Phantoms Weekly

Published on February 9, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


The Phantoms went 1-1 over the weekend to maintain the third-best winning percentage (.640) in the AHL. On Friday, Kirk Furey recorded a goal and two assists and Jeff Hackett made 16 saves to lead the Phantoms to a 5-2 triumph over the Albany River Rats. John Slaney, Kirby Law and P.J. Stock all added two points for Philadelphia, which is unbeaten in its last four home games (3-0-1) vs. Albany. The following night, David Hymovitz scored three times in the second period as the Binghamton Senators built a four-goal lead and hung on for a 6-5 victory over the Phantoms. Serge Payer added a goal and two assists during the second stanza, when Binghamton tallied five straight goals to build a 6-2 cushion heading into the third. Philadelphia then scored three times in a span of 3:32 to make it a one-goal game with 10:28 remaining, but could not register the equalizer. Ian MacNeil and Kirby Law both scored two goals for Philadelphia in the losing effort.

PHANTOMS UNBEATEN IN NINE STRAIGHT HOME GAMES

Philadelphia is on a nine-game home unbeaten streak (8-0-1) since suffering a 3-1 loss to the Worcester IceCats on Jan. 2. It is the team's longest home unbeaten streak since going 8-0-2 from April 1-Nov. 6, 1998. The Phantoms' 16 home wins this season tie for third most in the league.

NIITTYMAKI WINS FIRST TWO NHL STARTS

Goaltender Antero Niittymaki had quite a week to remember last week when he picked up the win in each of his first two NHL starts with the Flyers. On Feb. 4 vs. Washington, he stopped 19-of-20 shots in a 5-1 victory over the Capitals and then made 20 saves the following night in a 5-1 triumph in Atlanta. Niittymaki became the first Flyers goalie to win in his NHL debut since Dominic Roussel on Oct. 17, 1991 vs. Quebec.

HACKETT & LAPOINTE JOIN PHANTOMS

Goaltender Jeff Hackett and center Claude Lapointe were both assigned to the Phantoms on conditioning loans last week. Hackett started on Feb. 6 and made 16 saves to post the win in a 5-2 victory over the Albany River Rats. It was the 35-year-old's first AHL appearance since he was with the Springfield Indians in 1989-90. Lapointe played in two games over the weekend and registered a goal and an assist in his first AHL action since 1995-96 with Saint John.

LAW JOINS 200-POINT CLUB

Kirby Law recorded a goal and an assist on Feb. 6 to become just the third player to total 200 career points as a Phantom. Now in his fifth season with the team, Law only trails Peter White (444) and Mark Greig (372) on the Phantoms' all-time points list. The All-Star right wing also currently ranks third on the club's all-time goals list (89) and fourth in assists (113) and games played (285).

COMCAST SPORTSNET TO TELEVISE 2004 PEPSI AHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC

Comcast SportsNet will be televising live the 2004 Pepsi AHL All-Star Game this Monday, Feb. 9 at 7:00 p.m. from Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. Representing the Phantoms will be right wing Kirby Law. CN8 will be broadcasting the Skills Competition on a tape delayed basis on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 1:00 p.m.

PENALTY LEADERS

The Phantoms continue to lead the league in penalty minutes (29.28 per game), major penalties (76), minor penalties (387) and game misconducts (18). Philadelphia is second in 10-minute misconducts (12).

UPCOMING OPPONENTS

The Phantoms carry a four-game unbeaten streak (2-0-2) against the Hartford Wolf Pack into their second and final match-up of the season on Friday. In the teams' first encounter on Jan. 30, Boyd Kane and Kirby Law each scored in the third period to help Philadelphia rally for a 3-3 tie. Ian MacNeil also scored and Antero Niittymaki made 26 saves vs. the Wolf Pack. 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 8-6-3-2 lead in the all-time series, including a 5-2-2 mark when playing in Hartford.

Philadelphia looks to end a four-game losing streak vs. the IceCats heading into Saturday's showdown in Worcester. On Jan. 2, Mike Glumac recorded a hat trick to lead the IceCats to a 3-1 win at the Spectrum. Kirby Law scored the lone goal and Antero Niittymaki made 25 saves in the losing effort. The Phantoms are 5-7-2-3 all-time vs. Worcester, including a 1-3-2-2 mark on the road. Philadelphia's last victory in the series came on Oct. 5, 2001 and the team is 0-3-2-1 in Worcester since its last win there on April 6, 1997.

The Phantoms seek a two-game season sweep of the Lowell Lock Monsters when the teams square off on Sunday. On Nov. 21, Mike Peluso scored three times and added an assist, while Peter White tied a team record with four assists in a 6-2 victory over the Lock Monsters. Philadelphia is 4-1-0-2 all-time vs. Lowell, including a 2-1 mark when playing in Lowell.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS

The Phantoms and the National Constitution Center will be giving away mini George Washington bobblehead dolls to kids on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The first U.S. President is wearing a white #87 Phantoms jersey and holding a hockey stick in his right hand.

PHANTOMS TRANSACTIONS

2/3 - ADD Jim Vandermeer, Neil Little & Claude Lapointe, reassigned from Flyers (NHL)
2/3 - DELETE Antero Niittymaki, recalled by Flyers (NHL)
2/4 - DELETE Neil Little, recalled by Flyers (NHL)
2/6 - ADD Antero Niittymaki, Neil Little & Jeff Hackett, reassigned from Flyers (NHL)
2/9 - DELETE Antero Niittymaki, recalled by Flyers (NHL)

PHANTOMS AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS (thru 2/8)

* Kirby Law is fourth in points (53), tied for fifth in assists (32), tied for fourth in goals (21) and tied for 14th in shots (152)

* Peter White is tied for 17th in points (40), tied for seventh in assists (30) and tied for 13th in plus/minus (+14)

* Patrick Sharp is tied for 16th in game-winning goals (4) and tied for 10th in power-play goals (7)

* Mike Peluso is tied for 12th in shots (156)

* Peter Vandermeer is first in penalty minutes (281) and tied for second in major penalties (21)

* Boyd Kane is first in minor penalties (47)

* Neil Little is tied for sixth in goals-against average (2.02), tied for 11th in wins (14) and tied for eighth in shutouts (3)

* Antero Niittymaki is tied for 11th in wins (14) and tied for fifth in shutouts (4)

* Dennis Seidenberg is tied for 16th in game-winning goals (4). He is also first among defensemen in game-winning goals, sixth in shots (123), tied for eighth in goals (7) and tied for 12th in plus/minus (+11)

* Randy Jones is tied for fifth among rookies and tied for 15th among defensemen in assists (17)

* Kirk Furey is tied for 12th among defensemen in plus/minus (+11)

* John Slaney is tied for eighth among defensemen in goals (7) and tied for third in power-play goals (5)

* The Phantoms are third in shots allowed per game (26.08) and sixth in goals scored per game (2.86)

PHANTOMS NOTES

* Mathieu Brunelle, who has played in six games with the Phantoms this year, scored an ECHL season-high five goals and added an assist in the Trenton Titans' 8-5 victory over the Augusta Lynx on Jan. 31. The six-point performance came one night after he registered a goal and three assists in a 4-1 win over the Dayton Bombers. Brunelle was named the ECHL Player of the Week for his efforts.

* Kirby Law has 10 points (4G, 6A) during his current five-game point streak.

* Antero Niittymaki is unbeaten in his last nine starts for the Phantoms (7-0-1 with one no-decision).

* John Slaney needs one goal to tie Jim Wiemer's AHL record for most career goals by a defenseman (124).

* Philadelphia's postponed game vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Feb. 3 has been rescheduled for March 16.

* David Hymovitz's hat trick on Feb. 7 was the first allowed by the Phantoms on the road since Worcester's Eric Boguniecki on Jan. 16, 2002.

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.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 9, 2004


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