Phantoms Weekly

Published on April 11, 2005 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


The Phantoms went 2-2 last week to clinch home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs and remain in the hunt for their second straight East Division title. On Wednesday in Norfolk, the Phantoms built a 2-0 lead thanks to R.J. Umberger's first career multi-goal game, but the Admirals answered with four consecutive goals en route to a 4-3 victory. Matt Keith tallied twice for Norfolk, while Craig Anderson made 15 saves for the win. John Slaney added a goal and an assist for Philadelphia and Antero Niittymaki had 31 saves. The Phantoms returned home on Friday and suffered a 3-1 loss to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Wade Dubielewicz stopped 19-of-20 shots and Justin Papineau netted the game-winning goal in the second period. Slaney scored Philadelphia's lone goal and Niittymaki finished with 20 saves. The Phantoms traveled to Hershey on Saturday and came away with a 2-1 victory. Neil Little allowed Jamie Rivers to score on Hershey's first shot 18 seconds into the game, but then turned aside all 37 shots he faced thereafter. Mark Murphy and Patrick Sharp each scored in the second period for the Phantoms. On Sunday, Murphy evened the score with 3:46 left in regulation and Dennis Seidenberg scored 41 seconds into overtime in a 3-2 triumph over the Albany River Rats. Niittymaki made 31 saves to earn the win, while Albany's Scott Clemmensen registered 32.

UPCOMING OPPONENTS

Philadelphia takes an 8-3 record vs. the Bears into Friday's game at the Spectrum. The Phantoms captured all 12 match-ups with the Bears in 2003-04 and won the first four meetings this season before Hershey answered by winning three in a row. Philadelphia has responded with four straight wins and now owns a 57-40-8 lead in the all-time series, including a 32-16-4 mark at home.

Philadelphia will bring a 5-0 mark vs. Albany into Saturday's showdown. The Phantoms posted a 4-3 overtime win in the first encounter of the year on Nov. 20 and then a 5-4 shootout win in Albany on Jan. 1. Things got easier with a 3-0 victory on Jan. 9 behind 27 saves by Neil Little before Philadelphia pulled out a 3-2 victory on Jan. 24 and a 3-2 overtime win on April 10. The Phantoms are 19-14-4 all-time against Albany, including a 7-9-2 mark when playing on the road.

The Phantoms are 4-5 vs. the Norfolk Admirals heading into Sunday's regular-season finale. Ben Stafford lifted Philadelphia to a 3-2 win on Nov. 14 when he scored 2:41 into overtime. Norfolk responded with four straight wins, including a pair of 2-1 overtime decisions in December, a 6-2 blowout on Jan. 14 and a 3-2 shootout win in Philadelphia two days later. The Phantoms then captured three straight encounters, all on the road, before the Admirals pulled out a 4-3 win on April 6. Philadelphia went 5-4-1 against the Admirals last year before defeating Norfolk in six games in the East Division Semifinals. The Phantoms are 21-24-2 all-time vs. the Admirals, including a 20-12-1 mark at home.

DOWN TO THE WIRE

The East Division's top two teams - Binghamton and Philadelphia - are separated by just three points heading into the final week of the regular season. The Senators have 102 points with two games left on the schedule, while the Phantoms are at 99 with three games remaining. Each club has secured home-ice advantage for at least the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Norfolk (91 points) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (88) have locked up the division's other two playoff berths. The following is a breakdown of Binghamton and Philadelphia's remaining schedules (thru April 10):

Team Games Left Home Away vs. East
Binghamton 2 1 1 1
Philadelphia 3 2 1 3

NIITTYMAKI TIES CLUB RECORD
Antero Niittymaki made 31 saves on April 10 vs. Albany to earn his 31st win of the season and tie the club record for most in a season. Neil Little previously accomplished the feat in 1996-97 and 1997-98. Niittymaki had 27 combined victories last year with the Phantoms (24) and Flyers (3).

LITTLE IN NINTH ON AHL'S WINS LIST
Goaltender Neil Little picked up his 203rd career AHL win on Saturday in Hershey, which moved him into sole possession of ninth place all-time. Little had been in a tie with Jean-Francois Labbe, who compiled 202 wins from 1993-2003. Next up for Little is Nick Damore, who registered 211 AHL victories from 1938-47.

STAFFORD NAMED MAN OF THE YEAR
Forward Ben Stafford was named the winner of the Phantoms' American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Philadelphia community and charitable organizations during the 2004-05 season. Stafford, who also received the award during the 2002-03 campaign, will be honored during an on-ice ceremony prior to Sunday's game.

PHANTOMS SIGN COOK
The Phantoms signed defenseman Charlie Cook to an amateur tryout contract on April 5. As a senior this season at Cornell University, Cook was named First Team All-Ivy League and Second Team All-ECAC after compiling career highs in points (22), goals (9), power-play goals (6) and game-winning goals (3). During his four years at Cornell, he recorded 70 points (16G, 54A) and 68 PIM in 129 career games.

UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
On Friday, April 15, Zoozapalooza will take place at the Wachovia Spectrum. The Philadelphia Zoo's Zoo On Wheels, featuring several live animals, will be set up on the concourse along with other interactive and educational displays. The Phantoms and the Philadelphia Zoo have partnered up for other events earlier this season including the team's first-ever Teddy Bear Toss as well as the team adopting a polar bear through the Zoo's ADOPT (Animals Depend On People Too) program. Fan Appreciation Night is set for Sunday, April 17. Dozens of prizes will be up for grabs, including game-worn jerseys in the Shirts Off Our Back promotion, a Mexican vacation and a Harley Davidson Sportster. The Phantoms' end-of-season team awards will be presented prior to the game.

PHANTOMS TRANSACTIONS
4/5 - ADD Charlie Cook, signed to an ATO
4/9 - SIGNED Riley Cote, to a fourth PTO

PHANTOMS AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS (thru 4/10)
* Riley Cote is second among rookies in major penalties (28) and third in penalty minutes (278).
* Ben Eager is first among rookies in minor penalties (54), tied for fourth in penalty minutes (218) and 10th in plus/minus (+10).
* Antero Niittymaki is 10th in goals-against average (2.12), fourth in minutes (3332:52), fifth in wins (31), sixth in games by a goalie (56) and eighth in saves (1,397).
* Joni Pitkanen is tied for 13th among defensemen in assists (30) and ninth in shots (186).
* Dennis Seidenberg is first among defensemen in game-winning goals (6), tied for fourth in goals (13) and tied for 12th in power-play goals (6).
* Jon Sim is tied for second in game-winning goals (10), tied for fifth in goals (35), fifth in shots (255) and tied for 11th in shorthanded goals (3).
* John Slaney is tied for 11th among defensemen in points (43), tied for fourth in goals (13) and power-play goals (7), tied for 13th in assists (30) and first in shooting percentage (.118).
* R.J. Umberger is first among rookies in assists (40), tied for second in points (60), fifth in goals (20), fourth in plus/minus (+15), sixth in shots (184) and tied for sixth in game-winning goals (4).
* Tony Voce is tied for 10th among rookies in points (38), tied for second in power-play goals (10), fourth in goals (22), tied for sixth in shooting percentage (.141) and 11th in shots (156).
* The Phantoms are third in goals allowed per game (2.34), fifth in penalty minutes per game (27.56) and penalty killing (87.2 percent), and seventh in shots allowed per game (28.32).

PHANTOMS NOTES
* Philadelphia is 11-for-39 on the power play over the last nine games to rise from 21st (14.4 percent) to 11th (15.8) in the league.
* Jon Sim's 33 goals are the most by a Phantom since Mike Maneluk tallied a franchise-record 47 in 1999-2000.
* Neil Little has moved into second place on the Phantoms' all-time games played list with 350. Peter White is first with 431.
* The Phantoms are 27-2 when scoring four or more goals in a game.
* R.J. Umberger, Ben Stafford and Dennis Seidenberg are the only Phantoms to appear in all 77 games this season.

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 April 11, 2005


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