February 24, 2012

The Phantoms kept on coming and coming at Rochester goalie David Leggio, but the Clarkson University product was able to turn away pretty much everything thrown at him as he preserved a 2-0 victory for the Rochester Americans on Friday night at Blue Cross Arena with a 27 save effort.

The large crowd on-hand in western New York had several gasp moments with Adirondack stealing the puck in the Rochester zone or racing in for another breakaway or setting up a big shot. Jason Akeson blasted one off the post on a big slapper in the second period and the red-light actually was lit by a trigger-happy goal-judge. But it turned out the only time the Phantoms actually lit the lamp would not count as a goal and the other Phantoms' drives were not able to produce either.

It was Rochester's first victory against Adirondack this season in three tries.

The game was the third of a four-game road-trip for Adirondack who won last Sunday at Manchester and were in search of their second away triumph in a row as well as their third win in their last four games overall.

Michael Leighton put forth a solid effort on the Adirondack side with 31 saves on 33 shots including several acrobatic efforts.

Rochester leading goal-scorer Derek Whitmore would just barely get a piece of a centering feed in the slot and chip it through Leighton in the first period to give the Americans the 1-0 lead in an exciting and back-and-forth opening frame that saw both sides generate some tremendous opportunities as shots were even at 10-10. After Whitmore recorded his team-leading 23rd of the year, it would be Adirondack's Harry Zolnierczyk and Shane Harper both racing forward with breakaways at different times but neither were able to beat Leggio.

Marcus Foligno would rush up the right-wing and burn past a couple of Adirondack defenders and then cut straight towards the net from the wall. As he muscled the puck through Leighton and celebrated what he and the crowd thought was a highlight-reel caliber goal, referee Jarrod Ragusin signaled that the goal would be disallowed and that Foligno would be called for his intrusion into the crease and contact with Leighton on a goaltenders interference penalty. The 1-0 lead would remain at 1-0.

Early in the second period, crisp and quick passing set up Dennis Persson who let fly a power-play slapshot from the left circle that got through Leighton but had not gone into the goal. As the puck sat squarely on the goal-line and Leighton tried to pounce back to cover, it got bumped into the net by a Phantoms defenseman inadvertently to give Rochester the 2-0 lead.

Rochester would get some more great chances through a second period in which they outshot the Phantoms 13-5, but Leighton's big saves and covers kept Adirondack within striking distance.

It briefly appeared the Phantoms would close the gap later in the second period when Jason Akeson would get free up the right-wing on a long outlet pass by Tye McGinn. Akeson lined up a big slapshot and beat Leggio but the drive was blasted off the post and it clanged out for no goal despite the light being lit on that end.

Matt Walker, returning from injury and playing in his first game in almost a month, had one of Adirondack's bigger drives in the third period but his cannon from the right point was speared by the glove of Leggio who was barely able to read it and make the adjustment to his left in time.

Earlier in that same third period, Andrew Rowe had stolen one clean in the corner of the Rochester zone and rifled it out in front for Rob Bordson. But Bordson on the backdoor with open-net in front of him could not make the solid contact with the pass he was looking for and just missed on his chance to get the Phantoms a goal.

The Phantoms benefited from a brief power play late in the third and were also able to pull Leighton to turn it into a 6-on-4 attack. But Leggio continually would scramble or rely on the defense in front of him to make the big blocks. He was able to hang on for his second shutout of the season in the 27 save performance.

Marc-Andre Bourdon was expected to play his first game back with the Phantoms since November following his 39-game callup to Philadelphia but he was scratched from the lineup with flu symptoms.

Rob Bordson returned to Adirondack after leading Trenton of the ECHL in scoring in his time there with 17 goals this year. Bordson played in 61 games with the Phantoms last season scoring seven goals in his rookie campaign. He also played in eight games with Rochester in December of this season on a professional tryout contract. But this time he is on a standard player contract again with the Phantoms. The Duluth, Minnesota native won a number of the faceoffs he took and was inserted into a few different lines including a pairing with Andrew Rowe and Garrett Klotz.

Scratches for the Phantoms included Blake Kessel, Marc-Andre Bourdon, Mike Testwuide, Luke Pither, and Oskars Bartulis.

The Phantoms are in the midst of a tough of seven out of eight games on the road and also nine out of 11. Adirondack has 23 games remaining in the regular season and stands seven points out for the eighth and last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Adirondack and Rochester will conclude the season series on Easter Sunday, April 8 at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

The Phantoms wrap up their four-game road-trip Saturday night at Binghamton seeking to break the Mike McKenna curse and then conclude the three-in-three weekend on Sunday afternoon with a 3:00 encounter against Syracuse at the Glens Falls Civic Center featuring a Phantoms Poster Giveaway for the first 3,000 fans and Post-Game Autograph Session with the players all presented by Glens Falls Printing.



Upcoming Events

Saturday, February 25, 7:00 - Adirondack Phantoms at Binghamton Senators

Sunday, February 26, 3:00 - Syracuse Crunch at Adirondack Phantoms. Phantoms Poster Giveaway for first 3,000 fans courtesy of Glens Falls Printing. Post-Game Autograph Session with the Phantoms players. Sunday Family 3-Pack ($39 for 3 tickets, 3 sodas, 3 hot dogs, 1 large popcorn and 1 program).

Monday, February 27, 7:00 - Phantoms Power Hour LIVE at McGinny's. Special Guests, Riley Cote and Harry Zolnierczyk

Friday, March 2, 7:00 - Adirondack Phantoms at Providence Bruins

Saturday, March 3, 5:00 - Adirondack Phantoms at Albany Devils

Sunday, March 4, 3:00 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Adirondack Phantoms. Dax's Kids Club game and post-game open-skate with the Phantoms players. Sunday Family 3-Pack.

Ge your Adirondack O'Phantoms T-Shirts! Two tickets for any game in March plus a St. Patrick's Day O'Phantoms logo T-Shirt all for only $30.

The Northway 2-Pack is on sale now. Get 2 tickets for 2 games between the Phantoms and the Albany Devils on March 10 and April 6 PLUS a player autograph stick all for only $65. Call the Phantoms to order yours! (518) 480-3355

Adirondack Phantoms 0 at Rochester Americans 2 - Status: Final
Friday, February 24, 2012 - Blue Cross Arena

Adirondack 0 0 0 - 0
Rochester 1 1 0 - 2

1st Period-1, Rochester, Whitmore 23 (Adam, Finley), 11:00. Penalties-Eddy Adk (tripping), 1:07; Foligno Rch (goaltender interference), 15:52; Zolnierczyk Adk (hooking), 16:37.

2nd Period-2, Rochester, Persson 3 (Turnbull, Adam), 1:11 (PP). Penalties-Roe Adk (tripping), 0:40.

3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Ford Adk (hooking), 16:15; McNabb Rch (high-sticking), 17:08.

Shots on Goal-Adirondack 10-5-12-27. Rochester 10-13-10-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Adirondack 0 / 2; Rochester 1 / 4.
Goalies-Adirondack, Leighton 16-20-0 (33 shots-31 saves). Rochester, Leggio 17-15-1 (27 shots-27 saves).
A-6,365
Referees-Jarrod Ragusin (54).
Linesmen-Jeff Walker (28), Fraser McIntyre (94).