Phantoms Weekly

Published on December 27, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


The Phantoms lost both of their games last week, but still own an eight-point lead for first place in the AHL's East Division. On Wednesday, Patrick Sharp and Josh Gratton each scored to give Philadelphia a 2-1 lead after two periods. Bridgeport went with an extra attacker in the final seconds and managed to even the score with one-tenth of a second remaining on Steve Regier's tap-in. The game eventually went into a shootout and the Sound Tigers prevailed to post a 3-2 victory and even the season series at two wins apiece. Antero Niittymaki stopped 26-of-28 shots in 65 minutes of action. On Sunday, Kris Beech recorded a goal and two assists to lead the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 5-3 triumph over the Phantoms. Marc-Andre Fleury registered 29 saves to also help the Penguins knot the season series at two wins apiece, while Niittymaki turned aside 19-of-23 shots. John Slaney led the way offensively with a goal and an assist vs. his former team.

UPCOMING OPPONENTS
The Phantoms and Norfolk Admirals meet this Wednesday for the third time in 2004-05. Ben Stafford lifted Philadelphia to a 3-2 win on Nov. 14 when he scored 2:41 into overtime. Norfolk answered with a 2-1 triumph on Dec. 4 thanks to Pavel Vorobiev's goal with 41.1 seconds left in overtime. Philadelphia went 5-4-1 against the Admirals last year, including a 3-1-1 mark at home, before defeating Norfolk in six games in the East Division Semifinals. The Phantoms are 18-17-2-3 all-time vs. Norfolk and 10-9-1-1 when playing in Philadelphia. The teams will next play on Jan. 14 in Norfolk.

Philadelphia and Hershey square off for the sixth time on Friday. The Phantoms captured all 12 match-ups with the Bears in 2003-04 and won the first four meetings this season before Hershey ended the 16-game slide with a 4-3 victory on Dec. 10. Philadelphia owns a 53-33-8-5 lead in the all-time series, including a 23-18-4-4 mark on the road. The Phantoms have won their last eight visits to Hershey. The teams will next meet on Jan. 22 in Hershey.

Philadelphia and Albany continue their six-game season series on Saturday. The Phantoms posted a 4-3 win in the first encounter of the year on Nov. 20 thanks to Jon Sim's goal 1:30 into overtime. Philadelphia went 4-2 vs. the River Rats in 2003-04 and is 15-13-4-1 all-time against Albany, including a 6-9-2 mark when playing on the road. The River Rats will make their first trip into Philadelphia on Sunday, Jan. 9.

The Phantoms take on the Rochester Americans for the first time since 2002-03 this Sunday. Philadelphia swept all four meetings two seasons ago and is on a 10-game unbeaten streak (8-0-2) with Rochester since its last loss in the series on Feb. 9, 2001. The Phantoms hold a 17-15-4 lead in the all-time series, including a 9-7-2 mark when playing at home. Rochester is set to host Philadelphia on Jan. 21.

FEDORUK BACK IN SCORING COLUMN
Todd Fedoruk's goal on Sunday was his first in the AHL since Oct. 15, 1999 vs. Providence. The left wing had scored 10 times for the Philadelphia Flyers over the last four years, but was held without a goal in his previous 47 appearances with the Phantoms since scoring in his second game as a pro.

SCORING EARLY IN DECEMBER
The Phantoms have scored in the opening minute of a game three times so far this month. Patrick Sharp started things off by scoring 15 seconds into Philadelphia's home match-up vs. Hershey on Dec. 10. The following night, John Slaney lit the lamp at the 22-second mark in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Then on Dec. 26, Todd Fedoruk established a new club record for fastest opening goal of a game when he scored 13 seconds into the Phantoms' return trip to Wilkes-Barre. Despite the early success, Philadelphia went on to lose all three of those games.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
On Jan. 14, a new Warner Brothers animated movie, Racing Stripes will open, but fans can check out what the movie is all about at this Wednesday's Phantoms game against the Norfolk Admirals. The first 500 kids (12 & under) in attendance will get Racing Stripes t-shirts, the Philadelphia Zoo will have a display on the concourse and there will be many other prize giveaways. Wednesday's game will also be televised live on Comcast SportsNet.

PHANTOMS AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS (thru 12/26)
* Ben Eager is tied for first among rookies in minor penalties (23).
* Josh Gratton is third in penalty minutes (168) and fifth in major penalties (18).
* Freddy Meyer is tied for fourth among defensemen in plus/minus (+13) and shooting percentage (.125).
* Antero Niittymaki is fourth in goals-against average (1.87), tied for fourth in wins (14) and tied for first in shootout wins (3).
* Joni Pitkanen is tied for 13th among defensemen in points (17).
* Dennis Seidenberg is tied for 10th among defensemen in points (18) and tied for third in game-winning goals (2).
* R.J. Umberger is tied for third among rookies in points (20), tied for fourth in goals (9) and fifth in assists (11).
* Tony Voce is eighth among rookies in points (17) and tied for second in power-play goals (4).
* The Phantoms are second in shots allowed per game (26.73), fourth in goals allowed per game (2.17), fifth in power-play percentage (18.9) and eighth in goals per game (3.10).

PHANTOMS NOTES
* Last Wednesday's loss to the Sound Tigers was the Phantoms' first when leading after two periods on the road since Nov. 15, 2003 - also a 3-2 decision at Bridgeport.
* The Phantoms are 5-for-15 all-time in penalty shots following Boyd Kane's failed attempt on Sunday.
* Joni Pitkanen has scored all three of his goals this season in Wilkes-Barre. John Slaney has tallied three of his four goals vs. the Penguins.
* Philadelphia is 7-3 when a game goes into overtime or a shootout.

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 Four Pack.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 27, 2004


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