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Wilkes-Barre, PA-The
Adirondack Phantoms were on a roll in the closing
days of their second season but it ended with a
4-2 loss at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Sunday afternoon.
The Penguins scored three goals in the final 10
minutes to overcome a 2-1 Phantoms lead.
Rather appropriately, the Phantoms kept on coming
and working and battling in the final 15 seconds
of the game with a couple of good shots at Brad
Thiessen as the final moments of 2010-11 ticked
away.
Adirondack went 5-2 in their last seven games to
finish the year which included a spectacular seven
game home-ice win streak. The Phantoms were 9-6
in their last 15 games and ended up with a 25-16-8
mark under Head Coach Joe Paterson who took over
in late December.
For the final game, the Phantoms were led by Matt
Read with yet another goal and also an assist. Read
had seven goals and 13 points in just 11 games since
signing with the Flyers organization out of Bemidji
State (Minn.) a few short weeks ago. Rob Bordson
scored his 8th of the year for Adirondack.
Denis Hamel dropped off to Bordson midway through
the first period for a one-timer from the top of
the right circle past the left skate of Brad Thiessen
staking the visitors to a 1-0 advantage. Hamel's
assist was good for his 50th point of the year (25
goals and 25 assists) giving him the Phantoms point
title over Erik Gustaffson by one point. Michael
Ryan's 26 goals pushed him ahead of Hamel by one
in that category.
Nick Petersen capitalized on a rebound late in the
first period on the power play to tie the game at
1-1 into the first intermission.
Matt Ryan jumped on a giveaway right in front of
the net and spun around to slam it through Thiessen
allowing the Phantoms to regain the lead at 2-1
midway through the 2nd period.
The Phantoms clung to the lead for the rest of the
second and for the first ten minutes of the third
as Johan Backlund made several fine saves scrambling
back and forth across the blue paint. The Penguins
were finally able to break through on their 13th
shot of the period when Chris Collins would tie
the game from the right circle on a give from Zach
Sill.
The Pens kept on coming and at the 14:14 mark it
would be Ryan Schnell chipping a Joey Mormina give
upstairs over the shoulder of Backlund for the eventual
game-winner.
Nick Petersen raced up the right wing and drove
straight to the net where he was able to flip it
past the prone Backlund at 16:05 for the game's
final score.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton outshot the Phantoms 21-5
in the final period. The Penguins finished the year
with the best record in the AHL but only won the
season series over the Phantoms 5 games to 3.
The Penguins outshot Adirondack 40-25. The Phantoms
were 0-for-1 on the power play while the Pens finished
1-for-2.
Mike Testwuide won a tight race for the rookie goal-scoring
crown on the team with 18. Eric Wellwood and Ben
Holmstrom had 16 each. Testwuide scored 15 goals
in the last 32 games of the year after only scoring
three goals in his first 34 games. His second half
scoring outburst was indicative of the entire team's
success past the midway point as they continued
to push past their opponents and rack up 27 wins
since December 17.
It's a bittersweet finish to the season for the
team and their fans who wish they could see more
Phantoms hockey. But we'll have to wait until October
and we look forward to seeing you back at the Glens
Falls Civic Center then.
It's been an amazing turnaround in the second half
of the season and everyone with the Phantoms are
excited to get back at it in 2011-12. Thanks to
you fans for cheering so hard for the team all year
long and continuing to support exciting Phantoms
hockey in Glens Falls. The difference you make is
huge and we can't wait to see (and hear!!) you again
next season.
Phantoms notes:
Scratches for the Phantoms included Stefan Legein,
Harry Zolnierczyk and Zac Rinaldo as well as Matt
Walker, Oliver Lauridsen, Tom Sestito and Logan
Stephenson.
The last jersey auction of the season running on
ebay. Place your bids for your the Phantoms black
game-worn jerseys before Tuesday. A link to the
auction is available in the upper-right corner on
phantomshockey.com.
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. Call
(518) 480-3355 or log on at phantomshockey.com
Adirondack Phantoms 2 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
4 - Status: Final
Sunday, April 10, 2011 - Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey
Plaza
Adirondack 1 1 0 - 2
W-B/Scranton 1 0 3 - 4
1st Period-1, Adirondack, Bordson 8 (Hamel, Read),
10:40. 2, W-B/Scranton, Petersen 4 (Street, Hutchinson),
19:38 (PP). Penalties-Collins Wbs (interference),
3:33; Ryan Adk (hooking), 19:19.
2nd Period-3, Adirondack, Read 7 11:38. Penalties-Eddy
Adk (roughing), 7:24; Craig Wbs (roughing), 7:24;
Jancevski Adk (hooking), 14:29; Marshall Adk (delay
of game), 14:35; Craig Wbs (delay of game), 14:35.
3rd Period-4, W-B/Scranton, Collins 13 (Sill), 9:51.
5, W-B/Scranton, Schnell 2 (Mormina, Sneep), 14:14.
6, W-B/Scranton, Petersen 5 16:05. Penalties-Holmstrom
Adk (cross-checking), 3:23; Schnell Wbs (cross-checking),
3:23.
Shots on Goal-Adirondack 10-5-10-25. W-B/Scranton
13-6-21-40.
Power Play Opportunities-Adirondack 0 / 1; W-B/Scranton
1 / 2.
Goalies-Adirondack, Backlund 10-19-3 (40 shots-36
saves). W-B/Scranton, Thiessen 35-8-1 (25 shots-23
saves); Killeen 0-0-0 (0 shots-0 saves).
A-7,161
Referees-Jeff Smith (49).
Linesmen-Jameel Chaudry (51), Judson Ritter (34).
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