Phantoms Weekly

January 19, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


The Phantoms went 2-1 last week to move within three points of East Division-leading Bridgeport. On Friday, Antero Niittymaki stopped all 19 shots he faced as Philadelphia remained perfect against Hershey with a 4-0 victory. Peter White led the offense with a goal and an assist. Philadelphia's five-game win streak came to an end the following night in a 4-3 loss at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Kris Beech scored the deciding goal 6:01 into the third period for Wilkes-Barre's third power-play goal of the night. P.J. Stock had a goal and an assist for the Phantoms, while Neil Little made 31 saves. Philadelphia bounced back with a 4-1 triumph over Norfolk on Sunday. Patrick Sharp scored twice, three other players contributed two points apiece and Niittymaki stopped 32-of-33 shots to notch the win.

SECOND IN THE AHL IN WINS

The Phantoms have captured six of their last seven games to move into a second-place tie for most wins in the AHL. Entering this week's action, Philadelphia and Bridgeport each have 24 victories, one behind league-leading Grand Rapids. Philadelphia's recent five-game win streak was its longest since the 2000-01 season and the team's current four-game home win streak is the longest of the year.

PHANTOMS ALLOW ZERO SHOTS IN A PERIOD

Philadelphia established a franchise record for fewest shots allowed in a period on Jan. 16 when the Hershey Bears had zero during the second stanza of a 4-0 Phantoms victory. The previous record of one shot allowed in a period was set on Jan. 24, 2003 in Norfolk and matched on Nov. 15 of this season at Bridgeport.

SEVEN IN A ROW VS. HERSHEY

Philadelphia is 7-0 vs. Hershey this season, outscoring the Bears, 31-10, in the process. The Phantoms have won seven straight meetings with the Bears for the first time in franchise history, but did go seven match-ups without a loss (6-0-1) from Feb. 21-Dec. 26, 1998.

SHUTOUT RECORD MATCHED

Friday's 4-0 win over Hershey was Philadelphia's fifth shutout of the season, which matches a club record. The Phantoms blanked five opponents during the 2000-01 season and recorded four shutouts in four other seasons.

SHARP SCORES FIRST NHL GOAL

Center Patrick Sharp scored his first career NHL goal on Jan. 16 when he lit the lamp at the 6:01 mark of the first period of a 4-1 Flyers victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sharp, who now has two points in nine games with the Flyers this year, returned to the Phantoms on Sunday and scored twice in a 4-1 triumph over Norfolk. It was Sharp's second straight two-goal game as a Phantom.

SEIDENBERG OUT WITH BROKEN LEG

Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg will be sidelined indefinitely after fracturing the tibia and fibula in his left leg during practice with the Flyers on Jan. 15. He underwent successful surgery at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia the following day to insert a metal rod down the tibia. Seidenberg had been voted a starter for the PlanetUSA team at the 2004 AHL All-Star Classic in February.

PENALTY LEADERS

The Phantoms lead the league in penalty minutes (30.12 per game), major penalties (71), minor penalties (330), 10-minute misconducts (10) and game misconducts (18). The game misconduct total is already more than any AHL team had all of last season.

UPCOMING OPPONENTS

The Phantoms are 1-3-1 vs. the Bridgeport Sound Tigers heading into Friday's showdown. Philadelphia won the first encounter, 3-1, on Oct. 11 as Neil Little stopped 26-of-27 shots on goal and Peter White and Patrick Sharp each recorded two points. The teams then skated to a 1-1 tie on Oct. 17 thanks to second-period power-play goals by Martin Kariya and White. Bridgeport posted a 6-2 road win on Nov. 9 behind a pair of goals from both Rob Collins and Jeff Hamilton, and then scored the final three goals in a 3-2 home win on Nov. 15. Hamilton scored twice more on Dec. 12 to lead Bridgeport to a 4-1 road win. Philadelphia is 5-6-1-1 all-time vs. the Sound Tigers, including a 2-3-0-1 mark when playing at home. The teams face off a total of eight times this season, with the next game scheduled for Friday, March 26 in Philadelphia.

The Phantoms bring a 7-0 record against the rival Hershey Bears into Saturday's match-up. Philadelphia posted a 6-2 victory in the season series opener on Nov. 2 as Kirby Law recorded four points (2G, 2A) and Antero Niittymaki made 28 saves. On Nov. 7, Niittymaki totaled 27 saves and five different Phantoms had two points in a 5-1 home win over the Bears. Philadelphia made it three in a row the following night when Law scored with 12.3 seconds left in overtime to help defeat Hershey, 3-2. Philadelphia continued its success with a 4-1 road win on Dec. 3 thanks to a goal and an assist by rookie Randy Jones, and then posted a 3-2 win on Dec. 14 thanks to 31 saves by Niittymaki. On Dec. 26, Philadelphia scored the final six goals, including five in the third, in a 6-2 decision. Niittymaki improved to 5-0 vs. the Bears on Jan. 16 when he made 19 saves in a 4-0 shutout. The Phantoms hold a 44-32-8-5 all-time record vs. the Bears, including an 18-18-4-4 mark on the road. The 12-game series will continue on Friday, Feb. 20 in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia and Springfield conclude their two-game season series on Sunday. In the teams' first encounter since the 2001-02 season on Jan. 9, Kirby Law scored the tying goal with four seconds left in regulation and assisted on John Slaney's game-winner 3:43 into overtime as Philadelphia pulled out a 3-2 victory. The Falcons won both meetings two seasons ago after the Phantoms had swept the two-game season series back in 1999-2000. Philadelphia leads the all-time series, 6-5-2, and is 3-2-1 when playing at home.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS

The first 4,000 kids 14 and under in attendance on Friday, Jan. 23 will receive a Bobby Clarke bobblehead doll courtesy of Toyota. It is the second of three dolls offered in the Phantoms' Philadelphia Hockey Heritage Series this season. Ron Hextall's bobblehead doll was given away on Dec. 12 and Neil Little's will be available on Sunday, March 21. Sunday, Jan. 25 is Photo Night, as all fans who bring a camera will have the opportunity to take pictures on the ice after the game with all the Phantoms players and coaches.

PHANTOMS TRANSACTIONS
1/14 - DELETE Mathieu Brunelle, reassigned to Trenton (ECHL)
1/17 - SIGNED Kirk Furey to a second PTO
1/18 - ADD Patrick Sharp, reassigned from Flyers (NHL)
1/19 - DELETE Antero Niittymaki, recalled by Flyers (NHL)
1/19 - DELETE Jim Vandermeer, recalled by Flyers (NHL)
1/19 - DELETE John Slaney, recalled by Flyers (NHL)

PHANTOMS AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS (thru 1/18)

* Kirby Law is tied for sixth in points (42), seventh in assists (25), tied for 10th in goals (17), 12th in shots (130) and tied for 15th in power-play goals (6)

* Peter White is tied for 13th in points (35) and tied for fifth in assists (26)

* Patrick Sharp is tied for 18th in goals (15), tied for ninth in game-winning goals (4) and tied for fourth in power-play goals (7)

* Mike Peluso is sixth in shots (141)

* Peter Vandermeer is first in penalty minutes (259) and second in major penalties (19)

* Boyd Kane is first in minor penalties (41)

* Neil Little and Antero Niittymaki are tied for 12th in goals-against average (2.13) and tied for eighth in wins (12)

* Dennis Seidenberg is tied for ninth in game-winning goals (4). He is also first among defensemen in game-winning goals, fourth in shots (123), tied for fourth in goals (7), tied for 12th in plus-minus (+11) and tied for 15th in points (19)

* Randy Jones is tied for eighth among rookies in assists (14).

* The Phantoms are fourth in shots allowed per game (26.63) and fifth in goals allowed per game (2.23)

PHANTOMS NOTES

* P.J. Stock played in his 200th AHL game on Jan. 16 vs. Hershey.

* Mike Peluso played in his 300th AHL game on Jan. 17 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

* Ian MacNeil played in his 300th AHL game on Jan. 18 vs. Norfolk.

* Philadelphia is 18-6-2 since Craig Berube joined the team on Nov. 18.

* The Phantoms have had a different player score the game-winning goal in each of their last nine victories.

* Antero Niittymaki is 5-0 with a 1.39 goals-against average in his last five starts. He had a personal scoreless streak of 148:28 come to an end on Jan. 18 vs. Norfolk.

* Kirby Law has already eclipsed his point total from last season. He has 42 points through 43 games this year and had 41 in 74 games in 2002-03.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets to all Phantoms home games are $19, $18 and $14 for adults, and $8 for all children 14 and under, and are available now at the Wachovia Center box office and all Ticketmaster locations throughout the Delaware Valley. Tickets can also be charged by phone by calling (215) 336-2000, (856) 338-9000 or (302) 984-2000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Contact the Phantoms office at 215-465-4522 or log on to www.phantomshockey.com for information on group discounts, birthday packages and the Family Value Pack.

UPCOMING GAMES

Date Opponent Site Time (ET)

Jan. 23 Bridgeport Sound Tigers Wachovia Spectrum 7:05 p.m.

Jan. 24 Hershey Bears GIANT Center 7:00 p.m.

Jan. 25 Springfield Falcons Wachovia Spectrum 5:05 p.m.

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Date Opponent Site W-L-T Score

Jan. 16 Hershey Bears Wachovia Spectrum W 4-0

Jan. 17 W-B/Scranton Penguins Wachovia Arena L 4-3

Jan. 18 Norfolk Admirals Wachovia Spectrum W 4-1



American Hockey League Stories from January 19, 2004


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