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ADIRONDACK PHANTOMS
(8-4-1) at Portland Pirates (5-7-1)
Phantoms - 2nd Northeast Division, 5th Eastern
Conference
Pirates -5th Atlantic Division, 15th Eastern Conference
Cumberland County Civic Center; Portland, Maine
Tuesday, November 15, 6:30 p.m.
On The Road!
The Phantoms start a four-game road trip on Tuesday
in Portland, following a stretch where they played
5-of-6 games at home. Adirondack's trip will include
visits to Syracuse on Saturday, Bridgeport on
Sunday and Binghamton on Thanksgiving, before
the team returns home on Black Friday to play
the Springfield Falcons. The Phantoms are 4-2-0
on the road this season. By having gone 3-2-1
in its last six games, Adirondack has improved
to 8-4-1, which puts the Phantoms in a three-way
tie for second place in the division and just
one point behind the Albany Devils for first.
Northeast Division Standings
1. Albany Devils (18 points)
2. Adirondack Phantoms (17 points)
3. Connecticut Whale (17 points)
4. Bridgeport Sound Tigers (17 points)
5.Springfield Falcons (14 points)
Denis Hamel: One Goal From! Glenn Merkosky
Denis Hamel's goal against Syracuse on Friday
was his 324th in the AHL, which brings him to
just one of the former Adirondack Red Wing great,
Glenn Merkosky, for 12th place on the AHL's all-time
goal-scoring list.
Hamel, a 15th-year professional, is just 19 games
from 1,000 professional games and is 36th in all-time
AHL points with 622. Hamel's next to targets on
the all-time points list are Brian Kilrea and
Ken Gernander, who both retired with 624 points.
Kilrea and Gernander both went on to notable coaching
careers after their playing days. Kilrea coached
the Ottawa 67's in the Ontario Hockey League from
1974-2009 and was enshrined in the Hockey Hall
of Fame in 2003, while Gernander is currently
the bench boss for the Connecticut Whale.
Adirondack Phantoms (NHL Affiliate:
Philadelphia Flyers)
In the team's most recent game, Saturday night
against the Toronto Marlies; the Phantoms used
shootout goals from Jason Akeson, Denis Hamel
and Oskars Bartulis to get a 2-1 win. The win
improved the Phantoms to 15-3-5 on home ice since
last February, however, the team doesn't play
at home again until a Black Friday showdown with
the Springfield Falcons
Jason Bacashihua also played a key role in the
team's win over the Marlies on Saturday, stopping
3-of-4 in the shootout, after stopping 27-of-28
shots through regulation and overtime, For Bacashihua,
the win was his first home win as a Phantom and
it improved his record to 2-1-1 this season. Bacashihua,
a 10-year pro, spent last season with the Lake
Erie Monsters, who are the AHL affiliate of the
Colorado Avalanche,
The Phantoms' other goalie is Michael Leighton,
who is 6-3-0 and earned his 36th career shutout
in the team's only prior visit to Portland this
season. Leighton's 36 shutouts are sixth most
in the AHL's 76-year history.
Shane Harper scored Adirondack's goal in regulation
time. For Harper, a second year pro who is the
Western Hockey League's Everett Silvertips' all-time
leading scorer with 214 points(100g,114a), the
goal was his first of the season.
Rookie Jason Akeson got the primary assist on
Harper's goal and now leads Adirondack with eight
assists this season. The 21-year-old rookie led
the Ontario Hockey League in scoring with 108
points (24g, 84a) as a member of the Kitchener
Rangers.
Another Phantom rookie off to a strong start is
Garrett Roe, who leads the team with a +6 and
is second on the team with seven assists. Roe
netted his first professional goal in Adirondack's
last visit to Portland, on October 21.
Phantoms Tidbits
--Saturday's win improved the Phantoms to 4-2-0
in the second half of back-to-back games.
--Although the Phantoms trail the Albany Devils
by one point in the division standings, Adirondack
(.654) has the best points percentage in the division.
--The Phantoms have either ousthot their opponents
or tied in shots in each of the last four games.
Adirondack is a perfect 3-0-0 when outshooting
its opponents and 5-4-1 when not outshooting its
opponent.
--Adirondack has power-play goals in 10 if its
13 games (16-of-76, 21.1%). However, the Phantoms
are 3-0-0 in the games when they don't score on
the power play.
--The Phantoms are 5-0-1 when scoring three or
more goals in a game, and 3-4-1 when scoring fewer
than three goals.
--Adirondack is 6-0-0 when allowing fewer than
two goals and 8-1-0 when allowing three or fewer
goals. The Phantoms are 0-3-1 when allowing more
than three goals.
--The Phantoms are 6-0-1 when leading after two
periods and 0-4-0 when trailing after two periods.
--Dan Jancevski enters Tuesday with 199 career
AHL assists,
--Michael Leighton hasa 1.83 goals-against average
and .930 save percentage in road games. Leighton
is sixth all-time in AHL shutouts (35), with his
one shutout this season coming against Tuesday's
opponent, the Portland Pirates.
Portland Pirates (NHL Affiliate: Phoenix
Coyotes)
The Phantoms start their four-game road trip by
making their second and final visit of the season
to Portland's Cumberland County Civic Center.
In Adirondack's only prior visit to Maine, on
October 21, Michael Leighton pitched his first
shutout of the season en route to a 3-0 win. Since
their last meeting, the Pirates have gone 3-5-0,
and they're in last place in the Eastern Conference
Standings with a 5-7-1 record.
A bright spot for the Pirates has been Andy Miele,
the 2011 Hobey Baker Award-winner from Miami University
(Ohio), who leads Portland with seven assists
and 11 points.
Portland's goaltending duties are split between
Justin Pogge and Curtis McElhinney, who took the
loss against the Phantoms on October 21. McElhinney,
a former Calgary Flame, is 2-6-0, with a 3.64
goals-against average and .889 save percentage.
Pogge, a former star in juniors with the Calgary
Hitmen who spent last season with the Charlotte
Checkers, is 3-1-1, with a 2.37 goals-against
average and .911 save percentage.
Portland Pirates Leaders:
Goals: Chipchura, Beaudoin, Miele, Oystrick, Duncan
(4)
Assists: Miele (7)
Points: Miele (11)
Plus/Minus: Summers (+7)
Penalty Minutes: Hollweg (36)
Wins: Pogge (3)
Goals-Against Average: Pogge (2.37)
Save Percentage: Pogge (.911)
Shutouts: McElhinney (1)
Upcoming Events
Monday, November 14 - No Phantoms Power Hour
show this week. The team will be traveling.
Tuesday, November 15, 6:30 - Phantoms at Portland
Pirates.
Saturday, November 19, 7:00 - Phantoms at Syracuse
Crunch
Sunday, November 20, 3:00 - Phantoms at Bridgeport
Sound Tigers
Friday, November 25, 7:00 - Springfield Falcons
at Phantoms. Annual Black Friday game. '80s Night.
Saturday, November 26, 7:00 - Albany Devils at
Phantoms. Time Warner Cable Cup Rivalry Game #2.
Phantoms Snow Cap Giveaway for first 1,000 kids
(age 14 and younger) courtesy of UniFirst.
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.
Recently reaching 4,000 Twitter followers , 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
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