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What a way to end a road trip! The Phantoms were
perfect on the penalty kill and got splendidly stalwart
goaltending from Jason Bacashihua in a 3-1 victory
at the Rochester Americans on Sunday night.
The victory clinched a winning road trip for the
Phantoms, who went 3-2-0 in their five-game swing
as well as 2-1-0 on the three-in-three weekend.
With a record of 5-2-0, Adirondack is tied with
the Connecticut Whale for first place in the Northeast
Division with 10 points. The Phantoms begin a stretch
where they will play 5-of-6 games at home when they
host the Norfolk Admirals on Wednesday.
In addition to killing all eight Rochester power
plays, Adirondack got a shorthanded goal from Harry
Zolnierczyk, which was the game-winning goal. Eric
Wellwood and Zac Rinaldo also scored for the Phantoms,
while Marc-Andrew Bourdon, Oskars Bartulis and Dan
Jancevski contributed assists. For Jancevski, his
assist was his 199th in the AHL.
Backstopping the Phantoms' solid Sunday effort was
Jason Bacashihua. Making several cat-like saves
and finishing with 33 stops overall, Bacashihua
got his first win in a Phantoms uniform. A veteran
of 10 professional seasons, Bacashihua's win was
the 131st of his professional career.
"He (Bacashihua) did a good job staying square
to the puck and was in good position all night.
Our defense was good, too, and eliminated the secondary
shots by cutting down on rebounds," said Phantoms
head coach Joe Paterson.
Key for Adirondack was the team's penalty kill.
Rochester had eight man advantages including an
extended 5-on-3 early in the second period but the
Phantoms rose to the occasion time and time again.
"We made some adjustments from last night.
We got in their shooting lanes all night and took
away their time and space. We had some guys step
up individually, too. Dan Jancevski, especially.
He (Jancevski) was great tonight," remarked
Paterson following his team's hard-fought 3-1 victory.
It took less than two minutes for Eric Wellwood
to score the game's first goal and give the Phantoms
a 1-0 lead. Dan Jancevski started the scoring sequence
with a long outlet pass from Adirondack's defensive
zone onto the stick of Wellwood, who fired through
MacIntyre's legs from the right-wing circle while
on a 2-on-1 with Jason Akeson.
Less than a minute later, the Americans pulled even
when Marcus Foligno deflected a hard point shot
from Brayden McNabb past Bacashihua. For the son
of former longtime NHL player Mike Foligno and the
brother of current Ottawa Senators forward Nick
Foligno, the goal was his third of the season.
Tied 1-1, the two teams traded chances on the power
play throughout the first period. However, it was
during a Rochester power play when Adirondack regained
its advantage. After intercepting a pass at his
own blue line, Harry Zolnierczyk used his blazing
speed to leave a pair of Rochester defensemen in
the dust, and then his silky-smoothe hands to beat
MacIntyre for a 2-1 lead. At 16:33 of the first
period, Zolnierczyk's strike was the Phantoms' first
shorthanded goal of the season.
Following Zolnierczyk's go-ahead goal, the Americans
had six more power-play chances on the evening,
including 1:24 of 5-on-3 time in the second period.
However, Bacashihua had an answer for every chance
against him while several Phantoms defensemen chipped
in with blocked shots.
The Phantoms got an insurance marker when Zac Rinaldo
ripped home his first goal of the season with three
minutes left in the third period, as Adirondack
went on to win, 3-1. Adirondack had gained possession
for a stretch in the Rochester zone. After Oskars
Bartulis kept it in at the point he found Garrett
Roe in the corner who swiftly moved the puck to
Rinaldo in the left circle to snap home the back-breaking
tally.
For Rinaldo, his first goal with the Phantoms on
Sunday completes an interesting week for the 21-year-old.
He arrived to Adirondack from an early-season stay
with the Philadelphia Flyers and proceeded to have
multiple strong scoring chances including a breakaway
on Friday and a disallowed goal on Saturday night.
The Americans finished Sunday's game with a 34-16
shots advantage; however, it was the Phantoms with
the all-important 3-1 goals advantage.
Adirondack was 0-of-4 on the power play but scored
a shorthanded goal, Rochester was 0-for-8 on the
man advantage.
Drew MacIntyre allowed three goals on 16 shots and
was the losing goalie for the Americans, who got
their only goal from Marcus Foligno. With three-straight
losses, Rochester fell to 3-3-2 and sits one point
back of the Toronto Marlies for first place in the
Western Conference's North Division.
This was the first of four games between the cross-conference
foes. Rochester travels to Glens Falls for a game
on December 10. Adirondack's next, and last, trip
to Blue Cross Arena will be on February 24.
Adirondack plays a three-game homestand over four
days coming up against some of the toughest competition
in the Eastern Conference. The Phantoms host Norfolk
on Wednesday, Connecticut on Friday in a Northeast
Division first-place showdown, and then conference
leading Hershey on Saturday.
The Phantoms' scratches were Garrett Klotz, Eric
Wellwood, Oskars Bartulis and Jon Kalinski.
Upcoming Events
Monday, October 24- 7:00 p.m. - "Phantoms Power
Hour" LIVE from McGinney's Tavern, 193 Glen
Street. Special guests #11 Shane Harper 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.
Sean Avery playing on the Connecticut Whale now.
$2 draft Bud Light and Labatt Blue through first
intermission.
Saturday, October 29, 7:00 - Phantoms vs. Hershey
at the GFCC. Kids Halloween Costume Parade. Postgame
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! Hor
d'oeuvres and cash bar. Tickets $25 for adults,
$15 for kids: 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 has
the broadcast coverage 30 minutes prior to game-time
with Countdown to Faceoff.
Reaching 4,000 Twitter followers during Sunday's
game, 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 3 at Rochester Americans 1 -
Status: Final
Sunday, October 23, 2011 - Blue Cross Arena
Adirondack 2 0 1 - 3
Rochester 1 0 0 - 1
1st Period-1, Adirondack, Wellwood 2 (Jancevski,
Bourdon), 1:47. 2, Rochester, Foligno 3 (McNabb,
Stuart), 2:10. 3, Adirondack, Zolnierczyk 3 16:33
(SH). Penalties-Whitmore Rch (hooking), 3:27; Finley
Rch (hooking), 7:32; Pither Adk (high-sticking),
9:49; McGinn Adk (hooking), 15:47.
2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Roe Adk (hooking),
0:45; Marshall Adk (tripping), 1:21; Rinaldo Adk
(hooking), 5:07; Finley Rch (slashing), 8:04; Holmstrom
Adk (hooking), 14:39; Morrisonn Rch (holding), 14:54;
Zolnierczyk Adk (delay of game), 19:03.
3rd Period-4, Adirondack, Rinaldo 1 (Bartulis),
16:53. Penalties-Rinaldo Adk (holding), 3:15.
Shots on Goal-Adirondack 5-7-4-16. Rochester 9-11-14-34.
Power Play Opportunities-Adirondack 0 / 4; Rochester
0 / 8.
Goalies-Adirondack, Bacashihua 1-1-0 (34 shots-33
saves). Rochester, MacIntyre 1-2-1 (16 shots-13
saves).
A-3,702
Referees-Geno Binda (22).
Linesmen-Dan Murphy (21), Fraser McIntyre (94).
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