Turkey-Day on the road was unkind to the Phantoms. Despite Tom Sestito playing one of his best games of the year and scoring two goals, the Senators used four straight goals to get a 5-2 win over the Phantoms in their traditional Thanksgiving night contest. The Senators used three quick goals in the opening nine minutes of the second period to take a 5-1 advantage and were able to hold off the Phantoms attack from there in preserving the victory.

After the Senators jumped out to a 1-0 lead four minutes into the game, Sestito's first goal knotted the score midway through the first period. Sestito's goal came off a 2-on-1 with Shane Harper, with Harper setting up Sestito after shaking free of a Binghamton defenseman at the blue line and catching Mike McKenna off guard with a quick, cross-ice pass.

Sestito's second goal came on the power play, with less than a minute to play in the third period. Brayden Schenn and Denis Hamel assisted.

Schenn's assist gives him four goals and five assists over five games with the Phantoms this season. Schenn hadn't played for Adirondack since October 16 and was held completely out of action since October 26, after suffering a broken foot while playing for the Philadelphia Flyers against the Montreal Canadiens. Schenn's last game at the GFCC was on October 14 in which the talented 20-year-old scored a hat trick against Bridgeport. For Hamel, his assist was the 300th of his career.

Although the Phantoms dug themselves out of an early 1-0 hole, Nikita Filatov scored a backbreaking goal to restore the Senators' lead with 13 seconds left in the first period. Binghamton scored three more times by the second period's midway point, putting the Phantoms behind by four goals.

After Binghamton took a 5-1 lead, Johan Backlund came on in relief of Jason Bacashihua, stopping all 15 shots he faced in his season debut. Bacashihua was the goalie of decision, taking his first loss in over a month after going 3-0-1 over his four most recent starts.

The Phantoms' late-game improvements weren't enough, though. Adirondack fell to 9-7-1. The Phantoms return to the Glens Falls Civic Center to host Springfield and Albany on Friday and Saturday. Adirondack is 15-3-5 in its last 23 home games, dating back to last February.

The Senators improved to 7-10-2, getting their second straight win after breaking an eight-game losing streak last Friday.

Former U.S. Olympian Mark Parrish led Binghamton's offense by scoring two goals. Nikita Filatov (1g, 1a) and Derek Grant (1g, 1a) also had multiple-point games, with Andre Petterson scoring the Senators' other goal.

Mike McKenna was the winning goalie for the Senators, stopping 37-of-39 shots.

Following Filatov's late first-period goal which gave the Senators the momentum they needed to take the contest, Andre Petersson enhanced Binghamton's lead to 3-1, less than two minutes into the second period.

Mark Parrish scored the game's next two goals, one on the power play and one shorthanded, pushing the Senators' lead to 5-1. Parrish's power-play goal came following a major slashing penalty and game misconduct to Kevin Marshall, which left the Phantoms playing with just five defenseman for most of Thursday's game. Thursday's game was Marshall's first since he played 14:11 in his NHL debut against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night.

The shots on Thursday were 40-39 in favor of the Senators.

Adirondack was 1-of-2 on the power play. Binghamton was 1-of-4 and scored a shorthanded goal.

The Phantoms' scratches were Cullen Eddy, Luke Pither, Eric Wellwood and Michael Leighton.

It was the first of eight meetings on the year between Adirondack and the Senators. The Phantoms return to Binghamton on December 16. The Senators first appearance at the Glens Falls Civic Center is Sunday, December 18. With the win, the Senators take a 10-games-to-9 lead in the Adirondack vs. Binghamton all-time series.

Adirondack returns home for back-to-back Northeast Divisional clashes with the Springfield Falcons and Albany Devils on Friday and Saturday. Friday's game features $2 draft-beer specials through the first intermission on 80s Night. Friday morning is also the first Phantoms Orange-and-Black Friday sale beginning at 6:00am with great savings on tickets and merchandise. On Saturday, the Phantoms will give away youth knit-caps to the first 1,000 kids (age 14 and under) courtesy of UniFirst.


Upcoming Events

Friday, November 25, 6:00 a.m. - First Orange-and-Black Friday Sale at GFCC. Great savings on tickets and merchandise. The earlier you arrive, the more you save!

Friday, November 25, 7:00 - Springfield Falcons at Phantoms. Annual Black Friday game. '80s Night. $2 draft beer specials through first intermission, Bud Light and Labatt Blue Light.

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.

Wednesday, November 30, 7:00 - Syracuse Crunch at Phantoms. $1 Hot Dogs. Free tickets with lightly used coat donation to Phantoms office this week.
Phantoms Holiday Socks are on sale now. $49 package for 4 tickets to a premium Phantoms game, an autographed puck, a program, all in a game-worn Phantoms hockey sock. $59 for an autographed stick with the 4 premium game tickets, program and game-worn Phantoms hockey sock.

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.

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 2 at Binghamton Senators 5 - Status: Final
Thursday, November 24, 2011 - Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena

Adirondack 1 0 1 - 2
Binghamton 2 3 0 - 5

1st Period-1, Binghamton, Grant 3 (Filatov, Parrish), 4:15. 2, Adirondack, Sestito 5 (Harper), 12:06. 3, Binghamton, Filatov 7 (Grant), 19:47. Penalties-Jancevski Adk (high-sticking), 13:11.

2nd Period-4, Binghamton, Petersson 4 (Cannone), 1:44. 5, Binghamton, Parrish 7 (Grant, Filatov), 3:00 (PP). 6, Binghamton, Parrish 8 (O'Brien), 8:56 (SH). Penalties-Marshall Adk (major - slashing, game misconduct - slashing), 2:36; Petersson Bng (hooking), 4:12; Wiercioch Bng (interference), 7:52.

3rd Period-7, Adirondack, Sestito 6 (Schenn, Hamel), 19:04 (PP). Penalties-Holmstrom Adk (roughing), 18:53; Hamilton Bng (kneeing, roughing), 18:53.

Shots on Goal-Adirondack 9-12-18-39. Binghamton 13-21-6-40.
Power Play Opportunities-Adirondack 1 / 2; Binghamton 1 / 4.
Goalies-Adirondack, Bacashihua 3-2-1 (25 shots-20 saves); Backlund 0-0-0 (15 shots-15 saves). Binghamton, McKenna 3-5-0 (39 shots-37 saves).
A-3,092
Referees-Ryan Hersey (46).
Linesmen-John Everett (82), Chris Allman (11).