Pirates Win 5-3, Stop Philly Streak

November 8, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


PORTLAND, ME - Mathieu Darche scored two goals in the third period off assists from Mark Mancari, snapping a tied game and building a lead the Portland Pirates would not relinquish in taking a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phantoms on Saturday night at the Cumberland County Civic Center. The loss ended the Phantoms winning streak at six gams.

The Pirates jumped out in front early in the first period. Tim Kennedy fired a shot from the slot that Jean-Sebastien Aubin partially stopped, but it crawled off him and into the net for a power play goal that gave Portland a 1-0 lead with 5:16 elapsed in the night's festivities.

The Phantoms answered with a man-up marker of their own about three minutes later. Danny Syvret fired a shot from the point that Jhonas Enroth stopped. The rebound was tied up to the right of the net by Boyd Kane, David Laliberte and two Pirates defenders, but eventually slipped out into the left-wing circle. That's where Claude Giroux arrived to backhand it home at the 8:23 mark, making it 1-1.

Portland pulled ahead again 7:14 into the second period. Colton Fretter had fired a shot on net that Aubin stopped, and the rebound went to the left wing corner. Aaron Slattengren threw it on net from a point right along the goal line, and the puck hit Aubin in the skate and went in to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead.

But Philadelphia responded once again, this time on a goal that was scored just as a four-on-four situation turned shorthanded. Jared Ross found a loose puck in the slot and fired a low wrister along the ice that Enroth didn't appear to see. It slid past his left leg just inside the right post as Jimmy Bonneau left the Portland penalty box, which made it a shorthanded goal and tied the game at 2-2.

But the Pirates scored two quick goals in the third to take control of the game. Both came from Darche off setups from Mancari - the first at 2:43, when Mancari played a puck from the right circle through the crease to Darche at the back door on the left side, and the second at 5:12 on Mancari's feed from the left circle down low to Darche on the right.

The Phantoms came back within a goal with 2:21 to play when Jonathan Matsumoto scored a power-play goal from the right circle. A subsequent Portland penalty gave the Phantoms a 6-on-4 advantage, with Aubin pulled, late in the game. But Mancari scored an empty-netter with just over 24 seconds to play to ice the win.

Aubin stopped 17 of 21 in taking the loss, while Enroth made 16 saves on 19 shots in taking the win. The Phantoms were 1-for-6 on the power play, while the Pirates were 1-for-5.

The Phantoms complete their road trip Sunday afternoon with a 4:00 visit to the Providence Bruins. The next Phantoms home game is Friday, November 14 against the Hershey Bears at the Wachovia Spectrum. Tickets for the game, as well as all 2008-09 regular season games, are available by calling 1-800-298-4200 or visiting phantomshockey.com.

The best way for fans to secure a ticket for the final regular season game at the Wachovia Spectrum on April 12, 2009 is to purchase either a game plan package or season tickets. Packages are available now in convenient blocks of 6, 10, 16 and 20 games, as well as pro-rated full season tickets for all remaining home games. All packages receive an impressive list of exclusive benefits, discount prices and the same seat for each game, beginning at just $60!

For more information or to make a deposit, call the Phantoms at 215-465-4522 during normal business hours. More information is also available at the Phantoms website, Phantomshockey.com.



American Hockey League Stories from November 8, 2008


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