Phantoms shut out Norfolk 2-0
March 9, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release
(NORFOLK, Va., March 9, 2003) - Neil Little stopped all 22 shots he faced to notch his third shutout of the season and lift the Philadelphia Phantoms to a 2-0 victory over the Norfolk Admirals this afternoon at the Norfolk Scope.
Little made 11 saves in the opening period and a combined 11 over the final two to snap a personal three-game losing streak and win for the first time since Feb. 15 at Cincinnati. It was his 11th career shutout and his eighth as a Phantom. The shutout was also Philadelphia's first on the road since a 2-0 victory over Rochester during Game Three of the Mid-Atlantic Division Semifinals on April 14, 2001.
Mark Greig and Dennis Seidenberg each scored for Philadelphia, which was coming off consecutive overtime losses the past two nights. The Phantoms won for just the second time in their last 10 games (2-4-1-3) and improved to 3-4-0-1 vs. Norfolk this year, with two more match-ups remaining.
Michael Leighton finished with 18 saves for Norfolk, which fell to 1-3 in its last four games. The Admirals were shut out for the first time since Dec. 27 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Greig scored the lone goal of the first period while Norfolk's Mikhail Yakubov was in the box serving a tripping minor. Stationed in the near corner, Peter White received a feed from Jamie Wright and sent a centering pass into the crease.
Admirals defenseman Jeff Helperl got his stick on the cross, but not enough as it continued on to Greig, who poked it in for his 26th goal of the year and second in as many days.
The Phantoms struck again on the power play to make it 2-0 with 5:26 to go in the second period. Following a high-sticking call on Marty Wilford, Greig and Jim Vandermeer worked the puck out to Seidenberg. The German defenseman skated around an Admirals player who had broken his stick and uncorked a low line drive that beat Leighton glove side.
It was the first AHL goal for Seidenberg, who was playing in his fourth game with the Phantoms since being reassigned from the Flyers on Tuesday. Seidenberg had notched his first AHL assist on Saturday vs. Lowell.
The teams combined for no goals and 10 shots during the third period, despite Norfolk owning a 6-on-4 advantage for the final 51 seconds when Leighton was pulled for a sixth attacker and Vandermeer was sent off for tripping.
The Phantoms continue their four-game road trip next weekend with games in Milwaukee on Friday and in Chicago on Saturday. The trip concludes on Monday, March 17 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before Philadelphia's next home game on Wednesday, March 19 at 7:05 p.m. vs. the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks.
Phantoms Notes: Jim and Peter Vandermeer's brother Dan, who plays for the Richmond Renegades of the East Coast Hockey League, was in attendance ... The Phantoms are 3-1 all-time on March 9 ... Philadelphia is 12-11-1-2 all-time vs. Norfolk, including a 6-4-1-2 mark on the road ... The Phantoms last blanked an opponent on Jan. 5 vs. Syracuse.
American Hockey League Stories from March 9, 2003
- Phantoms sink Admirals, 2-0 - OSC Original by David W. Unkle
- Admirals slip past Ducks in OT - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Bears Drop Heartbreaker to Binghamton, 3-1 - Hershey Bears
- Pittsburgh Penguins Recall RW Eric Meloche from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Grizzlies Top Barons, 5-3 - Cleveland Barons
- Sound Tigers Win Third Straight, 5-2 At Springfield - Bridgeport Islanders
- Phantoms shut out Norfolk 2-0 - Adirondack Phantoms
- DiPietro Recalled, Letang Reassigned to Islanders - Bridgeport Islanders
- Trepanier Assigned to San Antonio - San Antonio Rampage
- Trepanier Traded - Milwaukee Admirals
- Houston Signs Brady as Emergency Backup Goalie - Houston Aeros
- Falcons Fodder - Springfield Falcons
- Rochester Americans vs. Albany River Rats - Rochester Americans
- Bears Look to Get Back to Winning Ways Tonight against Senators - Hershey Bears
- Petersen and Sivek Score Two Goals Each in 4-3 Win over Hershey - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Checkers Edge Richmond 2-1 In A Shootout - Charlotte Checkers
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