Big Weekend Homestand Sweep

Published on March 26, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


What a weekend! The Phantoms capped an amazing weekend sweeping perhaps the best two teams in the AHL back-to-back in front of a couple of rockin' crowds at the Glens Falls Civic Center. It was a dream debut-weekend for newcomer Matt Read who scored the game-winner with 5:05 remaining breaking a 2-2 tie in just his second game as a pro. The 3-2 triumph over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins came in front of the largest crowd of the year for the Phantoms with 4,365 screaming their lungs out willing the Phantoms to the exciting win.

Adirondack had knocked off the two-time defending Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears 2-1 the previous night.

Read joined the Flyers organization out of Bemidji State (Minn.) having scored 22 goals in 37 games in college hockey. He appeared to pick up right where he left off when he grabbed the rebound of a Cullen Eddy shot that appeared to bounce off the helmet of Penguins goalie John Curry. Read's first ever goal as a pro could not have come at a better time.

Ben Holmstrom had scored the first two goals for the Phantoms, his 15th and 16th of the year. It was Holmstrom's second multi-goal game of the season and of his career on his way to earning number one Star of the Game honors.

The Phantoms had to scramble and kill off a 6-on-4 attack for the Penguins in a heart-stopping final two minutes.

Adirondack has won three straight from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this year and improved to 3-4 against the team with the best record in the league (51-20-1).

Wilkes-Barre opened the scoring on the power play 14:03 into the first period on Brian Lerg's 19th goal of the season. On a shot from the left point, Lerg beat Phantoms netminder Michael Leighton five-hole giving the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

Less than 3 minutes later, Ben Holmstrom scored the first of his two 5-on-3 power play goals on the night sending one top shelf over the sprawling John Curry on a sharp angle from the left-wing goal-line. Danny Syvret and Erik Gustafsson assisted on Holmstrom's 15th of the year to tie the game at 1-1.

Each team went 1-for-4 on the power play in a penalty-filled opening frame.

The Penguins regained the lead at 2-1 4:23 into the second period on the power play. Ben Street scored his 11th of the season from the right point slapping one past the right skate of Michael Leighton.

Less than five minutes later, Ben Holmstrom scored his second 5-on-3 goal of the game to tie the score at 2-2. Michael Ryan sent a back-door pass to Holmstrom who again buried it from the left-wing goal-line but this time keeping it along the ice. He now leads all rookies with 16 goals.

In the third period, Michael Leighton made a show-stopping save as he kept the game tied at 2-2 robbing Geoff Walker. Leighton followed along with Walker who was moving left to right but the Phantoms netminder went down and somehow was able to reach up to snag it for one of his best saves of the year.

Later in the third, Leighton preserved the lead after Robert Bortuzzo blasted one off the post. Leighton dove backwards after the puck bounced off his back and laid inches from the goal-line. He was able to get the cover just in time to keep the Phantoms on top as Bortuzzo celebrated what he thought was a game-tying goal.

SuperFan Cameron Hughes was in the house again getting the crowd all riled up and making a ton of noise. The atmosphere was undeniably electric and rocking in the Civic Center.

Many of the fans still had enough energy after the edge-of-your-seat contest to enjoy the impressive post-game concert with Isaiah 6.

Michael Leighton finished the game with 24 saves to earn his 11th win of the season while counterpart John Curry stopped 14 to fall to 3-2 against the Phantoms this season.

Adirondack went 3-for-9 on the power play and 7-for-9 on the penalty kill. All the goals in the game came on the special teams.

The Phantoms improved to 5-2 in their last 7 games and are 11-5-5 in their last 21 games dating back to February 5. Joe Paterson's record as head coach of the Phantoms improved to 20-12-8.

Adirondack finishes their 3-game weekend Sunday afternoon at the Worcester Sharks. The Phantoms return home next Friday night against the Albany Devils as the battle for the Time Warner Cable Cup continues.

Phantoms Notes: Forwards Andrew Rowe, Stefan Legein & Zac Rinaldo along with D-men Matt Walker, Olivier Lauridsen, J.P. Testwuide and Logan Stephenson were scratches for Adirondack.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 26, 2011


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