Phantoms Fall To Hershey 5-2, Draw Albany In East Division Semifinals

April 12, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


HERSHEY, PA - The Philadelphia Phantoms jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead over a Hershey Bears team that started the game a bit flat, but the Bears woke up in the second part of the first period and charged to a 5-2 win at the GIANT Center. With the loss, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins clinched the East Division championship and a date with the Bears in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, while the Phantoms will take on the Albany River Rats.

Andreas Nodl scored his first professional goal to open the festivities 6:09 into the first period. His bid was the third Phantoms shot on a single scoring opportunity, after shots by Ryan Potunly and Jon Kalinski were denied by Hershey goaltender Daren Machesney.

The lead grew to 2-0 less than two and a half minutes later on a Phantoms power play. Kyle Greentree fired a shot from the right circle that beat Machesney low along the ice, giving Philadelphia the two-goal advantage at 8:33.

But the Bears answered with five straight. The first came on a miscue behind the Phantoms net when Martin Houle played a puck to the corner that Andrew Gordon intercepted and played into an open net at 13:29. Just over a minute later, with two Phantoms assigned to the penalty box on simultaneous minor penalties, Gordon scored on the five-on-three power play when he knocked home a back-door pass from Josef Boumedienne to tie the game at 2-2 at the first intermission.

Hershey enjoyed the only scoring of the second period. First it was Jason Morgan firing a slapshot from the left circle that slipped in short-side past Houle's outstretched leg, making it 3-2 with 2:54 gone in the second. Then Ryan Flinn cleaned up the remnants of a save Houle had made on Andrew Joudrey, who tipped a centering pass on net that came from Steve Pinizzotto.

The lead became 5-2 with 13:02 to play in the third when Hershey picked up its second power play goal. Jay Beagle was in front of Houle when Bourque put a shot on net that bounced on its way in. Beagle got a stick on it and it beat Houle for the three-goal lead.

The Phantoms out-shot Hershey 40-31 on the evening. Houle made 21 saves on 26 shots before he became one of eight players ejected after a donnybrook with 12:14 remaining that involved all 12 players on the ice, including both goalies. Machesney, who was not ejected, stopped 38 of the 40 Philadelphia shots. Michael Teslak cleaned up for the Phantoms by stopping five shots in that 12:14 of play.

The Philadelphia loss allowed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to clinch the East Division championship despite an overtime loss to the Norfolk Admirals in its final game of the season. As a result, the Phantoms will face the Albany River Rats in the East Division Semifinals beginning Wednesday night in Albany. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will face Hershey in the other divisional semifinal, also beginning Wednesday night.

Philadelphia will close out its regular season on Sunday evening when the Albany River Rats visit the Wachovia Spectrum on Fan Appreciation Night. The Phantoms will give away over 500 prizes, including the shirts off the players' backs after the game. One lucky fan will win the world - a team autographed globe signed by the entire Phantoms roster, as well as Phantoms Platoon leader Jim Brown, who has signed Afghanistan. Tickets are available at the Wachovia Complex box office, online at ComcastTIX.com or phantomshockey.com, or by phone at 1-800-298-4200.



American Hockey League Stories from April 12, 2008


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