Boucher and Lilja to Phantoms

January 17, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


A pair of NHL veterans have been loaned to the Adirondack Phantoms by the Philadelphia Flyers, according to general manager Paul Holmgren. Goalie Brian Boucher and defenseman Andreas Lilja have been added to Adirondack's roster and both are eligible for the team's games beginning this weekend.

Both players have several seasons and hundreds of games in the NHL including experience in the Stanley Cup Finals.

36-year-old Brian Boucher (Boo-SHAY) was acquired again by the Flyers organization in a trade for former Phantoms center Luke Pither last week. It is Boucher's fourth stint with Philadelphia and he brings to the Phantoms an impressive list of accomplishments in his lengthy career. He has played with seven different NHL teams including Philadelphia, Carolina, Phoenix, Calgary, Chicago, Columbus and San Jose.

The Woonsocket, RI native began as a rookie with the Philadelphia Phantoms in 1997-98 and won a Calder Cup and appeared in the league All-Star Game in his debut season.

As an NHL rookie in 1999-2000, he led the NHL in goals against average with 1.91 while going 20-10-3 for the Flyers. On May 4, 2000, he was the winning goalie in the longest NHL game since the 1930's when he gutted out a five overtime classic against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He helped lead the team to the Eastern Conference Finals that year. He also made one of the best known playoff saves of all-time in 2000 denying a Patrick Elias breakaway in a series against New Jersey.

Early in the 2001 season with Phoenix, he broke the NHL modern-day shutout record going unscored upon for 332 minutes, or 5-and-a-half games.

In 2010, he made a dramatic save at the end of a shootout against the New York Rangers that clinched a playoff spot for the Flyers on the last day of the regular season. Philadelphia went all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals that year thanks to that key save.

In 2011, he received the Yanick Dupre Class Guy Memorial Award as the Flyers best illustrating character, dignity, and respect for the sport both on and off the ice.

Boucher sat out for most of last season with injury playing in only 10 games for Carolina.

Boucher has played in 324 career NHL games and 444 total professional games. He has 120 NHL wins, a 2.71 goals against average and a .901 saves percentage. He has appeared in 72 career games for the Phantoms franchise going 37-20-9 with a 2.86 GAA. He played in one game for the Adirondack Phantoms in the 2009-10 season on the road at Bridgeport. His last full season with the Phantoms was in 2007-08 playing in 42 games (23-16-1, 2.18, .917) as he shared net duties with Scott Munroe. His other full seasons with the Phantoms were as a rookie in 1997-98 (16-12-3, 3.19, .888) and 1998-99 (20-8-5, 2.59, .911).

Andreas Lilja (Lil-yah), 37, is in his second season with the Philadelphia organization. Like Boucher, he has played in one game previously with the Adirondack Phantoms and it came on the road (last year at Binghamton).

The Helsinborg, Sweden native spent the first five seasons of his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings from 2005-06 through 2009-20 and was one of 9 native Swedes to win the 2008 Stanley Cup for Detroit when they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 6'3" tall defenseman signed as a free agent with the Flyers in July, 2011 after playing for the Anaheim Ducks in 2010-11. The steady blueliner has 576 career NHL games in seven seasons scoring 16 goals and 71 assists for 87 points.

His last significant playing time in the AHL was in 2000-01 as a professional rookie with the Lowell Lock Monsters (61 GP, 7-29-36). Last year with Philadelphia as a first-year-Flyer he played in 46 games scoring 0 goals and 6 assists.

UPCOMING

Friday, January 18 (7:00) - Albany Devils at Adirondack Phantoms. Presented by Glens Falls Plastic Surgery. Time Warner Cable Cup Rivalry Game. $2 Draft Beer Specials

Saturday, January 19 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Worcester Sharks

Sunday, January 20 (4:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Albany Devils (at Atlantic City, NJ)

Monday, January 21 (7:00') - Phantoms Power Hour LIVE on Q101.7 with player guests Marcel Noebels and Ian Slater.

Friday, January 25 (7:00) - Albany Devils at Adirondack Phantoms. Pink in the Rink Night presented by Glens Falls Hospital. Portion of post-game jersey auction proceeds to benefit the C.R. Wood Cancer Center.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 17, 2013


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