Bruno Gervais Blasts OT Winner at Albany

Published on November 29, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


Bruno Gervais rocketed a big power-play slapshot through Keith Kinkaid for an overtime game-winner as the Phantoms pulled out a thriller at the Albany Devils by a 4-3 score on Saturday night. The NHL veteran took a flip across from Jason Akeson who had a three-point night for the 4-on-3 goal.

Cal Heeter entered in relief of Yann Danis midway through the first period and put forth a spectacular 32-save effort for the win. Danis was injured in a collision with a couple of players about nine minutes into the game.

Matt Konan of Adirondack and Mike Sislo of Albany were battling each other in a rush to the net when the pair appeared to collide with Danis. Head coach Terry Murray said Danis sustained an unspecified lower-body injury.

"I think the Albany player (Sislo) was going to the net hard and our defenseman (Konan) was fronting him doing his job," Murray said. "And it seemed on a quick view of it, they both just fell over the goaltender. I don't know how serious it is. I'll have to get some more information from the medical staff. But I don't think he's going to be ready to go (Saturday)."

Petr Straka (5th), Kris Newbury (4th) and Jason Akeson (3rd) all recorded goals for Adirondack who won their second consecutive game this week. It was Adirondack's second overtime victory of the season and their first since the first game of the season when Brandon Manning scored at Hershey on October 5. Both of Adirondack's overtime winning goals this season have come from defensemen. The win pushes the Phantoms record back over the .500 mark again at 9-8-2 while the Albany Devils dropped to 11-7-2.

Gervais' fourth goal of the year on the overtime power play came in large part due to the heads-up play of the team's captain. Ben Holmstrom became the first to play in 200 games for the Adirondack Phantoms. He didn't appear on the scoresheet for the winner but might as well have according to Murray.

"The big play was Holmstrom driving down the wing with the puck obviously to draw the penalty," Murray said. "It's an aggressive play and we end up finding a way to get a goal and get the two points. But bottom line, we dodged a bullet out of this. Heeter went in and did a pretty good job. It's always difficult when you go in like that but he held the fort and did a pretty good job."

The Phantoms were outshot in the game 38-20 by a relentless Devils attack who carried the play for much of the night. But Heeter's relief work helped pull the visitors through. For the second-year pro out of Ohio State, it was strangely fortunate in a way that Danis' injury happened earlier in the game, when Heeter was still relatively fresh from warm-ups and had not had much time to get too cold.

"Coming off the bench...at least it was early," Heeter said. "It's not like I had to come in the third. I came in in the first so for me, I felt like I was still fairly ready. I was fighting the puck a little bit all night but I was able to battle through and we came away with the win. Got a lot of support from the guys. Had that goal support to get that win tonight which we really need to get the win which makes my job pretty easy."

Adirondack notched three goals on their first five shots of the game against the normally solid Devils' goalie Keith Kinkaid who entered play with a 1.97 goals-against average that ranked second in the league.

4:39 into the first, Rob Bordson would quickly push a face-off win into the crease for a breaking Petr Straka whose chip past Kinkaid gave the Phantoms a 1-0 lead. The rookie from the Czech Republic notched his fifth of the season thanks to Bordson's heads-up face-off win and subsequent assist. Straka has now scored in consecutive games.

After the collision knocked Danis out of action 11:12 into the first period, the Devils would strike just one minute later. Harri Pesonen worked his way free from the boards and would swoop out to the slot for a backhand wide-wrap that beat the new goalie, Heeter, past his right skate.

The Phantoms would convert just 64 seconds later with Jason Akeson from the right-wing corner behind the end-line finding Kris Newbury out in front for another chip-in goal. Adirondack led at the first intemrission despite being outshot 12-4.

Adirondack's third goal was almost right away to begin the second period. Jason Akeson roofed his third of the year from the right circle just 13 seconds into the frame for a 3-1 lead withNewbury and Chris VandeVelde pushing the puck across the zone from left to right. It was the fastest goal in a period that Adirondack has registered this season and one of their fastest all-time. The record for fastest goal in a period was set in March of last year when Tye McGinn scored just nine seconns into a game against the Portland Pirates.

Then Albany would blast away at Cal Heeter from every angle and the Phantoms goaltender was somehow able to steer away most of the Devils' dangerous drives. Reece Scarlett converted 13:33 into the second period from center-point when his slapshot appeared to deflect off a Phantoms penalty-killer and past Heeter.

Albany appeared to have tied the game a couple minutes later with Tim Sestito jamming one home from the left of the crease but the goal was waved off due to a delayed high-stick after Joe Whitney had contacted the puck and Adirondack had never regained advantage.

The Phantoms preserved their one-goal lead until 4:34 remaining in regulation when Reid Boucher would score from the left circle on a 3-on-2 rush.

Holmstrom's streak from the right-wing corner straight to the net almost ended matters but Kelly Zajac's hooking penalty helped prevent the Phantoms' captain from scoring. That penalty set up the overtime winner by Bruno Gervais.

Albany outshot the Phantoms 38-20. Adirondack went 1-for-2 on the power play but the one that they did score was a biggie. Albany finished 1-for-4 on the power play, all in the second period.

Adirondack takes a 3-2 lead in the Northway Rivalry season series over the Albany Devils and have now won back-to-back games at the Times Union Center improving to 2-1 overall in the Capital District. The Phantoms next return to Albany on December 27. The Devils do not invade the North Country again until after the new year on January 4.

The Phantoms are in the midst of their busiest stretch of home games of this season playing seven out of eight at home over a 16-day period. Adirondack now plays their next four in a row in Glens Falls beginning Saturday night against the defending Eastern Conference champion Syracuse Crunch. The Phantoms also host games next week on Wednesday December 4, Friday December 6 and Saturday December 7 against Bridgeport, Hartford and Utica.

For ticket information, contact the Phantoms at 518-480-3355.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 29, 2013


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