Former Voice Behind Mic for Longest Game in AHL History
Published on April 25, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release
ELMIRA, NY - Former Elmira Jackals broadcaster Owen Newkirk was on the call last night and into the early morning hours today for what ended as the longest game ever played in the American Hockey League's 72-year history as the Philadelphia Phantoms defeated the River Rats 3-2 in the fifth overtime.
The marathon win gave the Phantoms a 3-2 lead in their East Division series with Game Six slated for Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia.
Newkirk is in his first season of calling the action for the River Rats after spending the last four campaigns as the radio and television voice for the United Hockey League's Elmira Jackals.
The game, which ended on Ryan Potulny's goal 2:58 into the fifth sudden death period, begin with a 7 p.m. face-off Thursday evening at the Times-Union Center in Albany and concluded at 12:39 a.m. Friday morning.
The contest featured a combined 168 shots with 101 coming off of Philadelphia sticks as Rats goaltender Michael Leighton made what is to be an AHL record 98 saves in a losing cause. The Phantoms fired 63 of their shots in the overtime periods, registering double digit totals in all but the first and eighth (fifth overtime) periods overall.
The Phantoms had five players with shots totals in the double figures led by Kyle Greentree's 17. Former Jackals defenseman Bryan Rodney was in the line-up for the River Rats and was pointless with four shots on goal and finished with a -3 rating.
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