Phantoms lose 4-0 at Hartford

Published on February 13, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


(HARTFORD, Conn., Feb. 13, 2004) - Garth Murray scored twice and Cory Larose added three points as the Hartford Wolf Pack blanked the Philadelphia Phantoms, 4-0, tonight at the Hartford Civic Center.

Goaltender Jason LaBarbera stopped all 33 shots he faced to notch the win and his 10th shutout of the season, which is a new AHL record. The Wolf Pack, who were playing at home for the first time since Jan. 25, won their third game in a row.

Philadelphia was shut out for just the second time in 2003-04 and has lost two straight games for the first time since Dec. 28 & Jan. 2. The Phantoms, who rallied for a 3-3 tie vs. the Wolf Pack back on Jan. 30, had a four-game unbeaten streak (2-0-2) vs. Hartford halted.

Phantoms forward Mark Murphy had two of the better scoring chances over the first 28 minutes of action, missing on a breakaway in the first period and hitting the post early in the second, but it was Hartford that jumped out to a 1-0 lead.

During a scramble in the front of the Philadelphia net, Larose sent a backward pass through his legs that bounced off goaltender Neil Little's pads to Murray, who stuffed in the rebound at the 8:17 mark. Matt Kinch also set up Murray's seventh of the year.

A boarding major on Ian MacNeil 12 seconds later then led to a pair of Hartford power-play goals. Larose made it 2-0 at 12:13 with a wrister from a step inside the blue line that beat a screened Little. Jeff Heerema and Chad Wiseman were credited with assists on Larose's ninth goal of the season.

Just 55 seconds later, Dominic Moore took a feed from Kinch and centered the puck to Benoit Dusablon, who tallied his sixth goal on a one-timer. Little was pulled following the goal in favor of Chris Houle.

Murray capped the scoring at the 9:49 mark of the final period when he grabbed a loose puck behind the net and tallied his second of the night. Larose and Heerema received assists on the play.

Making his first appearance in a Phantoms uniform since Jan. 25, Little finished with 14 saves on 17 shots before Houle turned aside 7-of-8.

The Phantoms continue their four-game road trip on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. in Worcester and on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. vs. the Lowell Lock Monsters. Philadelphia's next home game is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 7:05 p.m. vs. the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Phantoms Notes: James Laux and Freddy Meyer did not travel due to injury, while Nick Deschenes was a healthy scratch ... Boyd Kane, a former member of the Wolf Pack, was scheduled to re-join the Phantoms today, but remained with the Flyers because of the injuries to Jeremy Roenick and Keith Primeau ... Philadelphia's last loss to the Wolf Pack was on Jan. 4, 2002 and its last loss in Hartford came on April 4, 2001 ... Kirby Law had his five-game point streak come to an end.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 13, 2004


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