Phantoms defeat Bridgeport 3-1

Published on October 11, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


(BRIDGEPORT, Conn., Oct. 11, 2003) - The Philadelphia Phantoms got in the win column tonight at the Arena at Harbor Yard as Neil Little made 26 saves and Peter White registered a goal and an assist in a 3-1 triumph over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Little, who suffered the loss in Friday's season-opening setback vs. Binghamton, stopped all 21 shots he faced over the final two periods tonight. White assisted on captain Boyd Kane's game-winning goal with 4:31 left in the first period and netted an insurance goal eight minutes into the second.

Philadelphia improved to 5-3-0-1 all-time vs. the Sound Tigers, including a 3-2 mark when playing in Bridgeport. The teams will meet seven more times in 2003-04, including another match-up in Bridgeport next Friday.

Playing in his first pro game, Sound Tigers goaltender Wade Dubielewicz made 24 saves. Bridgeport fell to 0-1-1 on the young season and 0-3 all-time in home openers.

Philadelphia struck first for the second straight night, as Mark Murphy tallied his first goal of the year just 1:35 into the game. Murphy took the initial shot on the sequence before Patrick Sharp followed with an attempt and Murphy got it back and registered his 100th goal as a pro. Peter Vandermeer also picked up his 100th career assist on the play.

Kane widened the gap to 2-0 at 15:29 of the opening period, with White and Sharp receiving assists on Kane's first marker of the season. But Bridgeport responded with a power-play goal by Rob Collins with 2:09 to go in the period. Derek Bekar and Brandon Smith set up the score, which was enabled by a tripping penalty on Andre Savage 67 seconds earlier.

White tallied the lone goal of the second period at the 8:00 mark to make it a 3-1 game. Kirby Law and defenseman Randy Jones fed White, who dashed down the near side and beat Dubielewicz for his second goal in as many nights. Jones notched his first point as a pro on the play.

With the goal, White passed former captain Mark Greig for first place on the Phantoms' all-time goals list with 141. He also tied Greig tonight for most games played in club history (348). White is already the club's all-time leader in points, assists, power-play goals and game-winning goals.

The third period featured no goals and five penalties, including a tripping call on Phantoms defenseman John Slaney with 1:47 remaining that gave Bridgeport a 6-on-4 advantage when Dubielewicz was pulled at the same time for a sixth-attacker.

The Phantoms conclude opening weekend on Sunday when they return home to take on the Norfolk Admirals at 5:05 p.m. Next weekend features another three games in three days, beginning on Friday at 7:35 p.m. in Bridgeport. Philadelphia then returns home to host the Toronto Roadrunners on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and the Syracuse Crunch on Sunday at 5:05 p.m.

Phantoms Notes: Philadelphia is now 5-3 all-time in road openers ... The team is 2-0-1 all-time on Oct. 11 ... Slaney had a four-game point streak snapped ... Law has a three-game point streak (1G, 3A) ... Philadelphia is now 0-for-9 on the power play this season.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 11, 2003


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