Phantoms' win streak reaches ten
November 24, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release
MARQUETTE, Mich. - Alden Hirschfeld scored two goals and Ryan Zapolski made 30 saves to lead the Mahoning Valley Phantoms to a 4-2 win over the Marquette Rangers at Lakeview Arena for their tenth consecutive victory.
"With the long travel and the holiday, we could not have scripted a better outcome," Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt said. "We hung in early, took the crowd out of the game and then took charge."
The host Rangers used their first power play opportunity of the evening to take the opening lead. On a set play, Jason Cohen's right point pass found Jason Hauswirth on the goal line. Hauswirth made a quick touch pass to Nic Weight in the right circle.
Weight snapped the puck over the left shoulder of Zapolski for his ninth goal of the season at the 5:52 mark.
The Phantoms, 16-7-1, evened the score on a five-on three advantage. Chris Fairbanks fed a loose puck to Doug Leaverton on the right point. Leaverton then floated a pass to Brent Dexter on the right goal line.
Dexter faced the net and flipped the puck high over the stick of Rangers netminder Stephen Ritter for his ninth tally of the season. With 8:57 gone in the period, the game was tied at 1-1.
Hirschfeld gave the Phantoms a 2-1 lead with 3:28 elapsed in the second period. Fairbanks broke up a Marquette rush in the Phantoms zone and skated with the puck in the other direction.
The Phantoms captain navigated the neutral zone from right to left, skating around a Rangers defenseman and in on a breakaway. Fairbanks' high shot was stopped by Ritter, but the goaltender lost sight of the loose puck, which died at the top of the crease in front of him.
Hirschfeld hustled behind the play as a trailer and tapped the puck into an open net. "When we move our feet, we can beat any team in the league," Hirschfeld said.
Adam Snead extended the Phantoms lead in the third period on another power play. Chad Boeckman's pass, cross ice from the lower left circle, found Snead at the top of the right circle. Snead threw a wrist shot in traffic that beat Ritter high over his left shoulder.
Snead, who leads all North American Hockey League defensemen in scoring, recorded his third goal of the season, the eventual game-winner, at 8:10 of the third period.
Late in the period, Hirschfeld was exiting the penalty box when Johnny Meo stole the puck in the Phantoms zone and lobbed it through the neutral zone. Hirschfeld controlled the puck at the Rangers blue line and skated in on an uncontested breakaway.
At the last second, Hirschfeld moved from left to right and attempted to beat Ritter around his left leg.
Ritter extended his leg and blocked the puck with his skate, but injured his groin on the play. The puck sat on its side in front of Ritter, who was hunched over in pain to the left of the goal.
Hirschfeld skated back and beat two Rangers to the loose puck, backhanding the rebound into an open net for his seventh goal of the season with 1:20 left in the game. Ritter was replaced by Matt Brooker.
Nick Kosinski scored with 39 seconds remaining for Marquette to close out the scoring. Jake Hauswirth assisted both Ranger goals. Marquette's winless streak was extended to seven games (0-6-1) as their record fell to 9-12-2.
Game Two of the three game series will begin Saturday at 7 p.m. The weekend finale is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. Both games will be webcast on www.mvpphantoms.com.
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