Phantoms Weekly

Published on January 26, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


The Phantoms won three games in three days over the weekend to assume the top spot in the Eastern Conference. On Friday, Kirk Furey scored twice and Antero Niittymaki made 16 saves in a 2-0 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Entering the day with two goals in 27 games as a Phantom this season, Furey doubled his scoring output with a power-play goal in the second and an even strength marker in the third. The Phantoms made it two shutouts in a row on Saturday with a 2-0 decision at Hershey. Defensemen Freddy Meyer and John Slaney provided the goal scoring, while Neil Little stopped all 24 shots he faced. Philadelphia completed its perfect weekend with a 3-2 victory over the Springfield Falcons on Sunday. Nick Deschenes, who was recalled from Trenton earlier in the day, tallied the game-winner with 4:25 remaining, while Ben Stafford assisted on all three goals and Little turned aside 24 shots to notch the win.

NO. 1 IN EASTERN CONFERENCE

Thanks to nine wins in their last 10 games, the Phantoms have jumped into the top spot in the Eastern Conference with 59 points. Only the Grand Rapids Griffins, with 62, have more points in the AHL. Included in Philadelphia's recent success is a current six-game home winning streak, which is the club's longest since an eight-game run from March 16-April 9, 1999.

NIITTYMAKI ON FIRE

Goaltender Antero Niittymaki is 6-0 with a 1.16 goals-against average in his last six starts. The second-year Phantom is even better in his last three outings, sporting a 3-0 record with two shutouts and a 0.33 GAA. Niittymaki's four shutouts this year ties the team record set by Neil Little in 2002-03.

EIGHT IN A ROW VS. HERSHEY

Philadelphia is 8-0 vs. Hershey this season, outscoring the Bears, 33-10, in the process. The eight-game win streak matches a franchise record for most consecutive victories vs. one opponent, as the Phantoms previously captured eight straight meetings with Adirondack from Jan. 10, 1998 - March 16, 1999. Philadelphia has shut out the Bears in each of the last two encounters and has a current scoreless streak of 161:38 vs. Hershey. The teams play each other four more times in 2003-04.

SHUTOUTS GALORE

The Phantoms posted their sixth and seventh shutouts of the season over the weekend with 2-0 decisions over Bridgeport and Hershey. The shutout total is a new club record for a season, eclipsing the previous mark of five set in 2000-01.

Philadelphia registered shutouts in consecutive games for the third time in club history, as the team accomplished the feat twice during the 2000-01 campaign.

STAFFORD OWNS AHL'S LONGEST ACTIVE GAMES PLAYED STREAK

Center Ben Stafford's streak of 150 consecutive AHL games played is currently the longest in the league. The 25-year-old began the streak by playing the final 24 games of the 2001-02 season with the Providence Bruins. He was then the only Phantom to play in all 80 games last season and is one of three players to appear in each of Philadelphia's first 46 games this year. Entering this week, the AHL's second-longest games played streak is 144 by San Antonio's Mike Green.

PENALTY LEADERS

The Phantoms lead the league in penalty minutes (30.28 per game), major penalties (73), minor penalties (359), 10-minute misconducts (12) and game misconducts (18). The game misconduct total is already more than any AHL team had all of last season.

UPCOMING OPPONENTS

The Phantoms carry a three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1) against the Hartford Wolf Pack into their first match-up of the season on Friday. Last year, Philadelphia recorded a 5-5 tie in Hartford on Oct. 26 and notched a 5-4 overtime win at home on March 23. The Phantoms hold an 8-6-2-2 lead in the all-time series, but are 3-4-0-2 when playing in Philly. The Wolf Pack are set to host the Phantoms on Friday, Feb 13.

Philadelphia and Milwaukee have split four all-time meetings heading into Saturday afternoon's showdown at the Wachovia Center. The Admirals entered the AHL in 2001-02 and proceeded to post 3-0 and 5-0 victories over the Phantoms that season. But Philadelphia exacted revenge in 2002-03 by winning 6-5 in overtime at home on Nov. 22 and pulling out a 4-3 road win on March 14. The Phantoms will play in Milwaukee on Saturday, Feb. 28.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS

The one-and-only SpongeBob SquarePants is set to return to the Wachovia Spectrum on Friday, Jan. 30. Nickelodeon's SpongeBob and his buddy Patrick will be signing autographs and taking pictures with their fans who bring cameras. SpongeBob SquarePants episodes will also be shown in Bullies from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Nick Jr.'s Dora the Explorer will be appearing at the Phantoms game on Saturday, Jan. 31, courtesy of Comcast, to sign autographs and take pictures with fans who bring cameras. Lucky fans will win Dora t-shirts, binoculars, key rings, bookmarks, gift packs and balloons. Jerseys from Philadelphia's inaugural season of 1996-97 will also be auctioned off on Saturday.

PHANTOMS TRANSACTIONS
1/21 - DELETE Patrick Sharp, recalled by Flyers (NHL)
1/22 - DELETE Nick Deschenes, reassigned to Trenton (ECHL)
1/23 - ADD John Slaney, reassigned from Flyers (NHL)
1/23 - ADD Chris Houle, signed to an AHL contract
1/23 - DELETE Neil Little, recalled by Flyers (NHL)
1/23 - ADD Antero Niittymaki, reassigned from Flyers (NHL)
1/24 - DELETE Antero Niittymaki, recalled by Flyers (NHL)
1/24 - ADD Neil Little, reassigned from Flyers (NHL)
1/25 - ADD Nick Deschenes, recalled from Trenton (ECHL)

PHANTOMS AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS (thru 1/25)

* Kirby Law is tied for fifth in points (45) and assists (28), tied for 11th in goals (17), tied for 14th in shots (137) and tied for 16th in power-play goals (6)

* Peter White is tied for 16th in points (35) and tied for seventh in assists (26)

* Patrick Sharp is tied for 10th in game-winning goals (4) and tied for seventh in power-play goals (7)

* Mike Peluso is seventh in shots (149)

* Peter Vandermeer is first in penalty minutes (271) and tied for third in major penalties (19)

* Boyd Kane is first in minor penalties (45)

* Neil Little is seventh in goals-against average (2.02), tied for fifth in wins (14) and tied for seventh in shutouts (3)

* Antero Niittymaki is eighth in goals-against average (2.05), tied for ninth in wins (13) and tied for fourth in shutouts (4)

* Dennis Seidenberg is tied for 10th in game-winning goals (4). He is also first among defensemen in game-winning goals, fifth in shots (123), tied for fifth in goals (7), tied for 13th in plus-minus (+11) and tied for 17th in points (19)

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

* The Phantoms are third in shots allowed per game (26.33) and fifth in goals allowed per game (2.13)

PHANTOMS NOTES

* John Slaney played in his 700th game as a pro on Jan. 25 vs. Springfield.

* Philadelphia is 21-6-2 since Craig Berube joined the team on Nov. 18.

* A different player scored the game-winning goal in each of the Phantoms' 11 victories from Dec. 18-Jan. 24.

* Chris Houle was the winning goaltender at the ECHL All-Star Game on Jan. 21 after he stopped all 10 shots he faced during the third period for the Eastern Conference team.

* Defensemen Kirk Furey (2), Freddy Meyer (2) Randy Jones and John Slaney accounted for six consecutive goals for the Phantoms over the weekend.

* The Phantoms have killed 30-of-31 power plays over the last four games.

* The Phantoms have recorded a shutout in both games they have worn their purple third jerseys this season (Jan. 16 vs. Hershey & Jan. 23 vs. Bridgeport). The team is scheduled to wear them again this Saturday vs. Milwaukee.

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. 30 Hartford Wolf Pack Wachovia Spectrum 7:05 p.m.
Jan. 31 Milwaukee Admirals Wachovia Center 3:05 p.m. (CN8)

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
Date Opponent Site W-L-T Score
Jan. 23 Bridgeport Sound Tigers Wachovia Spectrum W 2-0
Jan. 24 Hershey Bears GIANT Center W 2-0
Jan. 25 Springfield Falcons Wachovia Spectrum W 3-2

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American Hockey League Stories from January 26, 2004


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