Phantoms cruise to 5-1 win over Penguins

Published on January 3, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


(PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 3, 2003) - Captain Mark Greig registered a goal and three assists and Peter White and Joe Sacco each added three points as the Philadelphia Phantoms cruised to a 5-1 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins tonight at the First Union Spectrum.

Greig tied a team season high with four points in a game, while Sacco scored twice and had an assist in his Phantoms debut. The long-time NHL veteran was signed earlier in the week to help the Phantoms, who had been shut out in their two previous games. White chipped in a goal and two assists.

Antero Niittymaki was impressive in goal, stopping a season-high 38 shots, including all 19 he faced in the final period. Philadelphia matched a season high with its third straight home win and took a 4-3 lead in the season series with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The teams play each other three more times, with the next encounter set for Feb. 5 in Wilkes-Barre.

Sacco got right into the swing of things, opening the scoring 3:19 into the game. Greig took a feed from White on the play and put a shot on net from inside the near circle. Penguins goaltender Robbie Tallas stopped the puck but didn't control it and Sacco swooped in to poke it in for his first AHL goal since the 1992-93 season.

"I feel good, it's been a long time, it felt good to get out there and compete," said Sacco. "Whitey is a good play-maker and Greig and I used that tonight. The line worked out well."

The Phantoms doubled their lead at the 7:02 game after Wilkes-Barre right wing Eric Meloche grabbed the puck with his glove in the crease as it was rolling into the net. Greig was awarded the penalty shot and put a nifty move on Tallas for his 15th goal of the year.

Greig's penalty shot was the first successful one by a Phantom since Jason Zent accomplished the feat at St. John's on Feb. 3, 1999. It was also the first-ever made penalty shot for the Phantoms when playing at home.

White extended the lead to 3-0 with 3:33 to go in the first. On the power play, Greig fed Sacco, who made a cross-ice pass through the crease to White. The center waited for Tallas to commit before placing it top shelf for his 14th of the year and eighth as a Phantom.

"Joe is real easy to work with," commented White. "He just wants to have a good time and play hockey. He's a smart player, we were clicking tonight. It helped to get an early goal. We needed a big game to keep confidence. The more we get the power play going, the better we are."

Greig tied a team season high with three points during the period. Guillaume Lefebvre and Andre Savage previously recorded three points on Oct. 18, also against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Toby Petersen put the Penguins on the board 52 seconds into the second period with his ninth of the season. Alexandre Daigle assisted on the power-play goal with a centering pass from the corner.

But Sacco restored Philadelphia's three-goal lead with 8:57 left in the period. White and Greig set up Sacco, who received the puck in front of the net, and backhanded it through Tallas' legs.

Mike Lephart widened the gap to 5-1 at 5:34 of the third period during a Penguins power play. Ian MacNeil and John Slaney assisted on Lephart's breakaway, which resulted in his second goal of the season and the team's fourth shorthanded tally of 2002-03. Slaney picked up his 100th point as a Phantom on the play.

"It is nice to get goals on special teams," said Phantoms head coach John Stevens. "Any goals are good goals. Our team has been playing good, just not scoring goals. We need to get the puck deep and play a 60-minute hockey game. We can't let a team hang with us."

The Phantoms continue their three-game homestand on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. when the Syracuse Crunch visit the First Union Spectrum. Philadelphia will then host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 7:05 p.m. before traveling to take on the Lowell Lock Monsters next Friday.

Phantoms Notes: Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins dropped the opening puck prior to the game ... Earlier in the day, defenseman Ian Forbes was recalled from the Trenton Titans (ECHL) ... LW Guillaume Lefebvre was also reassigned from the Flyers today, but did not arrive from California in time for the game ... Philadelphia tied a season low for shots in a period with three during the second ... Niittymaki held the previous high for saves in a game with 37, accomplished on Dec. 26 at Wilkes-Barre ... Slaney was named to his fourth consecutive AHL All-Star Game earlier in the day ... Philadelphia improved to 10-0-1 when scoring at least four goals in a game.

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