| A High Five For The
Phantoms In Bridgeport
Adirondack bounced back strong! After an overnight
bus-ride arriving in Bridgeport at 4:30am and then
a quick turnaround for a 3:00pm start the day after
their first loss of the season the Phantoms were
able to shake off their bus legs in a convincing
5-1 victory at Bridgeport’s Webster Bank Arena.
The Phantoms rebounded behind two-goal performance
by Denis Hamel and Tom Sestito while rookie Jason
Akeson scored his first professional goal.
For Hamel, his pair of goals were the 318th and
319th of his AHL career, which ties him with Fred
Thurier for 14th place in league history. Meanwhile,
Hamel moved to within six goals of former Adirondack
Red Wing great Glenn Merkosky for 12th place in
AHL history.
Tom Sestito’s two-goal output was his first
multi-goal game as a Phantom, and the second such
performance of his professional career. Sestito
last scored two goals in a game on October 9, 2010,
when he did so for the Springfield Falcons against
the Providence Bruins.
Not to be lost in another high-scoring day for
Adirondack was another fine performance by Michael
Leighton. With 25 saves, Leighton improved to 3-0-0
this season, while Adirondack now leads the Northeast
Division with a 3-1-0 mark.
The Phantoms also got key offensive contributions
from Ben Holmstrom (2a), Garrett Roe (2a), Jason
Akeson (1g, 1a) and Mike Testwuide (2a). Adirondack’s
leading scorer in the early going, Brayden Schenn,
also had an assist and now has seven points (4g,
3a) in four games as a Phantom.
It was Adirondack’s second win of the weekend
over Bridgeport. The Phantoms also knocked off the
Sound Tigers 6-3 Friday night at the GFCC and outscored
their Northeast Division rivals 11-4 in the two
games combined.
Adirondack did all of its damage against Kevin
Poulin, who allowed five goals on 23 shots in defeat.
David Ullstrom scored the Sound Tigers’ only
goal breaking up Leighton’s bid for his 35th
ever AHL shutout with about seven minutes remaining.
Just as he did in the Phantoms’ win over
the Sound Tigers on Friday, Tom Sestito opened the
game’s scoring in the first period. Assisted
by Garrett Roe and Oskars Bartulis at the 15:36
mark, Sestito’s game-opening goal came on
a wraparound in which the 6-foot-5, 230-pound native
of Rome, New York completely overpowered the Sound
Tigers’ defense.
Sestito struck again two minutes later by sliding
the puck under Poulin’s pad, after faking
from his backhand to his forehand and fending off
a pair of Bridgeport defensemen.
The Phantoms increased their lead to 3-0 when Denis
Hamel scored midway through the second period with
a wrist shot from the high slot. With an assist
on the play, Ben Holmstrom got his first point of
the season and since being named Adirondack’s
captain. Holmstrom finished the afternoon with two
assists overall.
Adirondack rookie Jason Akeson made the score 4-0
by scoring his first professional goal at 11:06
of the third period. Akeson’s goal, a power-play
tally, came on a rifle of a slap shot from the left
point, with Brayden Schenn and Denis Hamel drawing
assists.
A minute after Akeson’s goal, David Ullstrom
busted Michael Leighton’s shutout with the
Sound Tigers’ only tally of the afternoon.
Denis Hamel added a power-play goal to restore
Adirondack’s four-goal lead, and give the
Phantoms two straight games with multiple strikes
on the man-advantage. For the season, the Phantoms
are 7-of-27 (26%) on the power play, having scored
with their special teams in each of the season’s
first four games.
Bridgeport outshot Adirondack in the game 26-23.
The Phantoms benefitted from a ton of power plays
including a pair of five minute majors in the third
period. Adirondack went 2-for-10 on the man advantage
while the Sound Tigers were 0-for-3.
After four days off, the Phantoms are back in action
when they visit the Portland Pirates next Friday
in Maine. Adirondack will then continue its five-game
road trip with its first meeting with the rival
Albany Devils next Saturday, and by visiting the
Rochester Americans next Sunday. The Phantoms return
home on Wednesday, October 26, when they host the
Norfolk Admirals at the Glens Falls Civic Center
in the first of a three game homestand in four days
during Halloween week.
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. #19 Luke
Pither and #15 Brayden Schenn the special featured
guests!
Friday, October 21, 7:00 pm- Phantoms at Portland
Pirates.
Saturday, October 22, 7:00 pm- Phantoms at Albany
Devils.
Sunday, October 23, 6:00 pm- Phantoms at Rochester
Americans.
Monday, October 24, 7:00 pm – “Phantoms
Power Hour” LIVE from McGinney’s Tavern,
193 Glen Street. Special guests, #2 Blake Kessel
and #16 Tye McGinn.
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
Adirondack Phantoms 5 at Bridgeport Sound Tigers
1 - Status: Final
Sunday, October 16, 2011 - Webster Bank Arena
Adirondack 2 1 2 - 5
Bridgeport 0 0 1 - 1
1st Period-1, Adirondack, Sestito 2 (Roe, Bartulis),
15:36. 2, Adirondack, Sestito 3 (Akeson, Roe), 17:32.
Penalties-Frischmon Bri (boarding), 4:17; Backman
Bri (hooking), 5:48; Donovan Bri (holding), 9:14;
Eddy Adk (holding), 11:47; Lauridsen Adk (fighting),
11:47; Olson Bri (fighting), 11:47; Donovan Bri
(interference), 12:18.
2nd Period-3, Adirondack, Hamel 3 (Testwuide, Holmstrom),
13:38. Penalties-Sestito Adk (fighting), 2:56; Gallant
Bri (fighting), 2:56; Donovan Bri (elbowing), 4:58;
Harper Adk (hooking), 8:10; Jancevski Adk (boarding),
18:13.
3rd Period-4, Adirondack, Akeson 1 (Schenn, Hamel),
11:06 (PP). 5, Bridgeport, Ullstrom 2 12:25. 6,
Adirondack, Hamel 4 (Testwuide, Holmstrom), 14:14
(PP). Penalties-Haley Bri (match - check to the
head), 0:49; Donovan Bri (match - check to the head),
10:20; Wellwood Adk (hooking), 11:38; Zolnierczyk
Adk (roughing, slashing), 17:37; Gallant Bri (roughing,
roughing), 17:37; Holmstrom Adk (slashing), 19:47;
Olson Bri (slashing), 19:47.
Shots on Goal-Adirondack 5-6-12-23. Bridgeport
7-12-7-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Adirondack 2 / 10; Bridgeport
0 / 3.
Goalies-Adirondack, Leighton 3-0-0 (26 shots-25
saves). Bridgeport, Poulin 1-2-0 (23 shots-18 saves).
Referees-Jon McIsaac (39).
Linesmen-Paul Simeon (66), Brent Colby (7).
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