Rochester Pulls out Shootout Thriller

Published on April 6, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


Saturday night had a little bit of everything...in the game AND in the stands! Adirondack and Rochester battled in an intense and entertaining game with the Americans eventually pulling it out in the shootout for a 5-4 victory. The standings-point with the shootout loss was the sixth in a row at home for the Phantoms who are now 4-0-2 at the Glens Falls Civic Center since March 8.

And in the stands, hundreds of fans received gifts and prizes courtesy of the Phantoms, Flyers, and our Corporate Partners on Fan Appreciation Night as the merchandise and gift-certificates were flying fast and furious all around the building.

Jon Sim scored two goals and an assist and then added another goal in the shootout in one of the his top games of the year. The 35-year-old veteran has been paired on a line with a couple of youngsters in Marcel Noebels and Kyle Flanagan with the latter having recently joined the team just a couple weeks ago. But the trio have quickly gotten clicking.

"Since that line has been put together, we've been doing good thing," Sim said. "We've been cycling. We've been hard on the puck. We keep doing all the same things and it's working."

Garrett Roe (11th) and Marcel Noebels (12th) lit the lamp for the other tallies for the Phantoms. Roe has goals in back-to-back games this weekend and now has racked up six goals in his 11 games.

Noebels isn't far behind in the hot-streak department with five goals in his last nine games. The 21-year-old rookie from Germany has 21 total goals this season including the nine he had with Trenton in the ECHL to begin the season.

"There were a lot of good things that the Phantoms players did here tonight," said head coach Terry Murray. "I liked our energy, our emotion, our compete. We got a lot of play in the offensive zone, a lot of shots. We scored enough goals to win the game. When you score four in regulation time, you should win."

And that had been true for Adirondack most of the time this season. The Phantoms are now 16-1-2 in games in which they score four or more goals. But this would be one of the three out of the 19 in which the Phantoms would not get the W despite having the offense they wanted.

Adirondack dominated in the shot-department, especially in the second period by a 17-6 margin. The Phantoms had the first nine shots on goal in the middle frame but found themselves still stuck in a 1-1 deadlock. Then Rochester's first shot of the period, coming over eight minutes in, would sneak around from the blue-line and get tipped in by Frederick Roy for a 2-1 Rochester lead.

Somehow the Phantoms were trailing even though they were clearly playing the better game and getting the vastly superior scoring opportunities.

"You have to just stay with it," Sim said. "You know you're getting good opportunities and keep doing the same things you're doing and don't get frustrated. you know, I stayed with it, and eventually we got one and then two and then Noebels got another one. We got a greasy one from Roe and we did a lot of good things out there."

The Americans tacked on another a few minutes later on Drew Schiestel's drive from the left-circle going across Brian Boucher to make it 3-1. Coach Terry Murray removed Boucher in favor of Cal Heeter. And less than a minute later, Sim sped up the right-wing and smartly dropped to trailer Noebels who snapped his shot over the glove of Rochester goalie David Leggio to get the Phantoms back in the game at 3-2 before the second break.

Mark Mancari notched an accidental goal early in the third period on his attempt to center from the left-wing. His pass was blocked by Danny Syvret's stick but took an unlucky bounce and snuck through Heeter making it 4-2 even though Adirondack continued with the huge shot advantage and had the majority of the play in the Rochester zone.

Jon Sim in the high-slot quickly got it back just 57 seconds later for the Phantoms with his rifle from the slot. And Garrett Roe deflected a Blake Kessel slapper with about eight minutes left to even the score.

Both teams had chances down the stretch. Nick Bailen out of RPI was playing in just his second pro game for Rochester and almost won the game in the overtime as his center-point slapshot rang off the crossbar.

Sim would score the only shootout goal for Adirondack while Rochester drove in a pair past Heeter. The Americans are the top team in the AHL in shootouts and improved to 8-1 with the win.

American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews was in attendance at the game. He visited with mayor Jack Diamond and other city officials and received a tour of the Glens Falls Civic Center to personally see all of the improvements to the facility. Andrews reiterated that he hopes Glens Falls can secure a permanent tenant to remain in the AHL and values the market and the fan-base which the North Country provides their professional hockey team.

Adirondack's three-in-three weekend concludes Sunday at 5:00 in Bridgeport, Conn. against the Sound Tigers, AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders.

The Phantoms return home for three games next weekend including Dan Miner Bobblehead Night on Saturday featuring a post-game concert. Call the Phantoms for tickets at 518-480-3355.

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American Hockey League Stories from April 6, 2013


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