Phantoms Weekly
December 19, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release
Last Week's Results
Friday, December 13 - Adirondack Phantoms 3 - Hartford Wolf Pack 2 (SO)
Saturday, December 14 - Manchester Monarchs 5 - Adirondack Phantoms 3
This Week's Games
Friday, December 20 (7:30) - Adirondack Phantoms at Norfolk Admirals
Saturday, December 21 (7:15) - Adirondack Phantoms at Norfolk Admirals
Upcoming
The Phantoms hit the road to the warm climate of southeast Virginia for a two-game weekend series against the Norfolk Admirals, AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks. These are the last games for Adirondack before departing on their Holiday Break which begins after Saturday's game. This is the lone visit to Norfolk Scope Arena for the Phantoms in the 2013-14 season. The forecast calls for sunshine and high temps around 70 giving the players a chance to enjoy some non-wintry weather on their working pre-Christmas Vacation.
It is also an important almost-midseason match-up for the Phantoms against a key opponent in the Eastern Conference. Norfolk is currently tied for the 8th-place position (and postseason cutoff) with Binghamton at 31 points each. Adirondack is only five points back of the Admirals also with two games-in-hand. The Phantoms are 12-11-2 with 26 points entering their final weekend before the Holiday Break. Norfolk's record stands at 13-9-5.
The Phantoms will return to action the day after Christmas with a December 26 game at the Springfield Falcons. The next home game for Adirondack is Saturday, December 28 against the Providence Bruins on Phantoms Youth T-Shirt Night presented by UniFirst. The Phantoms are also home for their traditional New Years' Eve Game on Tuesday, December 31 at 5:00 PM against the Worcester Sharks. Fans can save when they purchase their tickets in advance. Call the Phantoms at 518-480-3355.
Last Chance for Heeter Holiday Plans
They're a great value but you have to act fast. The special packages are available only through Monday. Choose from the Fitzy Frosty Pack, McGinn Mistletoe Pack or Cousins Candy Cane Pack. Receive 4 or 6 tickets for about $10 each plus other cool goodies such as a Phantoms Winter Hat, Phantoms Holiday Coffee Mug, Phantoms Holiday Puck, and a game program all in a game-worn Phantoms Hockey Sock!
Adirondack Phantoms (12-11-2, 26 points)
Phantoms Leaders
Goals: Chris VandeVelde (7), Rob Bordson (6), Petr Straka (5)
Assists: Jason Akeson (13), Petr Straka (8), Bruno Gervais (8)
Points: Jason Akeson (17), Chris VandeVelde (13), Bruno Gervais (12), Rob Brodson (12)
PIM: Brandon Manning (84), Kris Newbury (76), Oliver Lauridsen (76)
GAA: Cal Heeter (2.33)
Sv Pct: Cal Heeter (.922)
Wins: Cal Heeter (8)
Milestones
Kris Newbury - 698 career professional games. On pace to reach 700 Game Milestone this Saturday
Rob Bordson - Has played in 125 consecutive ADK Phantoms games dating back to 2/24/12
Transactions
December 12 - Tye McGinn (LW) Loaned to Adirondack by Philadelphia Flyers
December 12 - Chris VandeVelde (F) Signed to NHL Contract by Philadelphia. Assigned to Philadelphia.
Saratoga Spine Player of the Week - Petr Straka
21-year-old rookie Petr Straka is the Saratoga Spine Player of the Week. Straka scored the game-winner in the sixth-round of Friday night's shootout at Hartford and then had assists on all three Phantoms goals the next night in a 5-3 loss to Manchester. It is the first three-assist performance of the season for the Phantoms.
Adirondack Phantoms Record Book Snapshot
One Hit Wonders
For now, Carsen Chubak is part of an exclusive list of only eight players who have appeared in exactly one game for the Adirondack Phantoms. Chubak entered in relief of goalie Cal Heeter last Saturday in his AHL debut. Of course, when he plays in more games he will advance out of the One-Hit Wonders list.
Four of the eight players on the list are goalies. One of those players includes current Flyers' goalie Ray Emery who played in one game for Adirondack in 2009-10.
Carsen Chubak, G (2013-14)
Doug Clarkson (2013-14)
Kory Nagy (2012-13)
Brad Phillips, G (2011-12)
Jean Bourbeau (2011-12)
Ray Emery, G (2009-10)
Daniel Steiner (2009-10)
Kris Mayotte, G (2009-10)
First Goal Importance
It's not quite a "sure thing" but it's pretty darn close. Whether the Phantom score first or not has been the most telling sign of the final result. Adirondack is 10-1-1 when they score the first goal of the game but are only 2-10-1 when they do not.
Last Week
Friday, December 13: Adirondack Phantoms 3 - Hartford Wolf Pack 2 (Shootout)
Petr Straka went top-shelf in the sixth-round of the shootout to cap a wild and exciting win at rival Hartford on Friday night. Jason Akeson and Ben Holmstrom also scored in the come-from-behind win while Adirondack's penalty-kill came through in the clutch with a critical 4-on-3 kill in overtime to stay alive in the game.
A crazy back-and-forth exchange developed in just a 60-second stretch early in the third period that began with Ben Holmstrom giving the Phantoms the lead on the rebound of a Tyler Brown shot. Just 18 seconds later, Shawn O'Donnell was denied on a breakaway and then turned aside again by Cal Heeter on his subsequent penalty shot. Just a few second after that, Straka would get robbed on a tremendous glove-save by Hartford netminder Dov Grumet-Morris and following that would be Hartford rushing back the other way to finally score the tying goal.
Cal Heeter had another great game for the Phantoms win contributing a season-high 37 saves. The Phantoms improved to 2-1-1 against the Wolf Pack this season. Both of Adirondack's games in Hartford have gone to shootout. The two rivals are still scheduled to meet six more times this season. Hartford will return to Glens Falls on January 17 and January 24 for the next games of the series.
Saturday, December 14: Manchester Monarchs 5 - Adirondack Phantoms 3
A slow start out of the gate cost the Phantoms in their game against the Eastern Conference front-runners as the Phantoms three-game win streak came to an end. The Monarchs roared out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and stretched that advantage to 5-1 early in the third. Jordan Weal paced the Monarchs with two goals and one assist. Nick Cousins notched his fourth of the year. Cullen Eddy and Rob Bordson tacked on goals late in the game. For Eddy, it was his first of the season on a long slapshot from center-point with eight minutes remaining. Petr Straka notched three assists in the game and Oliver Lauridsen added a couple helpers as well.
Goalie Carsen Chubak entered the game in relief of Cal Heeter making his AHL debut and impressed with 15 saves on 16 shots.
Upcoming Opponents
Norfolk Admirals (13-9-5, 31 points) - Affiliation, Anaheim Ducks
Friday, December 20 (7:30) and Saturday, December 21 (7:15) - Norfolk Scope, Norfolk, VA
The Phantoms make their only visit to southeast Virginia to conclude play before the holiday break. The Admirals are in their second season as affiliates with Anaheim after winning the Calder Cup in 2011 when they were the top team for Tampa Bay.
Adirondack is 0-1-0 against Norfolk this year having been victimized by a dazzling 38-save shutout by 20-year-old talent John Gibson on October 25 in Glens Falls. Gibson led Team USA to a Gold Medal last January in the 2013 World Juniors and was named tournament MVP with a 1.36 GAA and .955 save percentage. So far in his pro career with the Admirals, the Pittsburgh native has delivered again with a 9-6-3 record, 2.46 GAA and .922 save percentage.
Steven Whitney from Boston College is the younger brother of Joe Whitney of the Albany Devils. Whitney scored the game-winner for the Admirals last Friday night in a shootout win over Springfield but the Admirals ended up only securing the one win out of three on the weekend. Whitney is tie with rookie Rick Rackell with 7-8-15. Big righty-shooting defenseman Alex Grant is next at 6-7-13 having recently returned after scoring a goal in his NHL debut with Anaheim a couple weeks ago.
Norfolk's penalty kill is second in the AHL at 88.3% trailing only Springfield (90.4). Adirondack's PK is up there as well at 87.0% for fourth in the league.
This is the 25th season of Admirals hockey at Norfolk Scope Arena. The Hampton Roads Admirals began in the ECHL in 1989-90 and won three Kelly Cup titles in that league under the legendary John Brophy. The Norfolk Admirals joined the AHL in 2000-01 and are in their 14th season in the league.
Upcoming
Friday, December 20 (7:30) - Adirondack Phantoms at Norfolk Admirals
Saturday, December 21 (7:15) - Adirondack Phantoms at Norfolk Admirals
Thursday, December 26 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Springfield Falcons
Friday, December 27 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Albany Devils
Saturday, December 28 (7:00) - Providence Bruins at Adirondack Phantoms
Youth T-Shirt Night for the first 1,000 kids in attendance age 14 and younger courtesy of UniFirst
Tuesday, December 31 (5:00) - Worcester Sharks at Adirondack Phantoms
Traditional New Year's Eve Game in Glens Falls!
When you order your tickets in advance, you save! Call the Phantoms at 518-480-3355
25 Terrific Seasons
Glens Falls is celebrating its 25th season hosting an AHL team and in so doing now joins an elite group of just 9 other active markets who can make such a claim. It's a great hockey tradition with an old-school feel that began with the Adirondack Red Wings in 1979. In their 20-year tenure at the Glens Falls Civic Center through 1999, the Red Wings won four Calder Cups. The Adirondack Phantoms began play in Glens Falls in 2009-10 and are in their fifth season bringing exciting AHL action to the North Country.
American Hockey League Stories from December 19, 2013
- Checkers Win Wild Game against Norfolk - Charlotte Checkers
- Vey Returns to Manchester - Manchester Monarchs
- Charlotte Slips Past Norfolk in the Third for 5-4 Win - Norfolk Admirals
- Blackhawks Recall Labarbera, Assign Simpson - Rockford IceHogs
- Grumet-Morris and Family Getting the Most out of Life, Hockey - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Barons With Busy Weekend Just Before The Holiday - Oklahoma City Barons
- Mullane, Shalunov Loaned to Toledo - Rockford IceHogs
- Rangers Recall J.T. Miller from Hartford - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Comets in the Community - Utica Comets
- Polasek Reassigned to Kalamazoo; Hamill Released - Utica Comets
- Jon Sim Released from PTO - Bridgeport Islanders
- B-Sens to Host Ugly Sweater Night Presented by John Paulin State Farm - Binghamton Senators
- Newman, Logano, Bowyer, Smith to Headline Race Night January 24 - Charlotte Checkers
- Frk Rejoins Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Andrew Clark Signed to PTO - Bridgeport Islanders
- Texas Stars Sign Center Anthony Nigro to PTO - Texas Stars
- Coyotes Recall Rostislav Klesla from Portland - Portland Pirates
- Santa Is Coming to the Aud - Utica Comets
- Griffins Take out Wild 2-1 in Overtime - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Orangestore Contest Lets You Be 'Captain for a Day' - St. John's IceCaps
- Phantoms Weekly - Adirondack Phantoms
- Griffins Take out Wild 2-1 in Overtime - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Stars Tie Club Record with Sixth Straight Win; Texas Defeats San Antonio 4-2 - Texas Stars
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
