20-year-old rookie talent Brayden Schenn dazzled
with the team’s first hat trick of the season
and the Adirondack Phantoms powered their way to
an impressive 6-3 victory over the Bridgeport Sound
Tigers to improve to 2-0-0 on the young season.
The victory extended the Phantoms streak of consecutive
wins at home to nine straight dating back to last
year.
With his first-career hat trick plus an assist,
Schenn has three goals and three assists in his
first two games as a Phantom. The former first-round
draft selection of the Kings has 13 points in nine
professional games overall, and has shown in the
season’s early going why he’s regarded
as one of the brightest prospects in professional
hockey.
As much as Friday’s game was about Schenn’s
first-career hat trick, Adirondack’s power
play also played a key role, going 3-of-6. Along
with Schenn; Tom Sestito and Harry Zolnierczyk also
scored in the man-advantage.
Zolnierczyk, a former captain at Brown University
and Ivy League Player of the Year, played one of
his more impressive games as a Phantom. Finishing
with a goal and three assists, Zolnierczyk used
his blazing speed to lead several key Phantoms rushes
all night, and was continuously a thorn in the Sound
Tigers’ side.
The most veteran defenseman, Dan Jancevski added
an even-strength goal for Adirondack, his first
a Phantom.
With 36 saves, the winning goaltender was Michael
Leighton, who won his second straight decision.
At 2-0-0, the Phantoms are the lone remaining undefeated
team in the Northeast Division.
10 different Phantoms have now lit the lamps for
Adirondack’s 12 total goals on the season
in their consecutive 6-3 decisions indicative of
the balanced scoring attack the team offers.
Bridgeport did damage on the power play itself
and scored twice on seven chances. However, Anders
Nilsson was beaten five times on 26 shots, and the
Sound Tigers lost for the second time in their first
three games.
Although Bridgeport was twice able to battle back
from one-goal deficits, the Phantoms never trailed
. Adirondack took its first lead three minutes into
the game, when on the power play, Tom Sestito deposited
a rebound past Nilsson after Zolnierczyk had been
stopped by the Bridgeport goalkeeper while on a
semi-breakaway.
However, the Phantoms’ lead lasted just four
minutes, as Chris Langkow’s first goal of
the season tied the game, 1-1.
Less than a minute into the second period, Brayden
Schenn scored the Phantoms’ second power-play
goal to give Adirondack the advantage again, 2-1.
But Bridgeport answered four minutes later as Justin
DiBenedetto scored the Sound Tigers’ first
power-play goal of the evening off a cross-ice feed
by Casey Cizikas.
Less than a minute after Bridgeport tied the game,
Adirondack was sent to the power play for the fifth
time in the game’s opening 25 minutes. This
time, it was Harry Zolnierczyk making the Sound
Tigers pay. The second-year pro deposited his first
marker of the season after grabbing a rebound of
an Eric Wellwood shot out of a crowd in the low-slot
area, and firing past Nilsson.
Adirondack was put in a bind early in the third
period as they had to kill back-to-back power plays
to preserve their slim 3-2 advantage. Michael Leighton
made some key saves and the penalty-kill battled
their way through it to keep the team in front.
Dan Jancevski made the score 4-2 at 8:39 into the
third period, by firing a slap shot from the left
point that was rifled past Nilsson and caromed off
the top of the netting and back into play. Although
the officials had to collaborate, they eventually
credited the goal for the 10-year veteran.
Two minutes later, Brayden Schenn added his second
goal of the game and made the score 5-2, by executing
a tricky forehand-to-backhand deke in tight to the
Bridgeport net.
Jeremy Colliton scored to bring the Sound Tigers
back to within two with 4:53 remaining.
Harry Zolnierczyk and Brayden Schenn were able
to race out of their zone with the puck in the closing
minute. While getting tripped up from behind, Schenn
was able to chip the puck into the net to finish
his first career professional hat trick concluding
a magical evening for the young talent.
Schenn is a highly touted prospect and a valuable
pick-up from the Los Angeles Kings organization
from this past off-season. Like his older brother,
Luke Schenn, of the Toronto Maples, Brayden was
a 5th overall selection in the NHL Entry Draft.
He was the Most Valuable Player at the World Juniors
Championships for the Silver Medal winning Team
Canada squad last January and had a four goal game
in the tournament becoming just the third ever Canadian
to do so.
Schenn began last year in the NHL with the Los
Angeles Kings playing in eight games before going
back to Major Juniors and the World Juniors Championships.
With Saskatoon in the WHL he produced at an amazing
rate of almost two points per game racking up 53
points (21g, 27a) in just 27 games.
Schenn had two assists in the Opening Night victory
and now leads the Phantoms offense with six points
in just two games.
The Phantoms will be right back in action when
they play their first road game of the season, Saturday
night against the Syracuse Crunch at 7:30 p.m. Adirondack
then finishes its weekend by playing these very-same
Sound Tigers on Sunday in Bridgeport, at 3:00 p.m.
Saturday’s game is the first of five straight
away from home for Adirondack as they travel to
Portland, Albany and Rochester next weekend.
The Phantoms next home games are October 26 through
29 at the Glens Falls Civic Center when the team
plays three games in four days against Norfolk,
Connecticut and Hershey. The game on Saturday, October
29 features the team’s Halloween Kids Parade
on the ice and also a post-game open-skate with
the Phantoms players presented by Glens Falls Hospital.
Notes: Scratches for the Phantoms included Oliver
Lauridsen, Garrett Klotz, Tyler Brown, Cullen Eddy,
Ben Holmstrom, Jon Kalinski, Johan Backlund.
Upcoming Events:
Monday, October 17, 7:00pm - "Phantoms Power
Hour" LIVE from McGinney's Tavern, 193 Glen
Street. Come join the fun as we bring the new weekly
Phantoms radio program live to the fans.
Wednesday, October 26, 7:00 – Phantoms vs.
Norfolk at the GFCC. $1 hot dogs.
Friday, October 28, 7:00 – Phantoms vs. Connecticut
at the GFCC. $2 draft beers (6:00 – 7:30)
Saturday, October 29, 7:00 – Phantoms vs.
Hershey at the GFCC. Kids Halloween Costume Parade.
Post-game open-skate with the Phantoms players presented
by Glens Falls Hospital
Sunday, October 30, 1:30-4:00 – Cruise with
the Phantoms presented by the Glens Falls Civic
Center Foundation. All Phantoms players appearing!
Sail aboard the Adirondac on Lake George and mingle
with the whole team. Complimentary Hor d’oeuvres
and cash bar. Tickets $25 for adults, $15 for kids
16 and younger: Available at GFCC Box Office and
Achenbach Jewelers.
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 518-480-3355
and check the team's website at phantomshockey.com.
Catch all the action of Phantoms hockey all season
long on the team's flagship station, Classic Hits
Q101.7 and on phantomshockey.com. Bob Rotruck, the
"Voice of the Phantoms", has the broadcast
coverage 30 minutes prior to game-time with Countdown
to Faceoff.
The Adirondack Phantoms are now over 10,000 members
strong on their social media networks. Be sure to
follow us on twitter @phantomshockey and on facebook.com/adkhockey
Bridgeport Sound Tigers 3 at Adirondack Phantoms
6 - Status: Final
Friday, October 14, 2011 - Glens Falls Civic Center
Bridgeport 1 1 1 - 3
Adirondack 1 2 3 - 6
1st Period-1, Adirondack, Sestito 1 (Zolnierczyk,
Gustafsson), 3:12 (PP). 2, Bridgeport, Langkow 1
(Marcinko, Romano), 7:22. Penalties-Olson Bri (delay
of game), 2:17; Romano Bri (slashing), 10:20; Kessel
Adk (high-sticking), 12:26; Wellwood Adk (interference),
13:47; Reese Bri (slashing), 14:44; Romano Bri (hooking),
18:56.
2nd Period-3, Adirondack, Schenn 1 (Akeson), 0:34
(PP). 4, Bridgeport, DiBenedetto 4 (Cizikas, Backman),
4:39 (PP). 5, Adirondack, Zolnierczyk 1 (Wellwood,
Kessel), 5:41 (PP). Penalties-Schenn Adk (tripping),
4:18; Frischmon Bri (slashing), 5:28; served by
Langkow Bri (bench minor - unsportsmanlike conduct),
10:13; Roe Adk (high-sticking), 14:15.
3rd Period-6, Adirondack, Jancevski 1 (Wellwood),
8:39. 7, Adirondack, Schenn 2 (Zolnierczyk, Bartulis),
10:27. 8, Bridgeport, Colliton 1 (Ness, Reese),
15:07 (PP). 9, Adirondack, Schenn 3 (Zolnierczyk,
Wellwood), 19:06 (EN). Penalties-Harper Adk (boarding),
2:01; Bartulis Adk (delay of game), 4:11; Marshall
Adk (slashing), 13:46.
Shots on Goal-Bridgeport 10-9-17-36. Adirondack
7-14-6-27.
Power Play Opportunities-Bridgeport 2 / 7; Adirondack
3 / 6.
Goalies-Bridgeport, Nilsson 1-1-0 (26 shots-21 saves).
Adirondack, Leighton 2-0-0 (36 shots-33 saves).
A-2,981
Referees-Chris Brown (86).
Linesmen-Jim Briggs (83), Rich Patry (52).
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