| ADIRONDACK PHANTOMS
vs. Connecticut Whale (New York Rangers),
Glens Falls
Civic Center,
Saturday, October 8, 7:00 p.m.
Hockey season is back!
The Adirondack Phantoms are ready to begin the
2011-12 season presented by Bud Light against the
Connecticut Whale at the Glens Falls Civic Center,
Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.
Most of last year’s players including many
familiar faces are returning for Adirondack as they
take on a Connecticut Whale team featuring legendary
New York Rangers tough guy Sean Avery.
Opening Night presented by Nemer Ford features
Phantoms magnet schedules courtesy of Great Meadow
Federal Credit Union. The Phantoms are wearing commemorative
Opening Night jerseys featuring a classic, retro-style.
The impressive black-and-white uniforms will be
auctioned to the fans right off the players’
backs immediately following the game.
The big news of the day will be the debut of the
new improvements and features at the GFCC. Mayor
Jack Diamond will help unveil the two large video-boards
stationed in opposite corners of the arena. When
he addresses the opening night crowd he will be
doing so via the great new sound system that was
also a major part of the improvements.
The new screens and sound system are the result
of a collaborative effort between several different
entities including the Glens Falls Civic Center
Foundation, the city of Glens Falls, Warren County,
and the Brooks Group. Special thanks go out to many
groups and individuals who helped make this great
day a reality. None of this is possible without
the collaborative efforts of everyone involved.
Previewing the Phantoms
Adirondack features 14 returning players who appeared
in a minimum of 30 games with the Phantoms last
season. 19 players on the Opening Night roster played
in at least one game with Adirondack in 2010-11.
Some of the familiar names returning to the Phantoms
this season include leading scorer Denis Hamel,
2010-11 MVP Ben Holmstrom, Phantoms Rookie of the
Year Erik Gustafsson as well as Mike Testwuide,
Eric Wellwood, Michael Leighton, Kevin Marshall
and Jon Kalinski.
Head Coach Joe Paterson
Joe Paterson returns for his second season as head
coach of the Adirondack Phantoms. The Glen Lake
resident assumed the reigns midway through 2010-11
and guided the team to a 25-16-8 mark. Paterson
has played in 293 career NHL games with the Detroit
Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers and
Philadelphia Flyers. Paterson was a left wing on
the Adirondack Red Wings from 1981-84, and scored
52 goals and 122 points in 169-career games. He
also served as an assistant coach of the Adirondack
Red Wings for three seasons from 1992-94, under
Newell Brown. He played under Doug McKay, Bill Mahoney
and Bill Dineen while with the Red Wings. His best
season with Adirondack as a player was in 1981-82,
when he scored 22 goals and 28 assists, for 50 points,
in 74 games.
Phantoms Offense
Adirondack returns many of their leading corers
and top players from 2010-11. The Phantoms’
leader in points and co-leader in goals, Denis Hamel
(25g, 25a), begins his 15th season in pro hockey
with 315-career markers. Hamel’s 315 goals
are 16th in AHL history, and just one behind current
Washington Capitals head coach, Bruce Boudreau,
for 15th place on the all-time list. Boudreau, a
former 20-year pro, finished his career by playing
four playoff games with the Adirondack Red Wings
in 1991-92, as the team was en route to its fourth
Calder Cup championship.
The Phantoms’ second leading scorer last
season, defenseman Erik Gustafsson (5g, 44a), returns
as well. Last year, the rookie blueliner led the
team in assists and played at the AHL All-Star Classic
while also being named to the AHL All-Rookie Team.
Mike Testwuide led all Phantoms rookies in goals
with 18. He lit it up in the second half of the
season scoring 16 of those tallies. Eric Wellwood
returns after an impressive debut season at only
20 years old in which he scored 16 goals and 28
points.
Phantoms Defense
Joining the aforementioned Erik Gustafsson on the
Phantoms’ back line will be fellow-returnees
Kevin Marshall, Oskars Bartulis, Marc-Andre Bourdon,
Cullen Eddy, Oliver Lauridsen and Dan Jancevski,
while University of New Hampshire product Blake
Kessel is the lone newcomer.
Marshall played in 78 games last year and leads
all Adirondack Phantoms players with 153 total games
played.
Bartulis has 66 games of NHL experience under his
belt with the Flyers including 13 last season. He
has played in 153 games with the Adirondack and
Philadelphia Phantoms dating back to 2007-08.
The veteran, Jancevski, served as the team’s
captain in 2010-11. He has played in 776 career
AHL games and moves into 35th all-time in Saturday’s
contest.
Phantoms Goaltending
The veteran goaltending of the Phantoms is expected
to be one of the team’s strengths this season.
The trio of goalies currently on Adirondack’s
roster are Michael Leighton, Jason Bacashihua and
Johan Backlund. Leighton and Bacashihua have each
played nine pro seasons in the AHL and NHL.
Backlund was the Phantoms team MVP in 2009-10 and
has eight combined professional seasons between
the AHL and Swedish Elite League.
Leighton equaled a Phantoms franchise record last
year with a .926 saves percentage. Leighton starts
the year with 144 AHL wins and 34 shutouts, including
five last season. The 34 shutouts are the most in
the AHL’s modern era (since 1975) and sixth
most all-time.
Bacashihua comes to the Phantoms from the Lake
Erie Monsters (Colorado) of the AHL. He was 23-16-3
last season with an impressive 2.29 goals against
average. He was with the Hershey Bears in their
most recent Calder Cup championship season the year
before that and has played parts of two seasons
with the St. Louis Blues.
About the Connecticut Whale
Sean Avery was placed on waivers by the New York
Rangers and assigned to the Connecticut Whale. He
has been agitating opponents as a Ranger for the
past five seasons and has racked up 1,512 penalty
minutes in his NHL career which began with the Detroit
Red Wings in 2001-02. He has played in 565 career
NHL games. This will be his first AHL game since
2008-09 when he played in eight games with the Hartford
Wolf Pack, the former name for the Connecticut Whale.
The most veteran Whale defenseman is Wade Redden,
who has appeared in 994 NHL games with the Ottawa
Senators and New York Rangers, since 1996. A former
two-time NHL All-Star, this will be Redden’s
second season with Connecticut, after the veteran
rearguard was sent to the AHL by the New York Rangers
last October.
Ryan Bourque may make his professional debut in
the contest. He is the son of former Boston Bruin
and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ray Bourque who
retired after winning the Stanley Cup in 2000-01.
The Hall of Famer is first all-time in career points
by a defenseman (1579) and defenseman goals (410).
The Whale are led by Head Coach Ken Gernander.
He is the AHL's all-time leader with 123 career
playoff games played and is the league's all-time
leading scorer among American-born players with
624 points in 973 games.
Family Ties
The Phantoms opening night roster features Eric
Wellwood, Blake Kessel, Tye McGinn and Brayden Schenn,
all of whom have older brothers on NHL rosters.
Kessel’s older brother, Phil, and Schenn’s
older brother, Luke, both skate for the Toronto
Maple Leafs. McGinn’s brother Jamie plays
for San Jose, and Wellwood’s brother, Kyle,
is part of the newly-formed Winnipeg Jets.
New Division
Formerly members of opposite divisions in the Eastern
Conference, the AHL’s realignment in the summer
of 2011 has planted the Phantoms and Whale in the
same division in 2011-12, as both will be charter
members of the newly-formed Northeast Division.
The division will also feature the Albany Devils,
Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Springfield Falcons.
Be Here! Phantoms Tickets are On Sale
Now!
Adirondack Phantoms game tickets are on sale now.
Starting at just $12.25 for adults and $10 for kids
it’s the best entertainment value in town.
Season tickets offer great savings and outstanding
perks and benefits. 22 game and 12 game plans give
the fans flexibility to choose the games that work
best for their schedule while also saving big compared
with purchasing the tickets individually. Call the
Phantoms at 518-480-3355 to find out more.
Phantoms to Host Outdoor Classic
The Phantoms have announced they will be a part
of the NHL Winter Classic week-long celebration
of hockey when they host the Hershey Bears on January
6 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. This will
be only the third outdoor game in AHL history and
is the first to be associated with the NHL Winter
Classics. It is also the first ever outdoor game
for the Phantoms.
"This is an extremely exciting day for the
Phantoms organization and Phantoms fans everywhere,"
said Phantoms President Rob Brooks. "A hockey
celebration and atmosphere unlike anything the AHL
has ever seen will happen at Citizens Bank Park.
We are extremely grateful to (Comcast Spectacor
President) Peter Luukko for helping make this truly
great event a reality."
Citizens Bank Park will also host the Philadelphia
Flyers vs. the New York Rangers on January 2. It
is the baseball home for the Philadelphia Phillies
and will have a seating capacity of approximately
40,000. The Phantoms are hoping to break the all-time
AHL attendance record of 21,673 set last season
at an outdoor game in East Hartford, Conn.
On the Air!
All Adirondack Phantoms games are carried live
on the flagship home of the Phantoms Hockey Network,
Classic Hits Q101.7 FM. Each broadcast begins with
a 30 pregame show. Also featured is an extended
post-game show including audio replay highlights
of the big goals so be sure to tune in as you driving
home after the game. Bob Rotruck returns for his
second season has the Voice of the Phantoms.
Fans can also listen on the Phantoms Hockey Network
on the internet at phantomshockey.com and on the
team’s alternative audio link, ustream.tv/channel/phantomsradio
. Games can also be seen on www.ahllive.com. The
presenting sponsor of the Phantoms Hockey Network
is Curtis Lumber.
Beginning Monday, October 17 is the all new "Phantoms
Power Hour" weekly show airing live from McGinny's
Tavern in downtown Glens Falls. The show featuring
Phantoms players, host Bob Rotruck, and you, the
fans, airs on Mondays from 7-8 p.m. on Q101.7
Jimmer Bobbleheads and More!
The first ever bobblehead of local sports icon
Jimmer Fredette highlights a great schedule of promotional
giveaways, events and bargains and fun. Even more
post-game skates with the players and lots of other
opportunities for fans to interact with the team.
Magnet Schedules, Youth Jerseys, T-Shirts, Youth
Knit Caps and that’s just to name a few.
Every Sunday home game is Sunday Family Fun Pack
Day when $39 gets you an amazing value with three
tickets, three hot dogs, three sodas, bucket of
popcorn and a program. All Wednesday games are Dollar
Hot Dog Nights.
Don’t forget other fun and special events
like Pucks and Paws on December 28 when fans can
bring their dog to the game. And the On Ice Halloween
Costume Parade on October 29.
Social Media Milestone
The Adirondack Phantoms thank all of our great
fans for helping us surpass reach the 10,000 milestone
for total social media followers. 6,400 fans on
our team’s Facebook page and over 3,800 fans
following us on twitter. And we’re growing
all the time! Be sure to keep up with the latest
Phantoms happenings and follow the Phantoms on twitter
@phantomshockey and on facebook.com/adkhockey
Get great savings and have fun with your friends,
family or co-workers by bringing your group of 15
or more fans to enjoy fast-paced, hard-hitting Phantoms
hockey. Call the Phantoms to find out more at 518-480-3355and
check the team's website at phantomshockey.com
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