Phantoms win 5-3 in Grand Rapids

Published on February 29, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


(GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 29, 2004) - Boyd Kane and John Slaney each scored twice and Antero Niittymaki made 25 saves as the visiting Philadelphia Phantoms defeated the AHL-leading Grand Rapids Griffins, 5-3, this afternoon at Van Andel Arena.

Freddy Meyer and Peter White contributed two assists apiece for Philadelphia, which was coming off Saturday's disappointing 5-2 loss in Milwaukee. The Phantoms improved to 4-1-1 in their last six games overall and 3-1-1 on their season-high seven-game road trip.

With the win, Philadelphia moved one point ahead of the idle Bridgeport Sound Tigers into first place in the East Division. The Phantoms' 34 victories through 60 games are their most since finishing with 36 during the 2000-01 season.

Joey MacDonald registered 25 saves and Jeff Nelson assisted on all three goals for Grand Rapids, which had a 10-game home win streak come to an end. The Griffins were also unbeaten in their previous 16 games at home (13-0-3), losing there for the first time since Dec. 31 vs. Utah.

Derek King's power-play goal 10:17 into the game gave Grand Rapids an early lead before Philadelphia responded by scoring four times in the second stanza. Slaney evened the score at 1-1 just 39 seconds into the period with a power-play goal of his own. Meyer and Kirby Law assisted on Slaney's 12th of the year.

Kane then scored twice in a span of 75 seconds to give Philadelphia the lead for good. The go-ahead goal at the 10:33 mark came on a 3-on-2 rush, as White offered a nice centering pass to set up Kane's 10th goal. Defenseman Les Borsheim also recorded his first career AHL point on the play.

Philadelphia's team captain struck again at 11:48 of the second to make it 3-1. On the power play, Slaney took a pass from Meyer on the play and sent a shot that went wide, but got deflected to Kane at the doorstep for an easy tap in.

P.J. Stock continued the onslaught with 1:48 to go when he scored his fifth goal and second in as many nights during a flurry in front of the Griffins net. Steve Gainey and Kirk Furey received assists on the play.

Grand Rapids narrowed the gap to 4-3 with 5:47 to play when Tomas Kopecky and Aaron Schneekloth scored 91 seconds apart during a 4-on-4 situation. The Griffins then went on a 72-second power play with 1:34 remaining and pulled MacDonald for a two-man advantage, but White was able to feed Slaney for an empty-netter with 36.6 seconds left.

Philadelphia continues its season-high seven-game road trip on Wednesday in Norfolk. The Phantoms then play at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday before their next home game on Sunday, March 7 at 6:05 p.m. vs. the Albany River Rats.

Phantoms Notes: Wade Skolney did not travel due to a shoulder injury, while James Laux, Craig Berube and Nick Deschenes were healthy scratches ... Earlier in the day, Law was returned on loan from the Flyers ... White played in his 900th game as a pro ... Kane reached 200 points as a pro ... Slaney has a six-game point streak (6G, 3A) ... Niittymaki has just one loss in his last 12 starts as a Phantom (8-1-2 with a no-decision) ... Philadelphia posted its first-ever win over Grand Rapids, which swept the two-game season series in 2002-03.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 29, 2004


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