Phantoms defeat Manchester, 3-1
Published on March 28, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release
(PHILADELPHIA, March 28, 2004) - Kirby Law and Peter White each recorded a goal and an assist to lead the Philadelphia Phantoms to a 3-1 victory over the Manchester Monarchs tonight at the Wachovia Spectrum.
James Laux also scored as Philadelphia won its third game of the weekend and maintained the top spot in the Eastern Conference. With 91 points through 73 games, the Phantoms lead the second-place Bridgeport Sound Tigers by four points in the East Division race and are one point ahead of the Hartford Wolf Pack for the number one seed in the conference.
"We were very concerned going into this weekend, we knew we had three tough opponents," said Phantoms head coach John Stevens. "I think we played great against Bridgeport (on Friday) and very good in Binghamton (on Saturday), and to come home with the third game in three nights, and play as well as we did tonight is very, very encouraging."
Neil Little stopped 19-of-20 shots to earn his first win since March 14. The Phantoms have captured eight of their last 11 games overall and 12 of their last 18 at home. Philadelphia also improved to 7-0 when wearing its purple third jerseys.
Milan Hnilicka finished with 29 saves for Manchester, which suffered just its third loss in its last 13 games. The Monarchs had posted a 3-1 victory in the first meeting of the season on March 13.
The Phantoms opened the scoring on Laux's second goal in as many nights. At the 10:12 mark of the first period, Laux took a cross-ice pass from Ian MacNeil, skated into the far circle and wristed a shot past Hnilicka. Mark Murphy also assisted on the rookie defenseman's fourth goal of the year.
"I was just following up the play and MacNeil caught me out of the corner of his eye and threw a pretty good pass over, and I just tried to put it on net around the defenseman, using him as a screen," said Laux. "It found its way in."
Laux, who tallied the game-winner in Saturday's 1-0 overtime win in Binghamton, had hit the post with a backhander 22 seconds earlier.
Manchester evened the score at 1-1 at 5:24 of the second period during a scramble in front of the Philadelphia net. Denis Grebeshkov netted his second goal on the play, with assists going to Yanick Lehoux and Michael Cammalleri.
But the Phantoms regained the lead at the 11:22 mark as Manchester's Ryan Flinn served a double minor for roughing. John Slaney began the sequence by skating into the Monarchs zone and dumping it back to Kirk Furey, who sent a cross-ice pass to Law.
The AHL All-Star uncorked a slap shot from the far circle that White deflected past Hnilicka and in for his 12th of the season.
Law then widened the gap to 3-1 on the power play at 7:07 of the third period with his team-leading 25th goal. Slaney worked the puck to White behind the net and the veteran center found Law alone in front for a one-timer into the top right corner.
The Phantoms outshot the Monarchs, 30-20, and have now killed 20 power plays in a row.
"Penalty killing is a huge part of the game, in the playoffs it helps you win," said Phantoms forward P.J. Stock. "Guys are blocking shots and going the extra inch, trying to get in there. Our goalies are playing great and our defense is playing great."
The Phantoms play in Binghamton on Saturday night before returning home to take on the Manchester Monarchs on Sunday at 6:05 p.m. Philadelphia then closes out the month on Wednesday with a home game against the Norfolk Admirals.
Phantoms Notes: Les Borsheim, Wade Skolney, Brett Engelhardt and Craig Berube were scratches ... Dennis Seidenberg continues to recover from a broken leg ... Peter Vandermeer played in his 300th AHL game ... Philadelphia is 15-0 since Nov. 21 when a defenseman scores in a home game ... Several stars of the movie Slap Shot dropped the ceremonial opening puck prior to the game.
American Hockey League Stories from March 28, 2004
- Danis shuts out Roadrunners in debut - Hamilton Bulldogs
- IceCats cap weekend with win - Worcester IceCats
- Phantoms defeat Manchester, 3-1 - Adirondack Phantoms
- Monarchs Road Trip Ends With Loss At Philadelphia - Manchester Monarchs
- Aeros fall 3-1, but stay five points up on Cincinnati - Houston Aeros
- Ducks fall to Rampage, 2-0 - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Bears fall short to River Rats in Albany, 4-2 - Hershey Bears
- P-Bruins fall to Worcester - Providence Bruins
- Sound Tigers Clinch Berth In Calder Cup Playoffs - Bridgeport Islanders
- Bears begin five-game road trip Sunday in Albany - Hershey Bears
- Blackhawks recall Thornton - Norfolk Admirals
- Aeros give away 3,000 Klackers today - Houston Aeros
- Aeros recall D Starling from Peoria - Houston Aeros
- Penguins slip past Albany, 2-1 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
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