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Syracuse, NY-Nic Riopel
could not have found a more impressive way to bounce
back. The 21 year old goalie turned in his first
ever AHL shutout and his second as a pro in a 2-0
Phantoms win at Syracuse on Tuesday night. His 26
save performance included 11 saves in the final
13 minutes of the game when the Crunch turned up
the pressure the most.
The win was also the first for new Adirondack Phantoms
Head Coach Joe Paterson since taking over the position
on December 20. It was Paterson's first win as a
head coach since 2001 when he was the head coach
of the Louisville Panthers of the AHL. The former
Adirondack Red Wing player and assistant coach is
now 1-1 as the new head coach of the Phantoms.
Greg Moore and Luke Pither provided the offense
as Adirondack won for the third time in their last
four games and stayed unbeaten against Syracuse
this year at 3-0. The Phantoms turned in their first
shutout of the season just two days after their
most goals allowed this year when they surrendered
7 at Binghamton.
Perhaps Riopel's finest save came with about 13
minutes to go in the third period when former Phantom
Patrick Maroon swept across the streak only to be
robbed on a diving stab by Riopel moving to his
right. But Riopel had several other hghlight reel
caliber saves in there, particularly through a frenetic
third period.
Riopel began this season with Greenville (SC) of
the ECHL where he went 6-2-1. His last game with
Greenville was a 32 save shutout of Florida on November
13 for his only other professional shutout. Riopel
has allowed just two goals in his last three wins
which include a 3-1 win vs. Hershey on December
17 and a 2-1 win over Abbotsford on December 18.
Greg Moore scored his first goal of the season
early in the second period to stake the Phantoms
to a 1-0 lead. Zac Rinaldo hustled into the right-wing
corner to jump on a Crunch giveaway and found Moore
in the high slot who slammed home the one-timer.
Pither's goal to give the Phantoms a 2-0 lead came
midway through the third period shortly after Riopel
made a handful of spectacular saves to keep the
Phantoms on top including his thievery of Maroon's
chance. Matt Clackson rushed forward on the forecheck
and got the puck to Rob Bordson behind the goal
who found Pither in the slot to slam a one-time
blast off the underside of the crossbar for his
6th of the season.
Shots on goal was even at 26-26. Both teams were
0-for-3 on the power play.
Notes: Michael Ryan and Logan Stephenson were scratched
from the game due to illness. Jon Kalinski played
his first game since December 5 when he was injured
in Atlantic City against the Albany Devils. J.P.
Testwuide was cleared to play following his knee
injury but was a healthy scratch. The Phantoms are
beginning their busiest stretch of the schedule.
Adirondack plays 5 games over 6 days beginning with
the Tuesday win. They also play 6 games in 8 days
beginning with the Sunday, December 26 game.
Adirondack returns to the Glens Falls Civic Center
to begin a three game New Year's homestand including
the last game of 2010 and the first game of 2011.
Wednesday night is Check it Out Night with the
Phantoms. Show your library card to receive a $3
discount for adults or kids tickets for $5. Area
unemployed can pick up free tickets for this game
courtesy of the Phantoms Friends Program at area
One Stop employment centers.
Friday afternoon is the traditional New Year's
Eve game with a 3:00 start time presented by Nemer
Ford. All of the Phantoms players will be appearing
in Heritage Hall after the game to meet with the
fans, sign autographs and take pictures.
Saturday night at 7:00 is the first game of 2011
as the Phantoms renew their Time Warner Cable Cup
rivalry with the Albany Devils.
Don't be left out! Tickets for all Phantoms games
are on sale now. Discount rates are available for
groups of 15 or more. Save off the individual ticket
price by asking the Phantoms about their great group
rate packages.
The AHL is celebrating their 75th anniversary season
and is the top development league for the NHL. More
than 85 percent of today's NHL players are American
Hockey League graduates and more than 6 million
fans attend AHL games every year.
Come watch future NHL stars and up-and-coming Flyers
prospects with exciting Adirondack Phantoms hockey!
A variety of ticket packages for all the fast-paced
action are on sale now. The Phantoms selection of
discount ticket packages includes 3-packs, 6-packs,
12 and 22 Select Plans, full season plans and Flex
Packs. Choose the plan that works best for you!
Get your tickets at the Phantoms office inside the
Glens Falls Civic Center, online at ticketmaster.com,
or by calling the Phantoms at 518-480-3355.
Adirondack Phantoms 2 at Syracuse Crunch 0 - Status:
Final
Tuesday, December 28, 2010 - Onondaga County War
Memorial at Oncenter
Adirondack 0 1 1 - 2
Syracuse 0 0 0 - 0
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Deschamps Syr
(holding), 10:21; Gustafsson Adk (tripping), 16:56;
Festerling Syr (tripping), 17:23.
2nd Period-1, Adirondack, Moore 1 (Rinaldo), 2:31.
Penalties-Rinaldo Adk (high-sticking), 16:50.
3rd Period-2, Adirondack, Pither 6 (Bordson, Clackson),
9:59. Penalties-Smith Syr (tripping), 13:36; Holmstrom
Adk (high-sticking), 19:32; Smith Syr (high-sticking),
19:32.
Shots on Goal-Adirondack 10-7-9-26. Syracuse 2-12-12-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Adirondack 0 / 3; Syracuse
0 / 2.
Goalies-Adirondack, Riopel 3-6-0 (26 shots-26 saves).
Syracuse, Levasseur 5-7-2 (26 shots-24 saves).
A-5,289
Referees-Chris Cozzan (18).
Linesmen-Peter Feola (33), Dan Murphy (21).
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