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Phantoms Weekly Update

February 12, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


UPCOMING OPPONENTS

Tuesday, February 12: Phantoms vs. Syracuse Crunch- This will be the second and final meeting of the season between the Phantoms and the Crunch (Columbus Blue Jackets). In their first meeting, the Crunch came out on top by a score of 5-3. Kyle Greentree, Pete Zingoni and Triston Grant found the net for the Phantoms, while Gilbert Brule, Adam Pineault, Zenon Konopka, Derek Mackenzie and Joakim Lindstrom all had a tally of their own. The Crunch start the week with a record of 24-25-2-2 which puts them in fourth place in the North Division. The Phantoms are hoping to snap a five-year skid against the Crunch - they haven't beaten Syracuse since early 2003.

Friday, February 15: Phantoms at Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins - The Phantoms are 4-2 against the Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins) this season. In the last meeting between these two clubs, the Phantoms took a 2-1 shootout win on a sixth-round goal by Stefan Ruzicka. The Penguins are currently 28-18-0-3 for 59 points, which puts them in third place in the East Division, 10 points behind the Phantoms.

Saturday, February 16: Phantoms at Albany River Rats: This will be the fifth meeting of the season between the Phantoms and the River Rats (Carolina Hurricanes). The Phantoms are 3-1 in the series so far this season. In the last meeting between the two teams, Frederik Cabana earned first star honors for his two-goal performance, which was the first of his professional career. Yannick Tifu and Jerome Samson both found the net for the River Rats. The River Rats are currently 27-22-0-2 for 56 points, which puts them in fourth place in the East Division, 13 back of the Phantoms.

PHANTOMS RESET

The Phantoms are 33-17-1-2 for 69 points through 53 games. Rankings are as follows:

East Division - 1st, nine points ahead of Hershey and 10 ahead of WB/S

Eastern Conference - T2nd with Hartford

AHL - T-4th

Comparisons to past years through 53 games:

2007-08: 33-17-1-2, 69 points

2006-07: 19-27-2-5, 45 points

2004-05: 31-16-2-4, 68 points

1997-98: 33-13-1-6, 73 points

1996-97: 33-11-2-7, 75 points

Note: The 2004-05 and 1997-98 teams won Calder Cups; the 1996-97 team had the best regular-season record in team history.

2004-05 and later are W-L-OTL-SOL. 1996-97 and 1997-98 are W-L-T-OTL.

Last year's team did not reach 69 points until April 16, its last win of the season. Philadelphia will reach last year's total of 70 points with its next win or extra-time loss. The Phantoms equaled last season's total of 30 wins on February 1.

This year's Phantoms continue to keep pace with the 1996-97 and 1997-98 teams as the winningest teams in franchise history. In the 27 games remaining from this point (games 54-80), the 1996-97 team went 16-7-1-3 and the 1997-98 team went 14-8-1-4.

With 27 games remaining, there are 54 standings points available to the Phantoms. They need to grab 43 of those 54 points through a combination of wins and overtime/shootout losses to break the franchise record of 111 standings points in a season held by the 1996-97 team. Doing so would require a minimum record of 16-0-11 in the final 27 games.

The team needs 17 wins in those 27 games to become the first team in franchise history to win 50 games in a season.

PHANTOMS ON THE TUBE TONIGHT

Tonight is the first Phantoms TV game of the season when they host the Syracuse Crunch at the Wachovia Spectrum. Flyers TV voice Jim Jackson and Flyers alum Orest Kindrachuk will provide the call of the action on Comcast SportsNet starting at 7:00. Tickets are available for the game at www.phantomshockey.com. The Phantoms will also be on CSN on

LOTS GOING ON AT PHANTOMSHOCKEY.COM

This is an especially good week to stop by Phantomshockey.com. The team has Phantoms Valentine's Day e-cards available to send to loved ones for a Valentine's Day greeting with a special Phantoms touch. Also this week, as part of Hockey Week Across Philadelphia, the Phantoms are asking fans to send photos that show their love for the team. The best photos will be showcased on Phantomshockey.com. Stop by and take a look!

GREENTREE RECALLED TO FLYERS

Kyle Greentree was recalled by the Flyers yesterday and could make his NHL debut tonight at the New York Islanders. Greentree has 13 points (6G, 7A) in his last 10 games for the Phantoms.

THEY DON'T CALL IT "THE SHOW" FOR NOTHING

The menacing mug of Flyers enforcer Riley Cote has made it big-time, literally. Cote's head has been expanded to a height of about 14 feet and placed on a Flyers "Venegance" billboard on I-95 North in Delaware County. Keeping careful driving in mind, fans can see the former Phantoms favorite on the right side of the highway just past the Route 322 merge.

ELDER VANDERMEER MAKES NHL DEBUT

Pete Vandermeer, the older brother of Flyers defenseman Jim Vandermeer and the Phantoms all-time penalty minute leader, made his NHL debut Sunday with Phoenix. He saw 5:23 of ice time and threw two hits. His first NHL game came after 12 seasons and 684 games in the minors. Vandermeer recorded 1,046 penalty minutes in just 209 games over three seasons with the Phantoms from 2001-2004.

ROSS NOMINATED

The Phantoms nominated center Jared Ross for Rbk/AHL Player of the Week consideration. Ross returned to action this week after missing nine games over three weeks after an emergency appendectomy and went right back to his scoring ways, leading the team on its four game road trip with two goals and three assists for five points. His two goals were both against Manchester and earned the team a 3-2 win there. The second was the game-winner. He posted two assists the night before in Springfield, and also had an assist on Wednesday night in Binghamton.

Honorable Mention:

Kyle Greentree - one goal, three assists

Jonathan Matsumoto - two goals in win on Saturday

Denis Tolpeko - two goals, one assist; game-winning goal on Sunday

NOTES

From Coincidence Row - Philadelphia lost two games this week by identical scores of 4-2 and won two games by identical scores of 3-2. Both losses included empty-net goals-against for the fourth goals... Jonathan Matsumoto's two-goal game on Sunday snapped a five-game personal goalless streak. His last game in which he scored was also a two-goal game, on January 26... in the Miscellaneous Records department, the Phantoms are 22-10-0-2 vs. the East Division, 6-4-1 vs. teams with 60 or more points as of Feb. 11, 15-13-1 when the opponent scores first, 14-6-1-1 when outshot in the game, and 22-0-0 when leading after two periods.

STILL AHEAD IN FEBRUARY

Highlights of February include a home-and-home with Hershey, the first half of which will be played on February 22. That night, the Phantoms will give out their youth T-shirt jerseys to the first 3,000 kids 14 and under, courtesy of Comcast. Earlier that week, on Feb. 18, the Phantoms will host Albany in a special 4:05 PM President's Day game. The Phantoms will wear jerseys of a special President's Day theme, and will auction them off following the game. On February 29, the Phantoms will give away a figurine, the subject of which will be announced this Thursday when the Phantoms announce this year's Phantoms Hall of Fame inductee.

Tickets are still available for all five Phantoms home games in February. Call 1-800-298-4200 or visit www.phantomshockey.com for more details.

TOYOTA CUP STANDINGS

Brian Boucher continues to lead the annual race for the Toyota Cup. Players are awarded points each time they are chosen as a star of the game, with five points given for a first star, three points for a second star and one point for a third star. The player with the most points at the end of the season will win a monetary donation to the charity of his choice courtesy of Toyota. The Toyota Cup standings can be viewed at http://www.phantomshockey.com/numbers/toyotacup.asp

PHANTOMS HOCKEY ON THE INTERNET

The Phantoms have teamed up with the Philadelphia Area Dodge Dealers to provide free audio broadcasts of all Phantoms games, home and away, this season. The Phantoms official website, Phantomshockey.com, in conjunction with league and team partner B2 Networks, will provide the home for the audio. In addition to the games, Dodge will also bring the ever-popular Coaches Corner to fans on Phantomshockey.com. New editions of the weekly sit-down with Phantoms head coach Craig Berube will be posted to the site every Tuesday.

WATCH THE GAMES THROUGH B2

Every Phantoms game this season is being broadcast with streaming video through the league's partnership with B2 Networks. A ticket for the game is $6, which allows fans to watch the game via a broadband Internet connection from their own homes! Visit www.phantomshockey.com for more details.

TICKET INFORMATION

All kids tickets for all Phantoms games are just $10. To purchase, go to phantomshockey.com or call 1-800-298-4200.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 12, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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