Phantoms win 4-1 in Wilkes-Barre

April 3, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


(WILKES-BARRE, Pa., April 3, 2004) - Defensemen Freddy Meyer and John Slaney each scored a pair of goals as the Philadelphia Phantoms extended their win streak to a season-best six games with a 4-1 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins tonight at the Wachovia Arena.

The Phantoms clung to a 2-1 lead late in the game until Meyer and Slaney scored 27 seconds apart. With the Penguins increasing the pressure, Meyer cleared the zone and lofted the puck on net from center ice. The puck took some weird bounces and made its way through the pads of Penguins goaltender Martin Brochu with 1:32 remaining.

Brochu was then pulled for a sixth-attacker and Slaney sealed the win with an empty-netter from deep in the Phantoms end with 65 seconds to play.

Neil Little turned aside 23-of-24 shots to win for the third time in his last four starts. The Phantoms have captured 11 of their last 14 games overall and four of five on the road.

With the win, Philadelphia extended its lead to three points over Hartford for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Phantoms also maintained a five-point edge on second-place Bridgeport in the East Division.

Brochu finished with 13 saves for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, which had won four in a row at home. The teams concluded the season series even at 5-5.

Philadelphia scored first for the sixth game in a row, taking a 1-0 lead at the 11:18 mark of the opening period. P.J. Stock began the play behind the Penguins net by pushing the puck along the board to Steve Gainey, who sent it cross ice to Meyer at the point.

The rookie defenseman, who tallied the game-winner in Friday's 4-1 victory over Hershey, skated in a step and launched a high slap shot that beat Brochu far post. It was the 13th goal of the year for Meyer.

The second stanza was scoreless, but Marquis Mathieu received an extra roughing minor during an altercation with Stock at the end of the period, giving Philadelphia a man advantage entering the final period.

Slaney then netted the game-winner at the 20-second mark when a Peter White shot caromed back to him, setting up a slap shot that sailed over Brochu's shoulder. It was Slaney's 17th goal and his team-leading 10th on the power play.

Wilkes-Barre finally got on the board with 8:24 remaining, as Ross Lupaschuk scored his fourth goal on a power play. The goal ended a streak of 34 straight power plays killed by the Phantoms.

The Phantoms complete their busy weekend on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. when they close out the home portion of the regular season vs. the Binghamton Senators. Next weekend, Philadelphia plays at Albany, Bridgeport and Hershey, respectively.

Phantoms Notes: Stephen Wood, Joey Hope, Brett Engelhardt, Wade Skolney, Ben Stafford, Dennis Seidenberg and Craig Berube were scratched ... Ben Eager was signed to an amateur tryout contract earlier in the day and made his pro debut tonight ... Ian MacNeil assisted on each of the last two goals to extend his point streak to four games.



American Hockey League Stories from April 3, 2004


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