Bears take game one
Published on April 16, 2009 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release
PHILADELPHIA - Kyle Wilson and Andrew Gordon each contributed a goal and an assist and the Hershey Bears shut down the Philadelphia Phantoms on seven power play opportunities en route to a 4-2 win in Game 1 of the East Division Semifinals on Friday night at the Wachovia Spectrum. The Bears took a 1-0 lead in the series with the victory, which was the first playoff game at the Spectrum in seven years.
Hershey never trailed in the contest, jumping on the board first with 4:42 to play in the first period when Wilson turned a shot on net that Scott Munroe stopped, but Gordon was there to tip home the rebound. It gave the Bears a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.
The Phantoms posted the only goal of the second period to even things up at the second intermission. It came just 3:21 into the period when Jonathan Matsumoto carried the puck down the left wing on a 2-on-1 with David Laliberte. Matsumoto took the shot himself and beat Michal Neuvirth to knot the game at 1-1.
Hershey took charge with two quick goals in the third period. The first came during a power play just 1:31 in when Gordon took a feed from Wilson in front and beat Munroe to make it a 2-1 Hershey lead. Then exactly five minutes later, Andrew Joudrey pulled a puck off the wall and found a wide-open Oskar Osala in front of the Phantoms net, who beat Munroe after a deke and made it 3-1 Hershey.
The Phantoms got one of the goals back six minutes later, at the 11:31 mark, when Matsumoto popped a puck out in front that Lasse Kukkonen was able to deflect past Neuvirth. But Philadelphia's comeback hopes were dashed with 1:58 left when Jay Beagle converted a cross from Chris Bourque to close out the scoring.
The Phantoms were granted seven power plays but could not convert any of them, while Hershey was 1-for-6 on the man-advantage. Munroe stopped 27 of 31 in taking the loss, while Neuvirth turned away 30 of 32.
The game was the first playoff contest at the Spectrum since April 11, 2002 when the Phantoms won a Western Conference qualifying series against the Rochester Americans. The Phantoms had played 24 consecutive playoff games at the Wachovia Center over seven years since that contest, including the team's 2005 Calder Cup championship run.
The teams will reconvene at the Wachovia Spectrum on Saturday night for Game 2 at 7:05. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids under 14. Saturday will feature a block party at the Wachovia Spectrum beginning two hours before gametime, at 5:00. Tickets are available online via ComcastTIX, by phone at 1-800-298-4200 or at the Wachovia Complex box office.
American Hockey League Stories from April 16, 2009
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