Szwez Lifts Phantoms Past Devils

Published on January 16, 2009 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


PHILADELPHIA - Jeff Szwez scored on a backhander 12:01 into the third period to snap a tie game and lift the Philadelphia Phantoms to a 5-4 over the Lowell Devils at the Wachovia Spectrum on Friday night. Danny Syvret and Jared Ross each notched a goal and an assist, and Danny Briere picked up two assists in the second game of his conditioning loan to the Phantoms.

Lowell opened the scoring early thanks to the efforts of right wing Nicklas Bergfors, who worked the puck out of the corner and threw it in front to Stephen Gionta. Scott Munroe denied Gionta's initial bid, but Ryan Murphy batted in the rebound to give Lowell a 1-0 lead just short of five minutes into the contest.

Less than two minutes later, the Phantoms picked up the equalizer on an Andreas Nodl shot that beat goaltender Jeff Frazee to the blocker side. Nodl gathered a loose puck in the slot and ripped it into the net to tie the game at 1-1.

After Michael Swift took a hooking penalty and Jon DiSalvatore was issued an additional two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct, the Phantoms' red-hot power play went to work with a two-man advantage. Just 14 seconds into the situation, Syvret found a wide-open Ross at the top of the right circle and Ross blasted a one-timer past Frazee to make it 2-1. Briere picked up his first assist of the night on the play.

Still up a man up, the Phantoms continued their masterful work on the power play. Jonathan Matsumoto sent a short pass to David Laliberte out front, who slid a shot underneath the legs of Frazee to give the Phantoms a 3-1 lead. The goal chased Frazee from the crease after just eight shots in favor of backup Dave Caruso. The score stood at the first intermission.

At the start of the second period, the Phantoms received yet another power play opportunity when Tyler Eckford was penalized for interference. They capitalized when Briere sent a pass across to Syvret at the left point, and Syvret's high wrist shot found its way past Caruso to increase the lead to 4-1 just over two minutes into the frame.

The Devils struck back with just over five minutes left in the second period. During a scramble, Munroe made an initial stop before Syvret made a goal-line save to prevent Lowell from scoring on a nearly empty net. However, Matt Halischuk corralled the rebound and put the puck past a scrambling Munroe for an unassisted goal that cut the Phantoms lead to 4-2.

Lowell netted their third goal of the evening on a power play with 2:37 left in the second frame. Anssi Salmela played the puck to Swift, who walked in from the right side and went top shelf with a laser over the glove of Munroe.

Down just a goal entering the third period, the Devils evened the score at 4-4 with a power play tally with 16:23 remaining in the game. Olivier Magnan took a shot from the right point that Munroe stopped, but Swift poked at the rebound and got it to trickle over the line for his second of the game.

That set the stage for Szwez's game-winner. He battled through three Lowell players at the left circle and sent a rising backhander that eluded Caruso's glove and found the upper corner.

Munroe picked up his 16th win of the year with 37 saves on 41 shots. Caruso finished the evening having stopped 10 of 12, while Frazee turned aside 5 of 8 The Phantoms went 3-for-5 on the power play and 4-for-6 on the penalty kill.

The Phantoms next head to Hershey for a 7:00 match up with the Bears on Saturday before returning home for a 7:05 face-off versus Albany at the Wachovia Spectrum on Sunday. It's 70's Night at the Wachovia Spectrum, with the Phantoms wearing replica jerseys of the Campbell Conference All-Stars from the 1976 NHL All-Star game that was held at the Spectrum. Flyers alum Jimmy Watson, who represented the team in that game, will be on hand to drop the first puck, and the jerseys will be auctioned off in Bullies after the game. Bullies will open at 3:00 for fans wishing to come watch the Eagles game beforehand.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 16, 2009


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