Phantoms Weekly - Pack the House

Published on January 29, 2014 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


Last Week's Results

Saturday, January 25 - Adirondack Phantoms 2 - Albany Devils 1

Sunday, January 26 - Hartford Wolf Pack 6 - Adirondack Phantoms 3

This Week's Games

Wednesday, January 29 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms (21-18-2) at Hartford Wolf Pack (14-22-5)

Friday, January 31 (7:00) - Hershey Bears (22-14-6) at Adirondack Phantoms (21-18-2)

Saturday, February 1 (1:00) - Hershey Bears vs. Adirondack Phantoms (at Philadelphia)

Tuesday, February 4 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Hartford Wolf Pack

Upcoming

The Phantoms play three games in four days in another big week of action which includes a potential sellout crowd in Glens Falls on Friday and also a trip to Philadelphia for a game at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday. Adirondack will begin the week of action with a game on the road Wednesday at the Hartford Wolf Pack in a rematch of last Sunday's encounter in Glens Falls.

Then the Adirondack Phantoms are ready to Pack The House this Friday night against the Hershey Bears as the team strives for their third sellout of the season and their 12th all-time. The discounted tickets offered the past couple of weeks that were only $5 and $7 proved to be immensely popular. Now available are a limited supply of $10 tickets presented by UpgradeToComfort.com. Also special thanks to our additional sponsors on our big Pack The House Night promotion including Curtis Lumber and John Ray & Sons.

After the Pack The House game, it's an overnight bus-ride to Philadelphia and a quick turnaround when the Phantoms and Bears meet again for an early afternoon game on Saturday at the home arena of the Philadelphia Flyers. The consecutive games against Hershey are especially important. The Bears currently hold the eighth-place position in the Eastern Conference and are six points ahead of the Phantoms in the tight playoff race.

Get On The Bus!

Upstate Transit, the official motor-coach carrier of the Phantoms, is pleased to announce that the first fan bus for the game in Philadelphia this Saturday is completely full AND they now have enough sign-ups for the second bus as well. There are still seats available on that second bus. Pricing is $60 for adults and $55 for kids. The bus leaves Saturday at 6:00 AM. Fans must have their own ticket to the game. And they must reserve their seat on the bus right away.

Please contact Upstate Transit at 518-584-5252.

Thinking Pink!

Thanks to everyone who helped make our Pink in the Rink promotion so special. Glens Falls Hospital once again sponsored this terrific event to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer. The Phantoms players were really into the purpose of the event and enjoyed tying up pink laces on their skates and spray-painting their sticks pink for the pregame warm-up and even the game itself. Area breast-cancer survivors were honored throughout the day and also accompanied each player onto the ice during the postgame jersey auction. With the help of you fans, we were able to raise a lot of money for the C.R. Wood Cancer Center at Glens Falls Hospital!

Adirondack Phantoms (20-17-2, 42 points)

Goals: Jason Akeson (15), Kris Newbury (12), Tye McGinn (10), Ben Holmstrom (8), Rob Bordson (8)

Assists: Jason Akeson (21), Kris Newbury (14) Brandon Manning (14), Petr Straka (14)

Points: Jason Akeson (36), Kris Newbury (26), Ben Holmstrom (20), Petr Straka (20), Brandon Manning (19)

Games: Five with (41) - Jason Akeson, Rob Bordson, Ben Holmstrom, Oliver Lauridsen, Brandon Manning

PIM: Brandon Manning (125), Kris Newbury (124), Zack FitzGerald (116)

GAA: Cal Heeter (2.24), Yann Danis (2.50)

Sv Pct: Cal Heeter (.924), Yann Danis (.906)

Wins: Cal Heeter (14)

Philadelphia History

The Adirondack Phantoms are 2-2-0 all-time in their games in Philadelphia.

Feb 22, 2013 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2 - Adirondack Phantoms 1 - ATT: 19,561

Jan 6, 2012 - Adirondack Phantoms 4 - Hershey Bears 3 (OT) - ATT: 45,653

Jan 21, 2011 - Adirondack Phantoms 4 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2 - ATT: 18,056

Dec 4, 2009 - Norfolk Admirals 2 - Adirondack Phantoms 1 - ATT: 13,127

Last season's appearance in Philadelphia led the AHL in single-game attendance for 2012-13 with 19,561 fans. It was also the third-largest regular-season indoor crowd in AHL history.

The Outdoor Classic in Philadelphia during the 2011-12 season drew a league-record 45,653 fans which more than doubles the next closest mark.

The Philadelphia Phantoms played at the Spectrum for 13 seasons from 1996-2009 winning two Calder Cups in 1998 and 2005. But the Philadelphia Phantoms did play some games in Wells Fargo Center also.

Of the 7 largest indoor crowds in AHL history, 5 have been played at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Of the 11 largest overall crowds in AHL history, 6 have been played in Philadelphia.

Largest AHL Indoor Crowds

1. 20,672 - Jan 18, 1997 - Greensboro, N.C. - Carolina 5 - Kentucky 4

2. 20,103 - June 10, 2005 - Philadelphia, Pa. - Phantoms 5 - Chicago 2 (Game 4, Calder Cup Finals)

3. 19,730 - Feb 10, 2001 - Philadelphia, Pa. - Phantoms 5 - Syracuse 5 (OT)

4. 19,561 - Feb 22, 2013 - Philadelphia, Pa. - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2 - Phantoms 1

5. 19,532 - Feb 28, 1999 - Philadelphia, Pa. - Phantoms 3 - Kentucky 3 (OT)

6. 19,070 - Dec 28, 2012 - Buffalo, N.Y. - Rochester 4 - Lake Erie 1

7. 18,907 - Nov 20, 1998 - Philadelphia, Pa. - Phantoms 2 - Hartford 1

Welcome Back, Marc-Andre!

Marc-Andre Bourdon returned to game-action for the first time in 14 months this past weekend. The fifth-year pro recorded assists in both of the games on Saturday and Sunday. He had been battling post-concussion symptoms for the past 14 months that prevented him from playing. Before last weekend, his most recent game had been November 30, 2012.

Saratoga Spine Player of the Week

Jason Akeson is the Phantoms Player of the Week presented by Saratoga Spine. He scored the dramatic, late game-winner last Saturday afternoon at Albany with just 20.5 seconds remaining. And then scored again the next day for his 48th goal all-time with the Adirondack Phantoms tying for Denis Hamel for the team record. Akeson has 9 goals in his last 12 games and leads the team in scoring with 15 goals and 36 points. Akeson is the all-time points-leader in Adirondack Phantoms history with 146 and is now one away from passing Hamel for sole possession of the all-time lead in goals.

Special Teams Dominance

Adirondack's penalty kill is third in the AHL at 87.4% trailing only Springfield (88.8%) and Norfolk (88.0%). The Phantoms were on a power-play tear of 13-for-40, 32.5% over 10 games but went 0-for-7 in two games last weekend. Still, in Adirondack's last 20 games (since December 6), the team is 19-for-79, 24.1%.

Key Stats

Phantoms are 4th in the AHL (out of 30) and 2nd in conference in defense: 2.5 goals allowed per game

Phantoms Score First: 16-3-1

Phantoms Score 3 or more: 16-4-1

Phantoms Score 4 or more: 6-0-1

Phantoms have allowed 0 or 1 goals: 17 times (new record for ADK Phantoms)

Last Week

Saturday, January 25: Adirondack Phantoms 2 - Albany Devils 1

Jason Akeson broke a late tie at Albany via his blast from the slot with just 20.5 seconds remaining to give Adirondack the exciting road win. Tye McGinn scored late in the second period to tie the score at 1-1. Cal Heeter turned away 27 of 28 Devils shots to afford the Phantoms the opportunity for their comeback. Adirondack took a 5 games to 4 lead over Albany in this season's Northway Rivalry series with just 3 games remaining. In the 43rd game all-time between the Adirondack Phantoms and Albany Devils, the Phantoms broke a 21-all tie to take a 22-21 lead.

Sunday, January 16: Hartford Wolf Pack 6 - Adirondack Phantoms 3

The Hartford Wolf Pack stormed back in the third period for a come-from-behind win in Glens Falls. The Phantoms led 3-1 before the midway point of the game on a goal by Jason Akeson and a couple goals by Tye McGinn. Adirondack was off to a roaring start when McGinn struck just 42 seconds into the game. Then Akeson scored 12 minutes later to boost the advantage to 2-0 by the first break.

But Hartford would chip away. Kyle Beach tied the score at 3-3 with 15 minutes remaining and Jesper Fast's second of the game with less than five minutes left put Hartford out in front. The Wolf Pack scored back-to-back empty-netters shortly after Kris Newbury's close-call to tie the game went just wide when Adirondack had a 6-on-4 attack via a power play and pulled goalie.

Upcoming Opponents

Hartford Wolf Pack (14-22-5, 33 points)

Affiliation, New York Rangers

Wednesday, January 29 (7:00)

XL Center, Hartford, CT

Standings: 15th place, Eastern Conference

Season Series: ADK is 2-3-1 vs. HFD. Game 7 of out of 10 in the season series. ADK will be back in Hartford again next Tuesday, February 4.

Last Meeting: January 25, HFD 6 - ADK 3

Top Scorers: Danny Kristo (14-12-26), Aaron Johnson (4-22-26), Oscar Lindberg (9-15-24)

Team Info: Rookie from Sweden Jesper Fast has four goals in his last two games including the winning goal on Sunday with five minutes left against Adirondack.

Former Phantoms and Flyers on Wolf Pack include Danny Syvret, Darroll Powe and Aaron Asham. Kris Newbury now of the Phantoms and Danny Syvret of the Wolf Pack were long-time members of the opposite teams prior to being traded for each other this past summer. The Wolf Pack began the season 7-2-1 and then went 4-18-4 from October 23 through January 12. However, Hartford has now won three of their last five including two of three last weekend over Springfield and Adirondack.

Hershey Bears (22-14-3, 50 points) - Affiliation, Washington Capitals

Friday, January 31 (7:00) - Glens Falls Civic Center, Glens Falls, NY

Saturday, February 1 (1:00) - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

Standings: 8th place, Eastern Conference

Season Series: ADK is 2-0-0 vs. HER. Games 3 and 4 out of 6 in the season series.

Last Meeting: January 4, ADK 1 - HER 0 (OT)

Top Scorers: Brandon Segal (13-21-34), Jeff Taffe (10-18-28), Nic Deschamps (11-13-24)

Goalies: Philipp Grubauer is back from Washington. Gruebauer played in 16 games for the Capitals going 6-4-5, 2.38, .926. With Hershey in just 11 games he is 6-4-1, 2.23, .923. David Leggio has played the bulk of the games in Grubauer's absence going 13-12-2, 2.71, .912.

Info: Adirondack has won a pair of overtime games against Hershey this year. On October 5 at Giant Center it was Brandon Manning poking home the winner for a 4-3 final in the season opener for both teams. On January 4 in Glens Falls, Jason Akeson scored the only goal for either side with his extra-time marker in a 1-0 win as Cal Heeter out-dueled upstart Riley Gill.

Rivalry Info:

The last time the Phantoms and Bears met in Philadelphia was in the Outdoor Classic on January 6, 2012 when Shane Harper scored the overtime winner in front of an AHL-record 45,653 fans at Citizens Bank Park.

This weekend will mark the 186th and 187th all-time regular-season meetings between the Phantoms and the Hershey Bears.

The Phantoms are 85-85-10 all-time against Hershey including 2-0-0 this year.

Upcoming

Wednesday, January 29 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Hartford Wolf Pack

Friday, January 31 (7:00) - Hershey Bears at Adirondack Phantoms

Pack the House Night presented by UpgradeToComfort.com, Curtis Lumber, and John Ray & Sons.

Special $10 Tickets are still available but only while they last. Help us Pack The House!!

Saturday, February 1 (1:00) - Hershey Bears vs. Adirondack Phantoms - At Philadelphia

Tuesday, February 4 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Hartford Wolf Pack

Saturday, February 8 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Sunday, February 9 (3:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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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American Hockey League Stories from January 29, 2014


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