Phantoms fall 3-2 in Utah
November 18, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release
(WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, Nov. 18, 2002) - Former Philadelphia Phantom Jim Montgomery burned his old team for two goals and an assist, including the game-winner with 66 seconds remaining, as the Utah Grizzlies posted a 3-2 victory tonight at the E-Center.
Montgomery, who played for Philadelphia from 1997-2000 and still ranks fourth on the team's all-time points list with 161, assisted on the lone goal of the first period and doubled Utah's lead 7:46 into the second. After the Phantoms fought back to knot the score at 2-2 heading into the third period, Montgomery netted his seventh goal of the year at the 18:54 mark to give the Grizzlies the win.
Utah goaltender Corey Hirsch, who played in five games with Philadelphia last season, stopped 24 shots to notch his fifth win.
Eric Betournay and Ben Stafford each scored and Antero Niittymaki made a team season-high 34 saves for Philadelphia, which dropped its second game in a row overall and fourth straight on the road.
The game's first penalty didn't take place until the 14:06 mark of the opening period and Philadelphia went on a two-man advantage 1:44 later, but could not convert. The Phantoms' David Harlock and Betournay then received two-minute penalties at the 16:50 and 18:30 marks, and Utah proceeded to move ahead 1-0.
One second after Harlock exited the penalty box, Jon Sim took a pass from Montgomery and slid a pass through the goal mouth to David Oliver, who knocked it past Niittymaki with 1:19 remaining. It was Oliver's fourth goal of the season and third on the power play.
Montgomery doubled Utah's lead 7:46 into the second period when he came up with the puck during a scrum in front of Niittymaki and placed it into the net. Steve Gainey and Jeff MacMillan were credited with assists on Montgomery's sixth of the year.
Philadelphia began its comeback less than two minutes later when Betournay tipped in a shot from the point by John Slaney. Mike Lephart also assisted on Betournay's first AHL point, which came at the 9:06 mark.
Stafford evened the score at 2-2 with 7:28 to play in the middle period. Defenseman Wade Skolney began the play with a feed to Mike Siklenka, who found Stafford between the circles. The second-year center then placed it between Hirsch's legs for his fourth marker of the season.
The Phantoms conclude their three-game road trip on Wednesday in Utah. Philadelphia returns to the First Union Spectrum on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7:05 p.m. vs. the Milwaukee Admirals. The game will be televised live on CN8.
Phantoms Notes: The Phantoms and Grizzlies were meeting for the first time, as the teams did not play each other last year when Utah made the jump to the AHL after seven seasons in the International Hockey League ... Slaney has 10 points (1G, 9A) in his last 11 games ... Niittymaki also made a Philadelphia season-high 20 saves in the second period.
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