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Yann Danis Thrives in Return

January 11, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


Veteran goaltender Yann Danis returned from injury for his first start since November 29 and showed zero signs of any rust. Danis slid from left to right in turning aside practically everything he saw from one of the top offenses of the AHL in leading a 4-1 Phantoms victory at Binghamton on Saturday night.

The Senators entered the game almost tied for the top offense, along with the Texas Stars, scoring 3.6 goals per contest. But Danis backed Adirondack's top-notch penalty-kill to hold the Senators to 0-for-8 on the night while making 33 total saves on 34 shots.

Jason Akeson scored two goals and one assist to lead the offense. Kris Newbury and Rob Bordson also scored.

The 4-1 final count is deceiving as to how closely contested this nail-biter was. Adirondack held just a 2-1 lead up until the final minute of the game when Jason Akeson sealed the victory with a long empty-netter from the red-line. Rob Bordson scored with a backhander on a rebound in the slot in the closing seconds.

Binghamton had three consecutive power plays over a six-minute stretch through the third period but somehow Adirondack's penalty kill came through as they seemingly have been able to do over and over again.

Kris Newbury opened the scoring just 3:22 into the game after Jason Akeson sped up the left-wing wall into the Senators zone. He dropped for the trailing Newbury who blasted home his 10th of the year. Adirondack improved to 15-1-1 in games in which they tally the opening marker. Not too far away from the net where Newbury scored, a contingent of Phantoms fans who trekked down to the Southern Tier on their own Fan Bus trip cheered with delight on the big slapper from the 31-year-old veteran.

Just 5:53 into the game, Bruno Gervais would rush up to the right circle and beat starting goalie Nathan Lawson with his drive to the far side. The puck clanged off the post and bounced out. Lawson somehow received a lower-body injury with his movement back-and-forth on the play and was forced to leave the game. Rookie Andrew Hammond would be his replacement for the rest of the night.

Akeson would dangle his way around from the left point and curl last a couple of Binghamton players with some creative and impressive moves to set up his snipe from the slot late in the first period. His terrific individual effort on an unassisted goal with the late opening-period power play gave the visiting Phantoms a 2-0 lead at the first intermission.

Three different fights highlighted a chippy second period. Derek Mathers went with David Dziurzynski and landed the majority of the blows. Steven Delisle had a quick bout with Mark Borowiecki. And then Ben Holmstrom was challenged by little defenseman Chris Wideman and the Phantoms captain would win that fight too.

Adirondack killed a four-minute double-minor for high-sticking late in the second period to protect the two-goal margin but shortly after, Andre Petersson would speed across the Phantoms line and go wide of the defense to the high slot to snap his 11th of the year high-glove on Danis marking the only time tonight the Phantoms goalie would be scored upon.

That was part of a stretch of about 25 minutes from the 10-minute mark of the second period going until about five minutes remaining in the game in which Binghamton would out-shoot the Phantoms by an incredible 21-1 margin. Adirondack had carried the pace of the play up until the midway point of the game and were out-shooting the Senators 25-12 at one point. But then Adirondack would record only one shot for the next 25 minutes while they were forced to kill a number of Binghamton power plays.

Adirondack bore down through the third period to kill three consecutive power plays of Binghamton. The Phantoms held the B-Sens to 0-for-8 on the night. The last of the power play concluded with Yann Danis' sliding stop to his left to deny leading-scoring Mike Hoffman's blast from the back-door.

Jason Akeson sealed the win with his empty-net goal from the red-line with 32 seconds left. And Rob Bordson added insult to Binghamton's wounds with a backhand goal with just 17 seconds left for the 4-1 final.

Binghamton had been one of the hottest teams in the league having won nine of their past ten games but the Phantoms won for the second time in their building and improved to 3-2-0 overall against the Senators. This game was the opener of a home-and-home series. Binghamton will seek revenge on Wednesday night at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

Adirondack responded following an off-night on Friday in their loss against Wilkes-Barre to record their fifth win in their last six while improving to 10-4-0 in their last 14 games and 19-14-2 overall. Binghamton fell to 13-4-3 at home. Two of their four home-losses have come to the hands of Adirondack who finish the season with a 2-1-0 record at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

The Phantoms return for three straight in Glens Falls on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday against Binghamton, Hartford and Albany. Next Saturday night is Dax's Big Birthday Bash featuring all of Dax's awesome Mascot Friends! Call the Phantoms for tickets in advance to save: 518-480-3355.

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