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Phantoms Weekly - December Homestand

December 4, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


Last Week's Results

Wednesday, November 27 - Adirondack Phantoms 3 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 1

Friday, November 29 - Adirondack Phantoms 4 - Albany Devils 3 (OT)

Saturday, November 30 - Syracuse Crunch 1 - Adirondack Phantoms 0

This Week

Wednesday, December 4 (7:00) - Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Adirondack Phantoms

Friday, December 6 (7:00) - Hartford Wolf Pack at Adirondack Phantoms

Saturday, December 7 (7:00) - Utica Comets at Adirondack Phantoms

Upcoming

The Phantoms open the December portion of their schedule with three home games in four days from Wednesday through Saturday welcoming to town the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI), Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) and Utica Comets (VAN). This also concludes a busy stretch of seven home games (and one away game) within 16 days for the Phantoms which is their most compacted run of games in Glens Falls this season.

The Phantoms won two out of three in a similar slate of three games in four days last week when they played. Adirondack stands at 9-9-2 at the 20-game mark into the regular season which is past the one-quarter point of the total 76-game schedule. Their total of 20 standings points places them four points back of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference race.

Promotions

Lots of great promotions line the schedule for our December homestand. For Wednesday's game, all tickets are only $10. Friday features pregame Happy Hour with $2 beer specials from 5:30-7:00 PM.

Saturday is the annual Teddy Bear Toss Night to benefit the Salvation Army of Glens Falls. Fans should bring their stuffed toys to throw onto the ice after the Phantoms score their first goal in Saturday's game. Saturday is also Phantoms Poster Night presented by Glens Falls Printing for the first 2,000 fans in attendance featuring a postgame autograph session with the whole team in Heritage Hall after the game.

Adirondack Phantoms (9-9-2, 20 points)

Phantoms Leaders

Goals: Chris VandeVelde (6), Rob Bordson (5), Petr Straka (5)

Assists: Jason Akeson (11), Bruno Gervais (8)

Points: Jason Akeson (14), Bruno Gervais (12), Chris VandeVelde (11), Rob Brodson (11)

PIM: Oliver Lauridsen (70), Kris Newbury (68), Brandon Manning (64)

GAA: Cal Heeter (2.58), Yann Danis (2.49)

Sv Pct: Cal Heeter (.916), Yann Danis (.902)

Wins: Cal Heeter (5), Yann Danis (4)

Milestones

Jason Akeson - 83rd assist with ADK Phantoms last Wednesday, November 27. Broke the all-time Adirondack Phantoms' record of 82 assists held by Erik Gustafsson

Rob Bordson - Has played in 120 consecutive ADK Phantoms games dating back to 2/24/12

Ben Holmstrom - Became first ever to play in 200 games for Adirondack Phantoms on Friday night at Albany.

Ben Holmstrom - 99 career points with ADK Phantoms. 2nd all-time and will join Jason Akeson as only players in the 100-point club with ADK Phantoms.

Kris Newbury - 694 career professional games. 6 away from 700 milestone.

Cullen Eddy - 188 career games with ADK Phantoms. On 11/27 passed Kevin Marshall (185) for 2nd all-time.

Saratoga Spine Player of the Week - Jason Akeson

Jason Akeson is the Saratoga Spine Player of the Week. The third-year pro from Orleans, Ontario had a four-point week in three games with one goal and three assists which included a three-point night in Friday's victory at the Albany Devils. Akeson has led the team in points each of the last two seasons and is again the team-leader so far this year with 14 points on three goals and 11 assists. He is the all-time points leader in Adirondack Phantoms history now with 122 and last Wednesday became the team's all-time leader in assists as well when he passed former record-holder Erik Gustafsson with his 83rd all-time assist.

Last year, Akeson received a late call-up to the Philadelphia Flyers and scored a goal in his first ever NHL game on April 21.

Last Week

Wednesday, November 27: Adirondack Phantoms 3 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 1

Adirondack overcame a shaky first period to pretty much dominate the rest of the way. The Penguins outshot the Phantoms in the first period 16-3 thanks to five power plays but were even on the scoreboard at 1-1. The Penguins then recorded the first five shots in the second period as well and Yann Danis made some more big saves. After that, Danis barely had to do anything for a very long stretch. The Phantoms outshot the Penguins 20-0 over a stretch encompassing nearly the next 30 minutes of play in an impressive display of "keep away" in which the Phantoms held onto the puck and keep up the pressure. Petr Straka and Chris VandeVelde added goals in the second period. The Phantoms held Wilkes-Barre to 1-for-8 on the power play.

A nice-sized crowd on Thanksgiving Eve enjoyed the team's big $10 ticket special that night.

Friday, November 29: Adirondack Phantoms 4 - Albany Devils 3 (OT)

Bruno Gervais wristed home the game-winner from the top of the left-circle on an overtime power play and the Phantoms won in an extra period for the second time this year and for the first time since the very first game of the season on October 5 in Hershey. Petr Straka, Kris Newbury and Jason Akeson scored goals in the first 21 minutes of the game to stake the visiting Phantoms to an early 3-1 lead. But Albany would surge back and kept the play in the Phantoms' end for much of the second and third periods.

Starting goalie Yann Danis was knocked out of action midway through the first period in a collision with a couple of players. He left with a lower-body injury and Cal Heeter stepped in with a solid performance with 32 saves on 35 shots for the win in relief.

The Phantoms took a 3-2 lead in the Northway Rivalry series with seven more matchups remaining between Adirondack and Albany this year.

Saturday, November 30: Syracuse Crunch 1 - Adirondack Phantoms 0

The game in Glens Falls started almost an hour late due to mechanical issues on the Syracuse Crunch bus on their way over. Fans were treated to $2 Beer and $2 Popcorn specials during the delay and then once play started it seemed that both teams' offenses were still in delay-mode. A terrific goaltending duel ensued between Cal Heeter and Cedrick Desjardins with the 0-0 deadlock carrying well into the third period. Phantoms penalty proclivities caught up to them and a late Syracuse power-play goal by Cedric Paquette would end up as the only tally of the night. The Phantoms were awarded a late power play in the game with just two minutes remaining and turned that into a 6-on-4 attack with the pulled goalie but Desjardins made a couple of big scrambling saves and Crunch captain Mike Angelidis dove to block a couple of big shots after losing his stick. Early in the third period, the two teams engaged in a fairly wild line-brawl with various players pairing off in what morphed into something of a pile-on. The officials mostly doled out only two-minute roughing penalties out of the melee thus allowing the key players for both teams to decide the gripping late-night matchup.

Somehow Syracuse hung on and prevailed in the first ever 1-0 game in Glens Falls in Adirondack Phantoms' history. It was just the fourth ever 1-0 final all-time for the Adirondack Phantoms with the previous three having taken place on the road. It was also the first time ever the Adirondack Phantoms had lost 1-0 in regulation.

Adirondack Phantoms Record Book Snapshot

History of 1-0 Finals

November 30, 2013 - at Glens Falls (Syracuse 1 - Adirondack 0)

Win - Cedrick Desjardins, Loss - Cal Heeter, Goal - Cedric Paquette

March 24, 2012 - at Wilkes-Barre (Adirondack 1 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 0)

Win - Michael Leighton, Loss - Scott Munroe, Goal - Jason Akeson

December 6, 2011 - at Hamilton (Hamilton 1 - Adirondack 0, OT)

Win - Nathan Lawson, Loss - Michael Leighton, Goaal - Aaron Palusha

February 12, 2011 - At Wilkes-Barre (Adirondack 1 - Wilkes-Barre 0)

Win - Michael Leighton, Loss - Brad Thiessen, Goal Erik Gustafsson

Upcoming Opponents

Bridgeport Sound Tigers (6-10-4. 16 points) - Affiliation, New York Islanders

Wednesday, December 4 (7:00) - Glens Falls Civic Center, Glens Falls, NY

This is the second of eight games this season between the affiliates of the Flyers and the New York Islanders and is the first visit to Glens Falls this season for the Sound Tigers. On Sunday November 10, Bridgeport overcame an early 2-0 hole to notch a 3-2 victory and end the Adirondack Phantoms' team-record six-game winning streak. The last goal scored early in the third-period was a sharp-angle shot from the left corner that Cal Heeter couldn't find the handle on and inadvertently batted into his own net. It was a heart-breaking way to lose.

Bridgeport features a very young team. Ryan Strome is full of talent and the #5 overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft out of Niagara of the OHL is off to a terrific start in his rookie season. Strome leads Bridgeport with 25 points on seven goals and 18 assists. Strome is second overall in the AHL in assists and third in points and also leads all AHL rookies in scoring. Rookie Andres Lee out of Notre Dame is next at 7-9-16 and second-year pro Mike Halmo is an undrafted talent with 8-7-15.

Hartford Wolf Pack (9-10-2, 20 points) - Affiliation, New York Rangers

Friday, December 6 (7:00) - Glens Falls Civic Center, Glens Falls, NY

This is the third time out of 10 for the Phantoms and Wolf Pack to face each other this year; the most times ever the Phantoms have seen the affiliates of the New York Rangers in a single season.

Feisty Arron Asham is a 35-year-old veteran with almost 800 games of NHL experience which included two seasons with the Flyers in 2008-09 and 2009-10. His addition to the Wolf Pack represent his first AHL games since 2001-02 when he played for the Quebec Citadelles (MTL).

Another former Flyer on the Wolf Pack is Darroll Powe who also played for the Philadelphia Phantoms for one full season in 2007-08 and parts of a couple others. The Princeton University product has a total of 95 games played with the Phantoms scoring 15-19-34. He also played in 204 games for the Flyers from 2008-11 scoring 24-21-45. In total, Powe has 329 career NHL games with Philadelphia, Minnesota Wild and the Rangers.

The Wolf Pack have gone 2-8-1 in their last 11 games with part of their struggles due to the call-ups of goalie Cameron Talbot and young star Chris Kreider.

Rookie Danny Kristo out of the University of North Dakota is the "Leader of the Pack" scoring 10-7-17. Veteran Aaron Johnson (almost 300 NHL games mostly with Columbus) on the blueline was 3-14-17.

The Wolf Pack somewhat spoiled Adirondack's Opening Night celebration on October 12 with a 3-2 comeback win in Glens Falls with Brodie Dupont breaking the late 2-2 tie with just 2:07 remaining.

The night before in Hartford on October 11, the Wolf Pack overcame a 4-2 Phantoms' lead for a 5-4 shootout win in a fight-marred game that featured a total of six bouts which is the most in the AHL this season.

Utica Comets (6-12-2, 14 points) - Affiliation, Vancouver Canucks

Saturday, December 7 (7:00) - Glens Falls Civic Center, Glens Falls, NY

The last time AHL teams from Glens Falls and Utica squared off was almost 20 years ago. On February 26, 1993 the Adirondack Red Wings defeated the Utica Devils 7-3 at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The most recent pro game between Glens Falls and Utica teams was almost 12 years ago on February 26, 2001 in the United Hockey League with the Adirondack IceHawks hosting the Mohawk Valley Prowlers.

Utica has not had a professional team since 2001. The team takes their name from the old Clinton Comets who dominated the EHL for much their existence from 1954 through 1973 which included many games played in Utica at the Memorial Auditorium.

The two teams do actually have some familiarity with each other Adirondack played an away preseason game against the Comets on September 29 with Utica prevailing 4-2.

The beginning of the Utica Comets franchise got off to a shaky start with an 0-8-2 record in their first 10 games before finally securing the first win in team history on November 8 at Lake Erie 3-2. Since their terrible start, the team has found their stride and now enters this week having gone 4-1-0 in their last five.

Pascal Pelletier leads the team in scoring with 5-13-18. The veteran spent the last three years playing in Switzerland and before that had played in the AHL with Providence, Rockford, Syracuse and Peoria. Some other familiar names are among the team's top scorers including Benn Ferriero (formerly of WBS and CT), Alex Biega (RCH), Brandon DeFazio (WBS and BRI) and Zach Hamill (HER and PRO).

This is the first of four games between the Phantoms and Comets. Adirondack's debut visit to Utica will be February 26. The Comets' lone return to the North Country is not until April 13.

Upcoming

Wednesday, December 4 (7:00) - Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Adirondack Phantoms

$1 Hot Dogs

Friday, December 6 (7:00) - Hartford Wolf Pack at Adirondack Phantoms

Pregame Happy Hour, $2 Beer Specials from 5:30 through 7:00

Saturday, December 7 (7:00) - Utica Comets at Adirondack Phantoms

Teddy Bear Toss after Phantoms Score First Goal. Donations to Benefit Salvation Army

Phantoms Poster Night presented by Glens Falls Printing

Team Autograph Night after the game in Heritage Hall...featuring ALL the Phantoms players!

Tuesday, December 10 (7:00) - Phantoms Power Hour LIVE at Recovery Sports Grill

Player Guests This Week: Ben Holmstrom and Brandon Manning

When you order your tickets in advance, you save! Call the Phantoms at 518-480-3355

25 Terrific Seasons

Glens Falls is celebrating its 25th season hosting an AHL team and in so doing now joins an elite group of just 9 other active markets who can make such a claim. It's a great hockey tradition with an old-school feel that began with the Adirondack Red Wings in 1979. In their 20-year tenure at the Glens Falls Civic Center through 1999, the Red Wings won four Calder Cups. The Adirondack Phantoms began play in Glens Falls in 2009-10 and are in their fifth season bringing exciting AHL action to the North Country.

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