Akeson Burns Devils in Atlantic City

January 20, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


Jason Akeson scored a goal and an assist and then added another score in the shootout for the victorious Phantoms on Sunday afternoon in Atlantic City. Adirondack pulled out a 3-2 victory over the Albany Devils for their second consecutive win.

Danny Syvret scored the shootout clinching goal for the third time this season when he buried his fifth-round attempt to finish off the Devils. Marcel Noebels scored for the third time in the last four games. And Cal Heeter as well as the Phantoms defense made several great stops in the opening minute of overtime to provide the opportunity for the win.

Adirondack has won four of their last six games including three in overtime or shootout. Their last six games have all been decided by one goal. The Phantoms improved to 6-2 when going past regulation (overtime or shootout) including 2-1 in overtime decisions and 4-1 in shootouts. Albany has struggled in such games with a league-worst 0-8 record in shootouts plus 0-1 in overtimes. This was the first game of the rivalry this year to go past regulation.

The game was one of four "home" games for the Albany Devils down in Atlantic City. But historic Boardwalk Walk really was turned more into "Phantoms Country" with a solid majority of the 5,135 cheering for Adirondack and wearing Phantoms and Flyers orange.

The game also marks the official midway point for the season with Adirondack sporting a 15-17-2 record after 38 games of the 2012-13 season. But "Phantoms2.0", as the players have started to refer to themselves in the post-lockout era, has started to come on strong pulling out exciting wins with hard play and teamwork.

It was a nice way to conclude a busy and tiring three-game weekend in which the Phantoms played in three different cities in less than 72 hours. Adirondack is now midway through their stretch of six games in nine days that includes four match-ups with their Time Warner Cable Cup rivals to the south.

Akeson started the scoring in the first period in an unintended way. On the rush he attempt to feed a pass to Tye McGinn cutting up the middle but the dish was deflected by an Albany defenseman and inadvertently into their own net. Akeson's fifth goal of the season gave the Phantoms a 1-0 lead.

Phil DeSimone got Albany on the board on the power play as he teed up a drive from the right circle and power a goal past Cal Heeter. The score was tied at 1-1. But the Phantoms penalty kill was very much the reason why they were able to grind out this win. Adirondack held Albany to 1-for-7 on the man advantage while limiting the Devils to only a handful of shots. Adirondack even killed off 1:30 of 5-on-3 early in the third while the score was tied at 1-1.

With 7:21 remaining, Akeson had a hand again for a Phantoms goal as he walked the left-wing goal-line and drew goalie Keith Kinkaid out to him on the short side. At that opportunity, Akeson smartly slipped the puck across the crease for Noebels on the back-door to slam home his third goal in his last four games.

Albany would bounce back to tie the game with just 2:21 on a fluky looking goal by defenseman Jay Leach in the corner. His sharp-angle drive along the end-line appeared to deflect off a skate of perhaps Cal Heeter's leg and somehow squirm into the goal.

The beginning of overtime was a flurry of shots for the Devils in the opening minute but somehow Heeter was able to scramble and knock them away. Danny Syvret had a key block and clear in the rush as well.

Later in the overtime, Harry Zolnierczyk used his blazing speed to rush up the right-wing with a chance to give the Phantoms an exciting win with his self-made breakaway but Kinkaid was able to knock aside the shot and keep the game going.

Akeson opened the shootout with a forehand goal tucked around Kinkaid's left-skate. Tye McGinn scored a pretty goal moving around Kinkaid's right-skate in the third round. And then Syvret's blast from the slot in the fifth round clinched the victory with a 3-1 advantage in the shootout when Albany had only one shooter remaining.

Brandon Manning returned to the lineup for the Phantoms after missing the end of Friday's game and all of Saturday's game with sickness. Healthy scratches for the Phantoms included Blake Kessel and Matt Mangene. Injury scratches included Erik Gustafsson, Matt Konan, Garrett Roe and Ben Holmstrom.

The captain of the Phantoms caught up with his teammates for this game. Holmstrom is staying in Voorhees, NJ while he is rehabbing from his knee surgery and took the opportunity of the team playing nearby to come over to Atlantic City and cheer on the team.

The Phantoms conclude their three-game road-swing on Wednesday night at the Connecticut Whale. They return home Friday for Pink in the Rink Night presented by Glens Falls Hospital with jersey-auction proceeds to benefit the C.R. Wood Cancer Center. The Friday game against Albany also features special fundraising tickets for only $15 with $5 from each ticket sold also going to the C.R. Wood Cancer Center. Call the Phantoms to request your special Pink in the Rink fundraising tickets at 518-480-3355.



American Hockey League Stories from January 20, 2013


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