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Sweep: Phantoms Take Back-To-Back from B-Sens

January 15, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


Adirondack received goals from five different scorers and completed a sweep of the East Division front-running Binghamton Senators with a 5-3 triumph on Wednesday night in Glens Falls.

The Phantoms sixth win in their last seven moves them into sole possession of the 8th place position in the Eastern Conference ahead of idle St. John's. Adirondack is 11-4-0 over the last 15 games and now sports a record on 19-10-0 in their last 29 games dating back to October 26.

Petr Straka (6th), Kris Newbury (11th), Tye McGinn (7th), Jason Akeson (12th) and Ben Holmstrom (7th) all lit the lamp for the Phantoms who equaled their season-high for goals in a game first accomplished on December 20 in a 5-4 win at Norfolk. Yann Danis turned away 30 shots in recording his second consecutive victory over the Senators. Danis was returning from a leg injury that had kept him on the shelf for six weeks (since November 29). Danis racked up 33 saves on Saturday night in a 4-1 victory at Binghamton in the opener of this two-game set.

"It feels good (to be back)" Danis said. "It's been awhile. I was excited to be back on the ice and obviously getting two wins. And getting the feeling that I'm being a part of the team and am helping the team. It feels really good."

Adirondack's penalty kill got the job done again. Battling against the top power play in the Eastern Conference, the Phantoms held Binghamton to 0-for-6 in this one and went perfect through all 14 power plays afforded the Senators in the consecutive games..

The Phantoms were blasting off to a roaring start in the first period with 18 shots on Andrew Hammond and a 2-0 lead on goals by Straka and Newbury. Adirondack established a new season-high for most shots in the first period with their constant barrage on the Senators rookie goalie. Petr Straka dangled and dashed around a Binghamton blueliner and was able to split the D to create his own breakaway. The 21-year-old rookie from the Czech Republic converted on his backhander with the impressive individual effort to put the Phantoms on the board first.

Straka appeared as though he was threatening some similar creative moves towards the net as he went wide to his left around a defenseman but he then pulled up and left a perfect drop for Kris Newbury to rocket his 11th of the year from the left dot on a goal somewhat similar to his tally at Binghamton four nights prior. Rob Bordson hit the post on his breakaway on Hammond and the Phantoms had other near-misses to stretching their lead to 3-0.

Adirondack improved to 15-1-1 in games in which they score the first goal. Things were looking great for the home team after the first 20 minutes but Binghamton was ready for their surge in the middle frame.

"The start was really good," head coach Terry Murray said. "I really liked our start. We did a lot of things right with good possession plays and entries. We had some tremendous scoring chances. We didn't stick with it and that's the problem. And that's why we needed it early to survive the thing at the end of the day because we got away from everything that was working for us."

Corey Cowick sped past the Phantoms defense to create his own mini-breakaway and converted on Yann Danis 7:25 into the second period as Binghamton would cut Adirondack's two-goal margin down to one for the first of three different times on the night.

Tye McGinn got it back on the power play taking advantage of a Newbury slapshot that handcuffed Hammond bouncing hard off his chest and leaving him helpless to block the backhander from the right of the crease that McGinn would flip top-shelf. McGinn was returning to the Phantoms immediately after his weekend call-up to Philadelphia where he played in both Flyers games on Saturday and Sunday. McGinn now has his own goal-scoring streak having lit the lamp in his last two games played for Adirondack on January 4 and then again in this win 11 days later.

The Phantoms went on another power play late in the period with an opportunity to stretch their 3-1 advantage but instead found themselves overextended allowing Wacey Hamilton to score just his second of the season with a shorthanded goal from the right circle taking the shot himself on a 2-on-1.

Leading 3-2 at the end of two periods, Adirondack had surrendered their early momentum to the Senators. But shortly after another penalty-kill, the Phantoms would receive their own man advantage opportunity early in the third in which Ben Holmstrom would nicely backhand dish across from the left circle to an open Jason Akeson in the slot who was able to wrist home his team-leading 12th of the season. Adirondack again had the two-goal advantage at 4-2 with their second power-play goal coming at 4:29 into the third.

Akeson is surging on a seven-game point-streak in which he has scored six goals and four assists.

It looked as though 4-2 was going to be the final before both teams would trade goals in the closing seconds. Corey Cowick received credit for the deflection of a Chris Wideman shot from center-point with the goalie pulled and Binghamton was still alive at 4-3 with just 23 seconds remaining.

Ben Holmstrom finished the night with a long toss all the way from his own blue-line that bounced its way right into the empty-net with just four seconds left for the 5-3 final.

Three different times when Adirondack had their lead cut into and Binghamton was within one, the Phantoms offense was able to respond with a fairly quick answer.

"It helps," Danis said. "Whenever you know you're going to get the goal support it helps. You're not too worried about giving up a goal. You're just focused on the next shot and whatever happens, happens. You know your team's there and they got your back and they can get goals for you. It's definitely a big advantage."

Shots in the game were even at 34-34. The Phantoms were 2-for-4 on the power play while the B-Sens finished 0-for-6. Adirondack won the season series over Binghamton 4 games to 2. The two New York rivals will not meet again in the regular season.

The Phantoms continue their homestand on Friday night against the Hartford Wolf Pack with pregame draft beer specials from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Saturday night the Phantoms host the Albany Devils on Dax's Big Birthday Bash featuring many of Dax's mascot friends. Some of the mascots scheduled to appear to celebrate with Dax include Devil Dawg (Albany Devils), Sonar (Hartford Wolf Pack), Tux (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins) and Finz (Worcester sharks) plus many more!! Call the Phantoms for tickets in advance to save: 518-480-3355.



American Hockey League Stories from January 15, 2014


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