Phantoms Weekly

March 31, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


WEEKEND RECAP

The Phantoms split a two-game week with a 5-3 win over Binghamton on Friday and a 5-3 loss to Hamilton on Sunday. Binghamton fought back from a 3-1 deficit before Nate Guenin scored the game-winning goal with just over six minutes remaining. He earned first star honors for the first time in his professional career. On Sunday, the Phantoms went down 3-0 after the first period and had to kill off a total of 12 Hamilton power plays, two of which lasted a total of seven consecutive minutes. Ryan Potulny had two goals for the Phantoms in the Sunday contest.

UPCOMING OPPONENTS

Wednesday, April 2 - Phantoms vs. Norfolk Admirals, 7:05: The Phantoms close out their 10-game season series with the Admirals (Tampa Bay Lightning). The Phantoms have gone 6-3 in the nine games so far. The Admirals enter the week with a record of 26-41-2-5 for 59 points, putting them in 7th place in the East Division. They have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Friday, April 4, 7:30 and Sunday, April 6, 5:05 - Phantoms vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers: The Phantoms and the Sound Tigers (New York Islanders) will finish out their season series with two games this weekend, first in Bridgeport on Friday night and then in Philadelphia on Sunday. This will finish off the eight-game season series between the two clubs, and both games will be very important in the playoff race - the Phantoms can all but clinch a playoff spot with a win in one of the two games, while the Sound Tigers are trying to catch Hershey for the final playoff spot in the division. Philadelphia has a record of 2-2-0-2. In the last meeting between the two clubs, the Sound Tigers came out on top by a score of 4-2. Colton Fretter scored two goals for the Sound Tigers in that game.

Saturday, April 5 - Phantoms at Wilkes/Barre Scranton Penguins, 7:05: The Phantoms and Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins) conclude their 10-game season series in what could be the biggest game of the season for the Phantoms. Philadelphia trails Wilkes-Barre/Scranton by one point in the East Division heading into this week. The Phantoms are 6-3 against Wilkes-Barre this season.

Live audio and video broadcasts are available for every game at Phantomshockey.com.

PHANTOMS RESET

The Phantoms are 42-25-3-3 for 90 points through 73 games. For the first time this season, the Phantoms are starting a week in second place in the AHL's East Division. They had at least a share of first place since October 8, the first Monday of the 2007-08 campaign.

On February 26, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was in fourth place, 14 points behind the Phantoms. The Penguins have erased that deficit by posting a record of 13-4 in 17 games, including nine consecutive wins. During that same time period, the Phantoms are 5-7-1-1 in 14 games.

The Penguins hold a one-point lead over the Phantoms with two weeks remaining in the regular season and seven games remaining for each team. There is one head-to-head matchup, which comes this Saturday in Wilkes-Barre. Philadelphia's other six games consist of home contests against Norfolk, Bridgeport, Hershey and Albany, and road games at Bridgeport and Hershey. Wilkes-Barre's other six games include four home games - against Albany, Springfield, Bridgeport and Norfolk - and road games at Albany and Hershey.

Albany sits in third place, three points behind the Phantoms at 87 points. Hershey is eight points back at 82 points, and holds a three-point lead over Binghamton and a four-point lead over Bridgeport in the charge for the final playoff spot in the East Division. Norfolk has been eliminated.

Depending on how the week goes, Philadelphia's first possible chance to clinch a playoff spot could come this Friday night when they visit the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Phantoms magic number to clinch a playoff spot is five points over Bridgeport. The Sound Tigers have 78 points and eight games remaining, so they can reach 94 points on the season. The Phantoms currently have 90 points, so any number of points gained by the Phantoms or lost by the Sound Tigers adding up to five would clinch a playoff spot for Philadelphia.

Comparisons to past years through 73 games:

2007-08: 42-25-3-3, 90 points

2006-07: 28-37-2-6, 64 points

2004-05: 44-22-3-4, 95 points

1997-98: 44-19-2-8, 98 points

1996-97: 46-16-2-9, 103 points

Note: The 2004-05 and 1997-98 teams won Calder Cups; the 1996-97 team had the best regular-season record in team history.

2004-05 and later are W-L-OTL-SOL. 1996-97 and 1997-98 are W-L-OTL-T

DOWN THE HOME STRETCH

The games are bigger than ever now as the Phantoms jockey for playoff position in the East Division! A win on Wednesday against Norfolk would set the Phantoms up to possibly clinch a playoff spot in Bridgeport on Friday night. Then on Sunday, the Tigers are back in Philadelphia for another contest that will see the Phantoms trying to earn a division championship. Come out and support your Phantoms as the stakes get higher! Tickets are available at phantomshockey.com or at 1-800-298-4200.

BOB CLARKE INDUCTED INTO PHANTOMS HALL OF FAME

On Sunday evening, Bob Clarke became the fifth member of the Philadelphia Phantoms Hall of Fame when he was inducted in a pregame ceremony. He joins Frank Bialowas, Bill Barber, Neil Little and John Stevens. Clarke's junior team, the Flin Flon Bombers, was the inspiration for the evening's specialty jerseys. They were designed to match Clarke's own Flin Flon jersey that is in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and were auctioned off after the game.

GAUTHIER NOMINATED FOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

The Phantoms nominated defenseman Denis Gauthier for Rbk/AHL Player of the Week consideration this week. Gauthier was a plus-4 this week in Philadelphia's two games. On the offensive side, he scored a goal and added two assists. The goal was just his second of the season and snapped a 64-game goalless drought.

MONTHLY NODS

The Phantoms nominated Boyd Kane for Player of the Month consideration. Kane led the Phantoms in scoring this month with 13 points in 13 games, which came on four goals and nine assists. He was even for the month and only had 16 PIM, which is low for him, until a pair of disagreements with a referee on Sunday gave him 20 PIM in that game and 36 for the month.

The Phantoms nominated Jonathan Matsumoto for Rookie of the Month consideration. Matsumoto tied fellow rookie and roommate Kyle Greentree for the monthly lead among Phantoms rookies in scoring - both players had three goals and three assists - but Matsumoto registered a plus-4 rating while doing so. That rating was third best on the entire roster for the month.

The Phantoms nominated goaltender Martin Houle for Goaltender of the Month consideration. Houle was recalled from ECHL Wheeling on Feb. 26 after spending the entire season there. He posted a 1-2-1 record, but appeared in seven games and recorded a 2.21 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage, both of which led the team.

NOTES

Left wing Jonathan Kalinski joined the Phantoms on Sunday. A sixth-round pick of the Flyers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, he comes to Philadelphia after three seasons at Minnesota State... This was Philadelphia's last two-game week of the season. The Phantoms close the season with seven games in 11 days beginning Wednesday, all of which are against East Division opponents. Six of those games are against teams still in contention for an East Division playoff berth... When Jeremy Duchesne made his AHL debut in net for the Phantoms on Friday vs. Binghamton, he became the fourth different goaltender to play for the Phantoms in a three-game span, joining Scott Munroe, Martin Houle and Michael Teslak... the Phantoms were 5-6-1 in March, their first below-.500 month of the season... Ohio State graduate Jason DeSantis recorded his first professional point, an assist, on Sunday vs. Hamilton.

ZINGONI, PHLEX PART OF CSN BRACKET CHALLENGE

Pete Zingoni and Phlex are representing the Phantoms in the Comcast SportsNet Bracket Challenge during the NCAA Tournament. Fans can head over to www.comcastsportsnet.com and see how their picks stack up with the two Phantoms representatives and several other CSN personalities, area athletes and noted figures!

PHANTOMS HOCKEY ON THE INTERNET

The Phantoms have teamed up with the Philadelphia Area Dodge Dealers to provide free audio broadcasts of all Phantoms games, home and away, this season. The Phantoms official website, Phantomshockey.com, in conjunction with league and team partner B2 Networks, will provide the home for the audio. In addition to the games, Dodge will also bring the ever-popular Coaches Corner to fans on Phantomshockey.com. New editions of the weekly sit-down with Phantoms head coach Craig Berube will be posted to the site every Tuesday.

WATCH THE GAMES THROUGH B2

Every Phantoms game this season is being broadcast with streaming video through the league's partnership with B2 Networks. A ticket for the game is $6, which allows fans to watch the game via a broadband Internet connection from their own homes! Visit www.phantomshockey.com for more details.

TICKET INFORMATION

All kids tickets for all Phantoms games are just $10. To purchase, go to phantomshockey.com or call 1-800-298-4200.



American Hockey League Stories from March 31, 2008


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