Albany & Philadelphia Play The Longest Game In AHL History

Published on April 24, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Albany River Rats News Release


ALBANY, NY - Two minutes and fifty-eight seconds into the fifth overtime Ryan Potulny scored the game-winning goal to end the longest game in American Hockey League history, as the Philadelphia Phantoms beat the Albany River Rats 3-2 in Game 5 of the East Division Semifinals Thursday night at the Times Union Center.

The first period was as action-packed as could be anticipated, providing fans with some jarring hits and lots of battling for position. Both teams were given substantial power play time and each had prolonged two-man advantages, but the score remained empty after twenty minutes had been played.

Albany broke free early in the second period as Kiel McLeod tallied his first career goal in the Calder Cup Playoffs at 2:57. McLeod picked up a rebound from a Marc Cavosie shot and snapped a wrist shot past the glove of Scott Munroe to put the River Rats ahead 1-0. The Phantoms answered at 7:41 as Jared Ross raced in short-handed took a shot on goal and scored on his own rebound to tie the game. Ross had to dig the puck away from goaltender Michael Leighton's catching glove and poked the loose puck into the net to tally the first short-handed goal of the series. The River Rats took the lead again later in the period and again Kiel McLeod was in the middle of the action. 20 seconds into their fifth power play of the game, Albany defenseman Brett Carson blasted a scorching shot toward the net and McLeod got a piece of it with his blade, tipping in the go-ahead goal at 17:14, his second goal of the game.

The River Rats out-shot the Phantoms 29-24 in the first forty minutes of the game, but the tables turned in the third period as Philadelphia cranked out 14 shots on goal, while Albany managed just three shots. Inside the final five minutes of regulation time Jared Ross redirected a Boyd Kane pass into the net to tie the game 2-2 at 15:13, sending the game into overtime. It would take more than 87 minutes before the next goal was scored.

The game went into overtime, where Philadelphia had a power play that the River Rats killed off. It passed through the second overtime, becoming the longest playoff game in Albany franchise history. The Phantoms set their record for the longest game in the third overtime, a period where both teams had power play chances but could not score. There were no penalties in the fourth overtime and as the period wound down, the game became the longest ever played in the AHL. As the midnight hour came and went, the game and day changed from Thursday to Friday. Enter the fifth overtime.

Each team managed a shot on goal in the first two minutes of the fifth overtime, but the resolution came on Philadelphia's 101st shot on goal. Michael Ratchuk drove down the right wing, but had the puck poke-checked off his stick and the loose puck dribbled back to Ryan Potulny in the high slot. Potulny ended the historic game by firing a wrist shot up into the top left corner of the net, over the blocker of Michael Leighton at 2:58 of the eight period of play. The goal was Potulny's first of the series and it was assisted by Ratchuk and goaltender Scott Munroe, ending the game at 142:58 of game action and five hours and 38 minutes after the opening face off was dropped.

Scott Munroe made 65 saves on 67 shots in 142:56 of action to help the Phantoms take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series; Munroe missed two seconds of the marathon game by being on the bench for a delayed penalty in the first period. Michael Leighton stopped a mind-boggling 98-of-101 shots on goal, unofficially setting an all-time AHL record for saves in one game. The River Rats finished the game 1-for-10 on the power play, while the Phantoms were 0-for-5 in the game.

The teams will now head back to Philadelphia for Game 6 at the Wachovia Center on Saturday, April 26th at its new start time 1:05 pm. Albany is now faced with the task of winning two games on the road to advance to the second round of the Calder Cup Playffs. If necessary, Game 7 will take place on Tuesday, April 29th at 7:05 pm from the Wachovia Center.

River Rats playoff ticket packages and individual game tickets for the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs are on sale now, with special pricing available for children and seniors. For more information please contact the Albany River Rats at (518) 487-2244 or online at www.albanyriverrats.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 24, 2008


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