Phantoms and River Rats Skate to 2-2 Tie in AHL Preseason Action
September 24, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release
(EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Sept. 24, 2003) - Ian MacNeil and B.J. Abel each scored as the Philadelphia Phantoms skated to a 2-2 tie with the Albany River Rats this afternoon at Continental Airlines Arena.
Antero Niittymaki started in goal for the Phantoms and stopped 10-of-11 shots before Neil Little came on to turn aside 18-of-19 attempts. The teams were facing each other for the second straight game, as Philadelphia had notched a 5-3 win on Friday afternoon at the Sovereign Bank Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, N.J.
Albany did not put a shot on goal until the 8:25 mark of the opening period, but its second shot 11 seconds later made it 1-0. On the power play, River Rats left wing Ahren Nittel tapped in a pass at the doorstep past Niittymaki at the 8:36 mark.
Philadelphia evened the score at the 4:19 mark of the second period on a long wrister by MacNeil that ringed off the post. But the Rats re-took the lead at 12:37 when Erik Jensen took a centering pass and blasted a slap shot past Little, who had replaced Niittymaki three minutes earlier.
The Phantoms again responded to knot the score at 2-2 with 2:16 to go in the second period. Jeff Smith began the play by circling around behind the net and placing a shot on goal. Abel then swooped in to knock in the loose puck past Albany netminder Ari Ahonen.
Philadelphia center Mark Murphy missed an open net and hit the post during a scoreless third period and the Phantoms were able to kill a penalty on rookie defenseman Freddy Meyer during the overtime session to finish in a tie.
Ahonen recorded 18 saves during the first two periods for Albany before Matus Kostur stopped all six shots he faced the rest of the way.
Philadelphia's next preseason game is set for this Saturday, Sept. 27 at 4:00 p.m. vs. the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the Polonia Bank Flyers Skate Zone in Northeast Philadelphia. The team will then wrap up exhibition play on Friday, Oct. 3 at 7:05 p.m. with a rare encounter against its parent club, the Philadelphia Flyers, at the Wachovia Spectrum.
Phantoms Notes: Mike Peluso, who scored four times in Friday's win over Albany, did not travel with the team ... Les Borsheim, Smith, Robert Snowball and Matt Herneisen all got in fights ... MacNeil, Peter White and Wade Skolney served as assistant captains ... The Phantoms were 0-for-3 on the power play, while Albany finished 1-for-6.
The Phantoms open the 2003-04 regular season on Friday, Oct. 10 at 7:05 p.m., when they host the Binghamton Senators at the Wachovia Spectrum. Tickets to all Phantoms home games are $19, $18 and $14 for adults, and $8 for all children 14 and under, and are available now at the Wachovia Center box office and all Ticketmaster locations throughout the Delaware Valley.
Tickets can also be charged by phone by calling (215) 336-2000, (856) 338-9000 or (302) 984-2000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Contact the Phantoms office at 215-465-4522 or log on to www.phantomshockey.com for information on group discounts, birthday packages and the Family Four Pack.
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