Closing Out 2010 in Style!

Published on December 31, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


The Adirondack Phantoms pulled out a shootout thriller over the Springfield Falcons in the final game of 2010 with a 3-2 decision. Brian Stewart made 27 saves through regulation and the shootout and then stopped all four Springfield skaters in the shootout for his first win the year.

Michael Ryan and Luke Pither lit the lamp in the shootout for the Phantoms with Pither's in the fifth round clinching the victory. The 21 year old raised both arms in celebration and waived his fingers as if to bring on even more cheering from the enthusiastic crowd in the thrilling win.

Jon Kalinski fired home a shorthanded breakaway goal in the first period for his first goal since October 30 and Greg Moore extended his goal-scoring streak to three games with a goal that tied the score at 2-2 early in the 3rd.

The game also featured three fights to get the New Year's Eve gathering fired up including Zac Rinaldo's AHL leading 17th major penalty of the year. Mike Testwuide and Marc-Andre Bourdon also picked their moments to square off with opposing Falcons skaters. Springfield is the affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. They carried over many of their same players from their previous farm-club, the Syracuse Crunch, and there appeared to be very little animosity lost in the former East Division rivalry between them and the Phantoms.

Adirondack was the last team to play a game to a shootout this year. It was also the first Phantoms head coaching win at the Glens Falls Civic Center for Joe Paterson who evened his record at 2-2 since taking over after the holiday break. Paterson's other Phantoms victory came on the road at Syracuse in a 2-0 victory on Tuesday.

The game was also just the second time in which the Phantoms have come back to win when trailing after two periods.

After the game, all the players met with the fans in Heritage Hall to close out 2010 and congratulate the team on the triumph.

Jon Kalinski picked off a puck at center and got racing up the left-wing to fire one top shelf on Springfield goalie David LeNeveu. His shorthanded goal was the team's third such tally of the season and was Kalinski's first goal since October 30th and fourth of the year. Kalinski returned to play this week after having been knocked out of action from an injury in Atlantic City against the Albany Devils on December 5th.

David Savard's wrister from the right point beat Brian Stewart to the far post past his right skate to tie the score at 1-1 at 13:05 of the 2nd period.

Four minutes later it would be Macsim Mayorov accepting a feed in the left side of the slot and having time to tee up his snapper on the blocker side of Stewart to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead.

Adirondack raced into the zone early in the third period and Luke Pither and Denis Hamel connected for Greg Moore in the right circle. Moore blasted home his third goal in his last three games at 3:18 of the 3rd to tie the score at 2-2. Moore went his first 32 games of the season without a goal before his hot streak.

Zac Rinaldo of the Phantoms and Mike Blunden of the Falcons both took roughing minors with 2 seconds left in the 3rd period thus leading to a somewhat wild and interesting 3-on-3 stretch to begin the overtime. Both teams got off quality chances including one Springfield opportunity that looked like a sure game-ender that was prevented by Ben Holmstrom's hustling defense tying up the stick of the Falcon attacker.

In the Phantoms' first shootout of the year, Michael Ryan would score in the 2nd round to give the Phantoms a 1-0 advantage and Luke Pither would eventually clinch it in the 5th round. Denis Hamel was the team's first shooter and beat LeNeveu over his left shoulder but rang it off the iron behind him.

Stewart, in the meanwhile, turned aside all four Springfield shooters he faced: Matt Calvert, Maksim Mayorov, Tomas Kubalik and Nikita Filatov. It was the rookie goalie's first win of the year for the Phantoms. It was Stewart's second overall win this season going along with his other win with Greenville (SC) of the ECHL. Stewart also had a Phantoms win late last season after he joined the team from Northern Michigan University.

The game was the only Glens Falls appearance of the year for the Springfield Falcons and was also Adirondack's first win against the Atlantic Division. The Phantoms will play in Springfield for their only game there on March 13.

Adirondack outshot the Falcons 33-29 on the night. Springfield went 0-for-4 on the power play while the Phantoms were 0-for-4.

The team's three game New Year's homestand concludes Saturday night at 7:00 in the first game of 2011 as the Phantoms renew their Time Warner Cable Cup rivalry with the Albany Devils. It is also the last home game for two weeks Adirodnack. The Phantoms then have a stretch of four straight road games beginning Sunday evening at 5:00 at the Rochester Americans.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2010


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