Phantoms Lose 3-2 in Chicago
March 15, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release
(CHICAGO, March 15, 2003) - The defending Calder Cup-champion Chicago Wolves scored the only two goals of the third period to rally for a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phantoms tonight at Allstate Arena.
Philadelphia took a 2-1 lead into the final period thanks to second-period power-play goals by Kirby Law and Patrick Sharp. But Ben Simon evened the score at 5:44 with an unassisted shorthanded goal - his league-leading seventh of the year and 15th marker overall - and Kurtis Foster netted the game-winner on the power play with 4:01 remaining.
Steve Maltais and Rob Brown assisted on Foster's 15th score - a wrister from the slot that Phantoms goaltender Antero Niittymaki got a piece of. Chicago won its fifth in a row at home and avenged the first meeting of the season with the Phantoms, who overcame a two-goal deficit to tie the Wolves 3-3 at home on Feb. 1.
Niittymaki finished with 24 saves for Philadelphia, which fell to 2-1 on its four-game road trip. The Phantoms were vying for their first three-game win streak since Jan. 15-18. Philadelphia was also playing the second of a seven-game in 10-day stretch.
The first period belonged to Chicago, which outshot the Phantoms, 15-8, and had six power plays to Philadelphia's one. The Wolves also scored the lone goal of the period with 5:41 left during a 4-on-4 situation. Niittymaki stopped a pair of shots by J.P. Vigier on the play before Jeff Farkas knocked in a rebound for his 16th of the year.
Things changed drastically for the Phantoms in the second as they outshot Chicago, 13-5, and had all five power plays in the period. Law evened the score at 1-1 at 7:52 while Chicago's Derek MacKenzie was serving a delay of game minor. Sharp and Jim Vandermeer worked the puck to Law, who blasted a shot from the side that deflected off a Wolves defenseman's skate and past Chicago netminder Norm Maracle for his 18th of the season and second in as many nights.
A high-sticking call on former Phantom Joe DiPenta led to Sharp's 12th goal of the year with 3:20 to go in the second period. After taking a feed from Law, captain Mark Greig offered a nice goalmouth cross to Sharp, who tapped it in to make it 2-1.
After Simon's equalizer, things heated up when Francis Lessard, who was a Phantom from 1999-2002, knocked Vandermeer into the end of the boards by the benches. Vandermeer had to be helped off the ice and did not return, prompting a fight later on at center ice between Lessard and older brother Peter Vandermeer.
The Phantoms conclude their four-game road trip on Monday in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Philadelphia then returns home to face the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks on Wednesday and Friday - both at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Phantoms Notes: David Harlock played in his 300th AHL game ... The Phantoms had killed 22 straight power plays before Foster's goal ... Maracle made 28 saves in winning his sixth straight start ... Philadelphia is 0-3-1 all-time vs. Chicago ... Law and Sharp each have four points in their last two games.
American Hockey League Stories from March 15, 2003
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- Monarchs Outdistance Norfolk, 4-1 - Manchester Monarchs
- Phantoms Lose 3-2 in Chicago - Adirondack Phantoms
- Bulldogs Doubled up by Saint John - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Lamothe, Griffins Shutout Rampage, 2-0 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Papineau's Historic Debut Leads To Sound Tigers' 7th Win Over Springfield - Bridgeport Islanders
- Kings Recall Holland - Manchester Monarchs
- Checkers Romp Over Richmond 5-2 - Charlotte Checkers
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