Phantoms lose 6-5 in Binghamton
Published on February 7, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release
(BINGHAMTON, N.Y., Feb. 7, 2004) - David Hymovitz scored three times in the second period as the Binghamton Senators built a four-goal lead and hung on for a 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phantoms tonight at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.
Serge Payer added a goal and two assists during the second stanza, when Binghamton tallied five straight goals to build a 6-2 cushion heading into the third. Philadelphia then scored three times in a span of 3:32 to make it a one-goal game with 10:28 remaining, but could not register the equalizer.
Ray Emery stopped 34-of-39 shots to notch the win for Binghamton, which has captured six of its last seven games overall and six in a row at home. The Senators own a 3-1 lead in the season series, with two match-ups remaining.
Ian MacNeil and Kirby Law each scored twice for Philadelphia, which had a seven-game unbeaten streak (6-0-1) halted and lost for just the second time in its last 14 games (11-2-1). Antero Niittymaki started and made six saves on 11 shots before Chris Houle came on with four minutes left in the second period and turned aside 8-of-9 shots the rest of the way.
Philadelphia opened the scoring 1:15 into the game on MacNeil's eighth goal of the year. Wade Skolney and Claude Lapointe fed the center for a wrister that brushed off Emery's glove and in. Binghamton answered on the power play at 10:18 to make it 1-1 after one period, as Brooks Laich followed up a miss by Brian McGrattan to tally his 14th goal.
Law put the Phantoms back in front at 6:16 of the second when he placed the rebound of a Peter White shot into an empty net. Craig Berube also set up Law's team-leading 20th of the season before Binghamton responded with five consecutive goals to assume a 6-2 advantage through 40 minutes of play.
Payer began the run at 10:12 to even the score at 2-2. Christoph Schubert's initial shot was blocked by a Phantoms defenseman and Payer was there to knock in the rebound for his 10th goal. Alexandre Giroux scored an unassisted goal at 15:05 to make it 3-2 and Hymovitz struck 17 seconds later, with assists going to Payer and Greg Watson.
Hymovitz scored his second of the night 38 seconds later to widen the gap to 5-2 and chase Niittymaki at the 16:00 mark. Binghamton's three scores in 55 seconds set a record most fastest three goals against the Phantoms. Hymovitz completed his hat trick with 40 seconds left in the period with his sixth of the year from Laich.
MacNeil began the Philadelphia comeback at the six-minute mark of the third, as he deflected in a shot by Skolney. B.J. Abel then deflected a Randy Jones shot past Emery at 8:19 to register his third goal of the year and narrow the difference to 6-4.
The Phantoms continued their push and cut it to 6-5 with 10:28 to play when Law scored his second goal of the game during a flurry in front of the net. Jones and Slaney received assists on the play.
Philadelphia held a 21-5 edge in shots during the final period, but came up empty the rest of the way, despite pulling Houle for a sixth attacker with 1:38 left.
Following the AHL All-Star break, the Phantoms return to action next weekend with road games in Hartford, Worcester and Lowell. The game in Hartford on Friday will be televised live on CN8. Philadelphia's next home game is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 18 vs. the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Phantoms Notes: James Laux was an injured scratch, while Mike Peluso, Mike Siklenka, Nick Deschenes and Joey Hope were healthy scratches ... The six goals allowed matched a season high, while the five goals surrendered in the second period and 11 combined goals are season highs ... Philadelphia lost on the road for just the third time in its last 14 tries (10-3-1) ... Law, who will be participating in the AHL All-Star Classic on Sunday and Monday, has 10 points (4G, 6A) in his last five games ... Despite allowing five goals, Niittymaki remains unbeaten in his last nine starts with the Phantoms (7-0-1 plus tonight's no-decision) ... Hymovitz's hat trick was the first allowed by Philadelphia on the road since Worcester's Eric Boguniecki on Jan. 16, 2002.
American Hockey League Stories from February 7, 2004
- Hrkac Gets the Point - Milwaukee Admirals
- P-Bruins fall to Portland - Providence Bruins
- Bears drop home game to Syracuse, 4-2 - Hershey Bears
- Phantoms lose 6-5 in Binghamton - Adirondack Phantoms
- Sound Tigers, Albany Tie...Again - Bridgeport Islanders
- Monarchs Tripp Up IceCats, 3-1 - Manchester Monarchs
- Ducks cool red-hot Griffins - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Hymovitz's hattrick leads Senators to 6-5 victory - Binghamton Senators
- Cincinnati Mighty Ducks Preview - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Aeros Game Day - Houston Aeros
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