Phantoms drop 2-1 decision to Hershey
March 22, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release
Obsut nets game-winner with 5:05 remaining
(PHILADELPHIA, March 22, 2002) - Jaroslav Obsut scored the game-winning goal with 5:05 left in the third period to lift the visiting Hershey Bears to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phantoms in front of a crowd of 12,351 tonight at the First Union Spectrum.
The teams entered the final period knotted at 1-1 and didn't create many scoring opportunities until Phantoms defenseman David Harlock was sent off for hooking with 6:47 to play. Obsut took the deciding shot from five feet inside the blue line and managed to place it into the top left corner of the net for his second goal of the season.
Hershey goaltender Phil Sauve made 22 saves to collect the win, while Corey Hirsch stopped 27 shots in his Phantoms debut. The 10-year pro was acquired on loan from the Washington Capitals organization on Thursday and got the start as All-Star netminder Neil Little joined the Philadelphia Flyers for their trip to Pittsburgh.
Philadelphia, which was coming off Wednesday's 2-0 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, is now 4-2-3-2 vs. the Bears this year, with the final match-up taking place on the final day of the season in Hershey. The Bears improved to 8-0-1 in their last nine games and pulled even with Philadelphia for second place in the South Division. Each team has 77 points, but Hershey has played one extra game.
"We've had trouble all year scoring goals," said Phantoms head coach John Stevens. "Special teams is a big factor. Tonight we lost a special teams game. They scored a power-play goal with five minutes left in the game. We've got to find a way to score goals now. When you only give up two goals, you've got to find a way to win."
Mike Watt gave Philadelphia a 1-0 lead for the second straight game when he deflected a shot by Jim Vandermeer past Sauve at the 3:07 mark of the opening period. Pavel Brendl also assisted on Watt's ninth goal of the year.
"We just got to keep shooting," commented Watt. "I'm starting to find myself. I just have to throw the pucks on net and get the goals that bounce off people too."
Hirsch made 12 saves during the first 20 minutes, including stuffing Hershey center Yuri Babenko on a breakaway seven minutes into the contest. But the Bears finally got to Hirsch 77 seconds into the second period when Brett Clark ripped a slap shot over his right shoulder. Jeff Daw set up Clark's 10th goal of the season and third vs. the Phantoms in 2001-02.
The Phantoms continue their busy weekend on Saturday when they head out on the road to battle the Norfolk Admirals at 7:30 p.m. The teams then return to Philadelphia on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. for a showdown at the First Union Spectrum.
Phantoms Notes: The Phantoms wore special fatigue-style jerseys tonight as part of Armed Forces Night. The jerseys will be auctioned off online at www.phantomshockey.com from Tuesday, March 26 to Tuesday, April 2 to benefit the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund ... Forward Craig Brunel was reassigned to Trenton (ECHL) earlier in the day ... Rookie center James Chalmers left the game in the first period with a concussion and did not return ... Defenseman Kristian Kudroc, who was acquired on loan from the Springfield Falcons on Thursday, also made his Phantoms debut tonight ... The Phantoms drew at least 10,000 fans for the ninth time this season.
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