Phantoms Regular Season Finale Sold Out

April 9, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Phantoms announced today that Friday's regular season finale against the Hershey Bears is now sold out.

The game marks the 20th time the Phantoms have sold out the Wachovia Spectrum during the regular season and the 21st time overall, including Game 6 of the 1998 Calder Cup Finals when the Phantoms secured their first Calder Cup championship. The Phantoms have recorded an additional five regular season sellouts and one playoff sellout of the Wachovia Center in their 13-year history.

The game will be the first Phantoms sellout of the Spectrum in more than nine years. The last such occasion was on January 28, 2000, also against the Hershey Bears. In fact, out of those 20 regular season sellouts, Hershey was the opponent in 10 of them, making this the 11th sold-out Phantoms-Bears game to be played at the Spectrum.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early or use public transit, as the Phantoms game will be one of two sold-out events happening at the Sports Complex on Friday night, along with the Sixers-Cleveland game at the Wachovia Center. The Spectrum will open to fans at 5:30, a half-hour earlier than usual. Weather permitting, there will be a free block party outside the Wachovia Spectrum beginning at 5:00.

Friday night's pregame ceremonies will include an introduction of the team, and the players will help honor a special group of Phantoms fans. The organization is inviting onto the ice a group of approximately 100 fans who have held full season tickets for each of the last 13 years, going back to the very first game on October 6, 1996.

The Phantoms will then welcome some current and former members of the organization who were crucial in the success the team enjoyed over the years. Among those expected to return for the final game are former players John Slaney and Frank Bialowas, former head coach Bill Barber, and former chief operating officer Frank Miceli. Some current members of the organization will also be part of the ceremony, including former goaltender and current assistant coach Neil Little, Phantoms captain Boyd Kane, and longtime public address announcer Keith Jones.

The evening will wrap up with a commemorative banner lowered from the Spectrum rafters to mark the occasion of the final regular season game. Flyers anthemnist Lauren Hart will then set the game into motion with her rendition of The Star Spangled Banner.

All fans entering the building on Friday will receive a commemorative Final Game ticket, which will come attached to a special Phantoms Spectrum lanyard created for the occasion.

The Phantoms enter Friday night's contest tied with the Binghamton Senators for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division. Philadelphia closes its season with a home-and-home against the Bears, while the Senators host Norfolk tomorrow and visit Albany on Saturday. The Phantoms can clinch a playoff spot if they beat Hershey tomorrow night AND the Senators lose in regulation to Norfolk.



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