leighton's glove for his fifth of the season to give the Sound Tigers some breathing room.

Adirondack kept battling through with drive after drive on Nilsson and eventually would break him with nine minutes left when Jon Kalinski would rifle one off his stick from the right-circle to get the Phantoms on the board. Kalinski's seventh of the year gave the surging Phantoms even more momentum for the closing minutes. Despite several close-calls though. Nilsson was able to close out the victory.

The Phantoms were playing with a bit of a changed lineup that came through at the last minute. Shortly before game-time, the Flyers announced they were calling up Ben Holmstrom and Tom Sestito to the big club to replace a couple of injured Philadelphia players from their Saturday afternoon tilt with New Jersey. Holmstrom and Sestito are both eligible to appear in the lineup for the Flyers Sunday at 3:00 in their game against the Boston Bruins.

So it wasn't until very late that head coach Joe Paterson learned of two of his top players getting rewarded with another opportunity in the NHL. Holmstrom has played in two NHL games this year and Sestito has played in three. It meant that the Phantoms would have to shuffle their lines around and even put a defenseman, Blake Kessel, up front as a wing on the team's fourth line.

The Phantoms played very well with the slightly make-shift lineup and Nilsson robbed the Phantoms on a number of good chances. On a different night, Adirondack could easily have racked up four or five goals. But in this game, it just wasn't to be as the Phantoms lost in the close battle.

Adirondack is 21-17-2 overall and now stands at 14-7-1 at home. The season series was evened up at two games apiece between the two divisional rivals. Game five of the scheduled six games between Adirondack and Bridgeport this season will take place next Friday when the Sound Tigers return to the North Country for an encore engagement.

Adirondack outshot the Sound Tigers 38-26. The Phantoms went 0-for-3 on the power play while Bridgeport had no power plays on the night. That wasn't to say the game wasn't physical however. There was some good checking being laid out from participants on both sides. Referee Jean Hebert let the players decide the outcome and allowed them to get physical.

Scratches for the Phantoms included the aforementioned Ben Holmstrom and Tom Sestito who were both en route to Philadelphia, as well as injured Garrett Klotz.

The Phantoms conclude their three-in-three weekend with a road game at the Binghamton Senators on Sunday at 5:00 as Adirondack looks for their first victory of the year against the crew from the Southern Tier. The Phantoms then travel to Manchester, NH on Wednesday night before returning home next Friday, January 27, again against Bridgeport. Call the Phantoms for ticket information at 518-480-3355.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 21, 2012


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