Fans Bid Farewell to Phlex

Published on January 15, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


The Adirondack Phantoms and a cast of over a dozen other mascots bid a fond farewell to their lovable mascot Phlex in his retirement party Saturday night at the Glens Falls Civic Center. But the Phantoms players weren't able to come up with a send-off win for the masked one as Adirondack fell to the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-2.

The largest and perhaps most enthusiastic and boisterous crowd of the season of over 3,900 came out to send Phlex off in style. Phlex has been the mascot of the Phantoms for 15 years dating back to the beginning of the Philadelphia Phantoms. He has entertained at approximately 600 consecutive Phantoms games in front of over 4.5 million total fans.

Greg Moore and Danny Syvret scored for Adirondack while Michael Leighton took the setback in his second consecutive start. Stefan Legein made his return to the lineup for the first time since November 20 and had several terrific scoring chances including a first period bullet that he rang off the metal. Legein served notice that he intends on being a significant offensive presence following his nearly two months of frustration watching from the sidelines.

The Penguins are the top team in the AHL at 32-8-0 and stretched their winning streak to seven. But the Phantoms skated stride-for-stride with the league's best all game long.

Corey Potter's power play goal staked the Penguins to an early 1-0 lead.

Adirondack tied it 13 minutes into the first when Luke Pither stole the puck in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton zone, carried it to the corner, and nicely fed to the cutting Greg Moore up the middle who chipped in the one-timer top shelf on Curry. It was Moore's 5th goal of the season.

Brett Sterling would give the Penguins the lead again 82 seconds later when he picked off a Phantoms pass and raced up the left-wing on a 2-on-1 and eventually opting to rifle the top-shelf blast himself.

The wild and exciting first period featured 24 total shots on goal including 13 from Adirondack but it was the visiting Penguins who led 2-1.

After a scoreless second period the Penguins were able to extend their lead in the third. Just as Jon Kalinski was returning from the penalty box for the Phantoms, Ryan Craig would fire a centering feed from the right-wing corner that Nick Johnson standing in the crease was able to deflect in.

Adirondack had a power play with four minutes left to try to cut into the two goal deficit and also pulled goalie Michael Leighton with over a minute left but were unable to score. Ryan Craig sealed the win with an empty-netter with 29 seconds left to make the score 4-1.

Danny Syvret scored his 6th of the year with just 9 seconds left on a Phantoms power play on a slap shot from center-point that he banked of the base of the post past Curry.

The Phantoms and Penguins will play again next Friday at Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia.

The Penguins outshot the Phantoms 31-30. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was 1-for-4 while Adirondack 1-for-5.

Adirondack takes on the Syracuse Crunch Sunday at 4pm. The Phantoms are 3-0 against the Crunch this year and are directly behind them in the East Division standings.

Phantoms notes: Before the game it was announced that defenseman Joonas Lehtivuori was loaned to a team in his native country of Finland. Scratches for the game were Marc-Andre Bourdon, Matt Clackson and J.P. Testwuide.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 15, 2011


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