Worcester, MA-Former Phantom goalie Carter Hutton
made 35 saves on 36 shots in a strong performance
allowing the Worcester Sharks to edge Adirondack
3-1. The Sunday afternoon setback ended the Phantoms'
two game winning streak. Jon Kalinski (6th) scored
the lone goal for the Phantoms and Michael Leighton
took the loss as he was starting his third straight
game of the weekend.
Hutton played four games late last season with
the Phantoms after signing an ATO out of Mass-Lowell.
He went 1-2-1 with Adirondack before he declined
to sign with the Flyers. Today he got back at
his former team turning in a dazzling game to
help Worcester keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Adirondack was playing their third game in a row
and fifth game in six days but you would hardly
know it in the first two periods especially as
the Phantoms built a 14-5 shots on goal advantage
in the opening period and then 25-12 after two.
The Phantoms were playing a Sunday away game following
their emotionally charged and exciting victories
over second place Hershey and first place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
on Friday and Saturday nights. But Adirondack
couldn't get the breaks to go their way in this
one and ran into a hot goalie putting a damper
on what was otherwise a terrific weekend for the
team.
Kevin Henderson's deflection of a Nick Petrecki
drive from the point went across Leighton angled
to the top of the net to give Worcester a 1-0
lead just 1:21 into the game.
Late in the first period, a fine cross-ice feed
to Tom Sestito on the backdoor look like a sure
thing. But Hutton dove across the goal-line and
stretch over with his glove to rob Sestito on
perhaps his best save of the day.
The Phantoms got the equalizer early in the 2nd
period as Danny Syvret would start the rush with
a long head-man to Harry Zolnierczyk up the left-wing.
Zolnierczyk's drop for Kalinski would set up a
perfect shot off the underside of the cross-bar
for Kalinski's 6th of the year at 3:59 into the
second period.
A few minutes later it appeared the Phantoms has
taken the lead. Syvret's slapshot from the center-point
went into the top of the goal. But while all the
Phantoms were celebrating, referee Gino Binda
waved it off on the ruling that the cage had been
barely dislodged from the pegs.
The 1-1 deadlock would continue past the midway
point of the third period when Petrecki would
set up another Sharks goal. This time his drive
would come from the right point and would be tipped
by T.J. Trevelyan. It appeared Leighton got a
piece of it but the puck had just enough on it
to barely roll across the goal-line just before
the desperate dive backwards by Leighton to dig
it out. Trevelyan's 16th of the year gave the
Sharks a 2-1 lead.
Adirondack pulled goalie Michael Leighton with
2:30 remaining setting up the extra attacker a
bit earlier than typical. The Phantoms had several
decent 6-on-5 chances in the closing minutes but
Hutton and his defense in front of him were able
to steer them away. Patrick Davis was able to
steal the puck in the closing moments to score
an empty-netter with just 14 seconds remaining
for the 3-1 final.
The Phantoms finished the season 1-1 against the
Worcester Sharks.
The Sharks are four points behind Connecticut
in the Atlantic Division for the last playoff
spot with just six games to play. They were rebounding
from their worst game of the year having lost
7-2 to Springfield the night before.
Michael Leighton finished the game with 27 saves
on 29 shots. Both teams were 0-for-4 on the power
play. Shots on goal favored the Phantoms 36-30.
The Phantoms are 5-3 in their last 8 games and
are 11-6-5 in their last 22 games since February
5. Under Head Coach Joe Paterson, the Phantoms
are now 20-13-8.
Adirondack travels to Albany to take on the Devils
Tuesday night at 7 in game number 10 of the Time
Warner Cable Cup Series. The Devils lead the season
series 5-4. The Phantoms next home game is Friday
night at 7:00 against Albany with a Time Warner
Cable ticket special featuring $10 adult tickets
and just $5 for kids. Friday's game is also military
appreciation night.
The Friday game is also the beginning of a four
game homestand representing the last home games
of the year for Adirondack.
Call the Phantoms for tickets at (518)480-3355.
Phantoms Notes: Forwards Andrew Rowe, Stefan Legein
& Zac Rinaldo along with D-men Matt Walker,
Olivier Lauridsen, J.P. Testwuide and Logan Stephenson
were scratches for Adirondack.
UPCOMING GAMES
Tuesday, March 29, 7:00 p.m. - Adirondack Phantoms
at Albany Devils
Friday, April 1, 7:30 p.m. - Albany Devils at
Adirondack Phantoms - Military Appreciation Night-
Tickets: $10 for Adults and $5 for Kids courtesy
of Time Warner Cable
Saturday, April 2, 7:00 p.m. - Syracuse Crunch
at Adirondack Phantoms
Monday, April 4, 7:00 p.m. - Rochester Americans
at Adirondack Phantoms
Wednesday, April 6, 7:00 p.m. - Albany Devils
at Adirondack Phantoms
Phantoms Season Tickets for 2011-12 are on sale
now! Full season ticket holders get an Adirondack
Phantoms stadium blanket while supplies last and
also will be in the Phantoms mug club for $1 sodas
and coffees in Heritage Hall all season long.
Join us at the Glens Falls Civic Center for exciting
Adirondack Phantoms hockey, the top affiliate
of the Philadelphia Flyers. 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 and flex-packs.
Come watch future NHL stars and up-and-coming
Flyers prospects. 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 1 at Worcester Sharks 3 -
Status: Final
Sunday, March 27, 2011 - DCU Center
Adirondack 0 1 0 - 1
Worcester 1 0 2 - 3
1st Period-1, Worcester, Henderson 8 (Petrecki,
DaSilva), 1:21. Penalties-Henderson Wor (hooking),
10:39; Marshall Adk (slashing), 19:39.
2nd Period-2, Adirondack, Kalinski 6 (Zolnierczyk,
Syvret), 3:59. Penalties-Marshall Adk (roughing),
5:31; McLaren Wor (roughing), 5:31; Trevelyan
Wor (boarding), 5:31; served by Trevelyan Wor
(bench minor - too many men), 7:40; Longpre Wor
(double minor - high-sticking), 10:00; Zolnierczyk
Adk (roughing), 13:58; Sullivan Wor (roughing),
13:58.
3rd Period-3, Worcester, Trevelyan 16 (Petrecki,
Sullivan), 11:46. 4, Worcester, Davis 7 (Moore,
McGinn), 19:46 (EN). Penalties-Testwuide Adk (hooking),
6:58; Zolnierczyk Adk (roughing), 9:45; Moore
Wor (roughing), 9:45; Hamel Adk (hooking), 14:20;
served by Sestito Adk (bench minor - unsportsmanlike
conduct), 19:46.
Shots on Goal-Adirondack 14-11-11-36. Worcester
5-7-18-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Adirondack 0 / 4; Worcester
0 / 4.
Goalies-Adirondack, Leighton 11-12-3 (29 shots-27
saves). Worcester, Hutton 10-5-2 (36 shots-35
saves).
A-5,003
Referees-Geno Binda (22).
Linesmen-Scott Whittemore (96), Brian MacDonald
(72).
