Admirals Grounded by Phantoms

Published on February 3, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


One Phantoms player in particular must REALLY like playing against the Norfolk Admirals! Tye McGinn connected for two more goals against the Norfolk Admirals to lead the Phantoms to a 3-1 victory Friday night in the team's return to the ice from the All-Star Break.

The rookie winger from Fergus, Ontario has seven goals this season, five of which have come in only four games against Norfolk. Matt Ford scored in his Adirondack debut for the team's other goal and almost scored another on a penalty shot.

Michael Leighton was stellar in net with 27 saves on 28 shots for the win.

It was a good victory for the Phantoms to bounce back and get on the winning track following the four day All-Star Break. The Phantoms stay just three points out of the eight spot in the Eastern Conference for one of the coveted Calder Cup playoff positions with a record of 22-21-2 for 46 points.

The Phantoms are now 15-8-1 on home-ice for the most home wins of any AHL team this year and the second points. Adirondack improved to 2-1-1 against the high-flying and high-scoring Norfolk Admirals who fell to 26-17-3 with the loss.

Tye McGinn now has two multi-goal games in his pro career, both against the Admirals. He also scored a pair of tallies in a December 2nd victory in southeast Virginia.

Matt Ford looked impressive in his first game with his new team. He came over to the Flyers organization in a game the day before for Kevin Marshall. Despite getting little sleep after packing his things and driving up to the Country, he played well on his line with Denis Hamel and Ben Holmstrom and scored his 11th goal fo the season overall, the first ten of which came with the Hershey Bears.

Adirondack outshot their opponents for the 11th time in their last 12 games. The team played as a solid unit on the back-end and got in the lanes of many Admirals shot attempts to frustrate the second-highest scoring team in the AHL.

The scoring started past the midway part in the first period when Jason Akeson would hang onto the puck crossing over the left-circle. He then flipped the puck over to an open Tye McGinn in the high slot who would blast home his one-timer glove-hand side on Jaroslav Janus in the Norfolk net to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead after one.

In the opening seconds of the second period, Denis Hamel would dig a puck away in the corner of the Phantoms zone and tip it along the board to Ben Holmstrom who would find a racing Matt Ford up the left-wing. Ford shot it off of Janus on a two-on-one and the puck deflected high in the air and over the goalie's shoulder. As everyone when barging in for the free puck, the goal would just cross the goal-line just as the players collided en masse into the net knocking it free. Referee Chris Brown signaled that the puck had indeed gone in before the cage was dislodged thus pushing Adirondack to a 2-0 lead just 20 seconds into the middle frame.

Carter Ashton would receive the culmination of a pretty series of passes by Norfolk and slam home his 18th of the year midway through the second period to cut the lead to 2-1.

With less than three minutes remaining in the period, the Phantoms would string together some impressive passing of their own during a good looking shift in the Admirals end. Garrett Roe got to it on the end-boards and found Akeson in the right circle who quickly got it to McGinn in front for his second goal of the game.

Akeson's two assists increased his team-leading point total to 35 including 25 helpers. Akeson led the Ontario Hockey League in assists last year with 84 and in points with 108 while with the Kitchener Rangers and is displaying equally impressive play-making abilities at the professional level in his rookie season with the Phantoms.

A couple minutes later, Matt Ford got racing on a breakaway and was hauled down from behind. He just missed by inches on his penalty-shot opportunity as he blasted the puck past the blocker of Janus.

Norfolk increased the pressure and urgency in the third period but the Phantoms defense were able to stand tall and preserve the win. Michael Leighton made one of his show-stopping saves early in the third when he slid to his right and while on his left-hip would kick up his right leg on a close-range shot by Ondrej Palat. The old-school style acrobatic save kept Norfolk from gaining momentum and closing the gap to just one goal.

The game was the first of three to be played between the two teams over a nine day stretch. Adirondack travels to Norfolk Scope Arena on February 10 and 11 for back-to-back games against the Admirals.

The Phantoms outshot the Admirals 34-28. Michael Leighton improved to 15-16-1 with the victory. Both teams were 0-for-1 on the power-play in a mostly penalty-free game.

Scratches for the Phantoms included Garrett Klotz, Luke Pither and Matt Walker.

Adirondack concludes their weekend homestand with one of their biggest games of the year Saturday night. The Phantoms host the Providence Bruins on Jimmer Fredette Bobblehead Night with the hot item to be given away to the first 3,000 fans in attendance. A large crowd, possibly a sell-out, is expected for the contest. Please plan ahead and make arrangements to arrive early to account for the larger turnout. A line is expected to form well in advance of the doors opening to the arena. For tickets and information, please call the Phantoms at 518-480-3355.

The Saturday night game will be Adirondack's last home game in two weeks.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 3, 2012


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