Phantoms Weekly

Published on March 30, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


The Phantoms went 3-0 over the weekend to clinch a playoff berth and move into the top spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. On Friday, Peter White's power-play goal 5:14 into the third period was the difference in a 2-1 victory over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Philadelphia and Bridgeport had entered the night tied for first place in the East Division, but Antero Niittymaki's 23 saves helped the Phantoms hop in front. The following night, rookie defenseman James Laux scored 23 seconds into overtime to lift the Phantoms to a 1-0 win in Binghamton. Niittymaki turned aside all 23 shots he faced to notch his club-record sixth shutout of the year. Philadelphia completed its perfect weekend with Sunday's 3-1 triumph over the Manchester Monarchs. White and Kirby Law each recorded a power-play goal and an assist, while Neil Little stopped 19-of-20 shots. The Phantoms' penalty-killing unit was 18-for-18 during the three weekend games.

BACK IN THE PLAYOFFS

After missing the playoffs last year for the first time in club history, the Phantoms clinched a berth with Saturday's 1-0 win in Binghamton. Philadelphia is currently four points ahead of the second-place Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the East Division and one point ahead of the Hartford Wolf Pack for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Hartford has played one less game than the Phantoms. Philadelphia's 42 wins through 73 games are second in the AHL and the team's most since finishing the 1999-2000 season with 44. The Phantoms' 22 home wins are the most since totaling 24 in 1998-99. Philadelphia's 20 road wins are tied for second in the league.

SEEKING 11 STRAIGHT VS. HERSHEY

Philadelphia is 10-0 vs. Hershey this season, outscoring the Bears, 40-11, in the process. The 10-game win streak is a new franchise record for most consecutive victories vs. one opponent, breaking the mark of eight straight wins over Adirondack from Jan. 10, 1998 - March 16, 1999. Philadelphia also blanked Hershey in three straight games (Jan. 16-Feb. 20) to match a club record for most consecutive shutouts vs. one team. Philadelphia had previously shut out Syracuse in three straight games from Oct. 10, 1998 - March 24, 1999.

PENALTY LEADERS

The Phantoms continue to lead the league in penalty minutes (28.68 per game), major penalties (106), minor penalties (562) and game misconducts (23). They are tied for first in 10-minute misconducts (20).

UPCOMING OPPONENTS

The Phantoms are 4-4-1 vs. the Norfolk Admirals heading into Wednesday's encounter at the Spectrum. The teams opened the season series on Oct. 12, as Neil Little stopped all 29 shots he faced in a 3-0 Phantoms victory. Norfolk got revenge on Oct. 25 as Shawn Thornton's unassisted goal in the third period was the difference in a 2-1 Admirals win. The teams then skated to a 4-4 tie on Nov. 26 before Ajay Baines scored two power-play goals and Steve Passmore registered 29 saves in a 2-0 Norfolk win on Dec. 5. The Phantoms answered the following night in Norfolk as Ben Stafford's breakaway goal with 29 seconds remaining was the difference in a 3-2 Philadelphia win. Philly then scored three times in the third period on Dec. 13 to rally for a 3-1 victory. Baines scored twice more on Dec. 27 to help Norfolk post a 3-2 win, but Patrick Sharp netted a pair of goals in a 4-1 Phantoms win on Jan. 18. Norfolk evened the series on March 3 as Craig Anderson made 23 saves in a 4-2 decision. Philadelphia is 16-17-2-2 all-time vs. the Admirals, including an 8-9-1 mark at home.

The Phantoms bring an improbable 10-0 record against the rival Hershey Bears into Friday'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 before Neil Little turned aside 24 shots in a 2-0 road win on Jan. 24. Little made 29 saves in another shutout (3-0) on Feb. 20 and Freddy Meyer recorded a hat trick (all in the third period) in a 4-1 victory the next night. The Phantoms hold a 47-32-8-5 all-time record vs. the Bears, including a 27-14-4-1 at home. The 12-game series will conclude on Sunday, April 11 in Hershey.

Philadelphia is 4-5 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as the teams wrap up their 10-game season series this Saturday. The Penguins won the first match-up, 3-1, on Oct. 24 as Michel Ouellet netted two of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's three third-period goals. Philadelphia responded on Nov. 22 by rallying from a three-goal deficit to post a 5-4 road win. Former Penguin Mark Murphy scored twice in the comeback. The Phantoms posted a 3-2 home win on Nov. 28 thanks to second-period power-play goals by Kirk Furey and Patrick Sharp, and made it three in a row on Jan. 4 when Sharp scored twice in a 3-2 triumph. Wilkes-Barre got back in the win column on Jan. 17 as Kris Beech netted the game-winner 6:01 into the third period of a 4-3 decision, and then posted a 2-0 win on Feb. 18 behind 30 saves by Sebastien Caron. The Penguins and Caron posted their second straight shutout on March 6 as Tomas Surovy scored twice and Ouellet had three assists in a 4-0 decision, and made it three in a row when Andy Chiodo made 15 saves in a 1-0 win on March 16. Philadelphia ended the skid three days later as John Slaney scored 1:24 into overtime of a 3-2 decision. The Phantoms hold a 30-17-3-1 lead in the all-time series, including a 16-8-1 mark on the road.

Philadelphia takes a 2-3 record vs. Binghamton into Sunday's season finale. In the teams' first-ever meeting on Oct. 10, Denis Hamel scored twice and added an assist to lead the Senators to a 4-2 victory. Binghamton then posted a 5-1 win on Dec. 28 as Josh Langfeld recorded a goal and two assists. The game also included a combined 373 penalty minutes. Philadelphia got in the win column with a 2-1 victory on Jan. 10 thanks to goals by Ian MacNeil and Nick Deschenes, but Binghamton answered on Feb. 7 thanks to a hat trick by David Hymovitz. Philadelphia then posted a 1-0 road win on March 27 on James Laux's goal 23 seconds into overtime. Antero Niittymaki made 23 saves to notch the shutout.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS

Following Philadelphia's game on Wednesday, March 31 vs. Norfolk, local rock band Octane will be performing at the Spectrum thanks to WYSP (94.1 FM). Octane was the winner of the 2003 Philadelphia Music Awards: Best Original Band and Best Original CD, and has opened for 3 Doors Down, Judas Priest and Poison. Everyone with a ticket to the Phantoms game that night will get to stay for the concert. On Friday, April 2, Chick-Fil-A will have interactive tables on the concourse and the ever-popular Cows On Ice promotion during an intermission. The Cingular Wireless NCAA Team and inflatable will also be on hand, as will the folks from WHYY TV and the Epilepsy Foundation. Fan Appreciation Night is set for Sunday, April 4. Dozens of prizes will be up for grabs, including game-worn jerseys in the Shirts Off Our Back promotion, a Hyundai Santa Fe and a Harley Davidson Sportster. The Phantoms' end-of-season team awards will be presented prior to the game.

PHANTOMS TRANSACTIONS

3/25 - DELETE Nick Deschenes, reassigned to Trenton (ECHL)

PHANTOMS AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS (thru 3/29)

* Kirby Law is tied for fifth in points (66), tied for seventh in assists (41) and tied for 13th in goals (25) and power-play goals (9)
* Peter White is fifth in assists (43)
* Mike Peluso is tied for 11th in shots (213)
* Peter Vandermeer is first in penalty minutes (359)
* Boyd Kane is first in minor penalties (68)
* Neil Little is 13th in goals-against average (2.06), tied for ninth in wins (20) and tied for seventh in shutouts (5)
* Antero Niittymaki is eighth in wins (21), tied for fifth in shutouts (6) and tied for ninth in goals-against average (2.03)
* Dennis Seidenberg is tied for first among defensemen in game-winning goals (4)
* Randy Jones is tied for 13th among rookies in assists (22)
* Kirk Furey is tied for 16th overall and tied for eighth among defensemen in plus/minus (+18)
* John Slaney is first among defensemen in goals (16), second in power-play goals (9), tied for first in shorthanded goals (2) and game-winning goals (4) and tied for eighth in points (40)
* Freddy Meyer is tied for sixth among defensemen in goals (11) and tied for fifth in power-play goals (6). Among rookies, he is tied for fourth in power-play goals.
* The Phantoms are third in shots allowed per game (25.53), tied for second in power-play goals scored (65) and fifth in goals allowed per game (2.14)

PHANTOMS NOTES

* Peter Vandermeer played in his 200th game as a Phantom on March 26 vs. Bridgeport and in his 300th AHL game on March 28 vs. Manchester.
* Kirby Law played in his 300th game as a Phantom on March 26 vs. Bridgeport.
* Philadelphia is 7-0 when wearing its purple third jerseys.
* Stephen Wood made his pro debut on March 26 vs. Bridgeport.
* The Phantoms are 15-0 since Nov. 21 when a defenseman scores in a home game.
* Antero Niittymaki is 5-2 with a 0.95 GAA in his last eight appearances.

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)
March 31 Norfolk Admirals Wachovia Spectrum 7:05 p.m.
April 2 Hershey Bears Wachovia Spectrum 7:05 p.m.
April 3 W-B/Scranton Penguins Wachovia Arena 7:05 p.m.
April 4 Binghamton Senators Wachovia Spectrum 5:05 p.m.

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Date Opponent Site W-L-T Score
March 26 Bridgeport Sound Tigers Wachovia Spectrum W 2-1
March 27 Binghamton Senators Veterans Memorial Arena W 1-0 (OT)
March 28 Manchester Monarchs Wachovia Spectrum W 3-1

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American Hockey League Stories from March 30, 2004


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