October 16, 2012

This Week's Games

Friday, October 19 (6:00) - Adirondack Phantoms (1-1-0) at St. John's IceCaps (1-1-0)
Saturday, October 20 (6:00) - Adirondack Phantoms (1-1-0) at St. John's IceCaps (1-1-0)

Upcoming October Schedule

Friday, October 26 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Albany Devils
Saturday, October 27 (7:00) - Rochester Americans at Adirondack Phantoms
Sunday, October 28 (3:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Syracuse Crunch

Hitting the Road

The Adirondack Phantoms are on the road this weekend for games 2 and 3 of a four-game road-swing that began this past Sunday. The Phantoms travel to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labradour for games on Friday and Saturday at 6:00 Eastern Time taking on the St. John's IceCaps, AHL affiliates of the Winnipeg Jets.

The Phantoms opened the season with a thrilling and fast-paced performance in front of a jammed, sold-out and electric crowd at the Glens Falls Civic Center. Adirondack trailed 3-2 late in the second period to the Portland Pirates but the Phantoms would score the next four goals in a row for a 6-3 victory. It was an amazing night made all the more incredible by the team's ninth GFCC sellout in franchise history. The place was crazy and it was a special night we'll never forget. One win down and many more to go!

The road-trip began on Sunday at Springfield and is not just the beginning of a four-game stretch away from home. The Phantoms are also beginning a month-long run in which they will play 10 of their next 13 games away from the GFCC. It's a tough and long early-season test for Adirondack.

The Phantoms next home game is Saturday, October 27 against the Rochester Americans, AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The game will feature a Halloween Costume Parade on the ice between periods and fans can take advantage of the pregame All-You-Can-Heat Pasta Buffet in Heritage Hall for only $12. Get your tickets in advance by calling the Phantoms at 518-480-3355.


Sellout History

Saturday night's season opening game was the ninth sellout in Adirondack Phantoms history. Four of those sellouts have come in the calendar year of 2012 including three in the second-half of the 2011-12 season. Way to go, fans!

Phantoms GFCC Sellouts

Oct 3, 2009 5,411 vs. Worcester Sharks
Jan 23, 2010 5,309 vs. Albany River Rat
Mar 10, 2012 5,163 vs. Albany Devils
Nov 27, 2009 5,148 vs. Hershey Bears
Apr 10, 2010 4,968 vs. Albany River Rats
Feb 4, 2012 4,923 vs. Providence Bruins
Oct 17, 2009 4,912 vs. Albany River Rats
Mar 5, 2010 4,906 vs. Rochester Americans
Oct 13, 2012 4,801 vs. Portland Pirates


Double-Check Your Watches

Heading to the Newfoundland Time Zone can be an adventure for the unprepared. It is not like the Atlantic Time Zone which is simply one hour later than Eastern Time. In St. John's, the time zone is actually 1.5 hours later than Eastern Time. So the games at St. John's are scheduled to start at 7:30 pm local time, which means they will get underway at 6:00 pm in New York. Broadcast coverage with the Pepsi Countdown to Faceoff on Q101.7 will commence at an earlier-than-usual 5:30 pm on both Friday and Saturday nights.


Phantoms Week in Review

Saturday, October 13 - Adirondack 6 - Portland 3

The Phantoms began the week with an impressive performance in front of a deafening sold-out GFCC crowd of 4,801. Adirondack poured it on for 48 shots on goal and special teams made the difference in a 6-3 win over the Portland Pirates to get the season started on the right foot. 19 year old Sean Couturier tied the game at 3-3 late in the second period with a 5-on-3 goal. And Tye McGinn added the go-ahead goal early in the third on a nice assist by Ben Holmstrom from the corner also on the power play.

The visiting affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes were ready to pounce on their late third period opportunity to equalize when they were granted a man-advantage with six minutes remaining, but Brayden Schenn weaved his way around a stunned Portland defenseman for a highlight-reel caliber shorthanded goal to help seal the victory. Schenn would add an empty-net goal a few minutes later. Scott Munroe was the winning goaltender in his return to the Phantoms with 30 saves on 33 shots faced.

The Phantoms went 2-for-8 on the power play while also adding a shorthanded goal. They also killed off a key 5-on-3 that Portland had while the game was still tied 3-3. The Pirates held that two-man advantage for 1:35 extending from the end of the second period to the beginning of the third but the Phantoms were able to battle their way through it and the critical kill helped swing momentum back their way.

Sunday, October 14 - Springfield 4 - Adirondack 0

The next game proved to be somewhat more challenging for the Phantoms who could not find the same goal-scoring touch. Despite 31 shots on goal, they were unable to break Curtis McElhinney in the Springfield Falcons net as they suffered a 4-0 defeat. Cal Heeter took the loss in net for the Phantoms while the Ohio State product was making his professional debut. The Adirondack Phantoms still dominate the all-time series however with a 7-2 advantage over Springfield since 2009.


Firsts!

A number of noteworthy firsts highlights the opening weekend festivities.

Andrew Johnston made his professional debut on Saturday night and the center looked strong and came dangerously close to scoring his first pro goal in Sunday's game at Springfield. He comes from the Junior-A Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League where he led the Humbolt Broncos to an Anavet Cup title and scored a combined 39 goals in the regular and post-season.

Rookie Cal Heeter also made his pro debut when he got the start in goal for Sunday's away game. The St. Louis native comes to the Flyers organization from Ohio State where he went 13-11-5, 2.45, .918 for the Buckeyes in a season that was highlighted by a 41-save shutout of nationally ranked Miami (Ohio).

Young Flyers prospects Brayen Schenn and Sean Couturier are taking advantage of their opportunities to get additional playing time plus get experience in situations where they may not have seen as much action in the NHL last year. Couturier's 5-on-3 goal on Saturday night was the first power play goal of his still-brief professional career. And Schenn's tremendous shorthanded tally was also a professional first for him. (thanks to Mike Cignoli of the Saratogian newspaper for the research and the tip!)

The first goal this season was scored by Harry Zolnierczyk. Nothing particularly new there however as it was the 12th time he has scored for the Phantoms and the 15th goal he has scored in the pros.

Scott Munroe picked up his 65th career win for the Phantoms organization, but it was his first for the Adirondack Phantoms. Munroe had 64 wins previously for the Phantoms but they all came from 2006-09 when the team was still the Philadelphia Phantoms. Munroe is third all-time on the Phantoms in career wins and is just six shy of Antero Nittymaki for second place.

Golfing for a Cause

The Adirondack Phantoms held their second annual golf scramble to benefit the Phantoms Friends program this past Monday, October 15 at the Hiland Park Country Club. Several fans and sponsors signed up for the opportunity to golf with Phantoms players, coaches and staff. The weather looked ominous and for a little bit there was some doubt but thankfully the rain held off (for the most part) and everyone had a great time. Even Dax was there!

Thanks to all the players for their enjoyable company with some of our great fans. The winners also received some terrific Phantoms prizes. The proceeds from the day's event go to benefit the Phantoms Friends, sponsored by Bare Bones Furniture, helping fans donate tickets to needy kids, families and veterans in the area so that they can enjoy a fun night of Phantoms hockey entertainment they might not otherwise be able to attend.

Special thanks to the Hiland Park Country Club in Queensbury and also to event organizer Anne Porreca.

Upcoming Opponents

St. John's IceCaps (Winnipeg Jets), 1-1-0

The St. John's IceCaps opened the season with a two-game roadie to New England. After dropping their Saturday night opener at Springfield 4-2 they bounced back to post a 3-2 victory on Sunday afternonn at the Connecticut Whale. This Friday is the home opener for St. John's.

22 year old Spencer Machacek led the team in scoring last year with 18 goals and 32 assists while also playing in 13 games with parent-club Winnipeg and scoring two goals. Paul Postma is an offensive-minded defenseman entering his fifth season of pro hockey who scored 13 goals and 31 assists last year with the IceCaps.

Aleksandr Burmistrov is perhaps their most dangerous offensive threat now after two full seasons in the NHL with Atlanta and Winnipeg. The young prospect was drafted eighth overall in the 2010 draft by Atlanta. He represented Russia at the World Juniors Championships in 2010 and then went on to score six goals with the Atlanta Thrashers as a 19 year old. Last year he poured in 13 more goals with Winnipeg.

Goalie Eddie Pasquale returns to St. John's after going 23-11-4, 2.11, .910 a season ago. Mark Dekanich comes over from the Blue Jackets organization after an injury-plagued season limited him to just five games.

Keith McCambridge is in his fourth season as head coach of this team going back to two seasons with the Manitoba Moose before they moved to St. John's.


St. John's AHL History

Adirondack and St. John's used to have a good, little rivalry going a couple decades ago. But back then it was the Adirondack Red Wings vs. the St. John's Maple Leafs. In their very first season in 1991-92, the Maple Leafs advanced all the way to the Calder Cup Finals, only to have their championship dreams dashed by the Red Wings who won the third of their four titles. The Red Wings clinched the Calder Cup in St. John's with a 5-2 victory in Game 7 on "The Rock" on May 29, 1992. The seven-game series was unique in that the away team won every game.

The St. John's Maple Leafs would remain a staple of the American Hockey League through the 2004-05 season at which point they moved to become the Toronto Marlies.

St. John's is similar to Glens Falls is that it is a great AHL market to have lost their team and earn a second chance several years later. St. John's re-emerged in the AHL with the IceCaps in 2011-12. The Manitoba Moose were displaced when the NHL returned to their market in Winnipeg.

Adirondack and St. John's did not play each other last year when the IceCaps debuted in the league. This weekend's games will mark the first meetings of Adirondack vs. St. John's in the AHL since 1999.

St. John's had Major Juniors hockey in the QMJHL in the form of the St. John's Fog Devils from 2005-08. Marc-Andre Bourdon has played here before when he was with Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in "The Q". Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier have both been to St. John's before when training with Team Canada U18 national squad.

The return of AHL hockey to Mile One Centre in St. John's has proved to be wildly and predictably popular. Their excited fan-base packed their arena to over 100% seating capacity in their return to the league averaging 6,297 fans per game. And the team responded with a 43-25-5 record, tops in the Atlantic Division, as they advanced to the Eastern Conference finals.


Phantoms This Week

It's a lengthy journey to get from Glens Falls all the way up to St.John's in Newfoundland and Labradour. The team does not play there until Friday night but their trip begins on Tuesday night with a bus ride to Montreal followed by a non-stop flight Wednesday morning.

Tuesday, 10:30 am - Practice at Glens Falls Civic Center
Tuesday, 7:00 pm - Bus Departs for Montral
Wednesday morning - Flight from Montral to St. John's
Thursday morning - Practice at Mile One Centre, St. John's. Time TBD
Friday - Morning practice at Mile One Centre, St. John's. Game at 6:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time
Saturday - Morning practice at Mile One Centre, Sy. John's. Gane at 6:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time
Sunday - Flight to Montreal. Bus to Glens Falls.


I'm In!

Support professional hockey in Glens Falls and say that you're in. The I'm In campaign is designed to show the AHL, teams, owners and everyone about the great support we can provide for a professional hockey team at the GFCC. With a goal of 1,756 season tickets for next season, the team would be able to help show the long-term viability of this great hockey market.

Thanks to everyone in the community for their great teamwork in showing the league that the backing and support for AHL hockey in Glens Falls is here to stay. Together we can do this. I'm in! Call the Phantoms to find out how you can help at 518-480-3355.


Phantoms Roster

The Adirondack Phantoms' 25 player roster features plenty of familiarity as well as experience. 20 out of those 25 have played for the Phantoms before including 18 last year. And 10 players on the roster have played in the NHL for the Philadelphia Flyers including nine last season. There's a lot of talent on this team including plenty of impressive NHL credentials.

Click Here for Phantoms Roster

The ten players on the Phantoms roster who played for the Flyers (either last season or in previous seasons) include: Marc-Andre Bourdon, Sean Couturier, Erik Gustafsson, Ben Holmstrom, Brandon Manning, Zac Rinaldo, Danny Syvret, Brayden Schenn, Eric Wellwood and Harry Zolnierczyk.


Welcome Head Coach Terry Murray

The new head coach for the Adirondack Phantoms is NHL veteran mentor Terry Murray. No coach in the history of the AHL has ever had more experience than Murray who has been at the bench for 1,012 NHL regular season games with Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington and Florida. He has posted a career record of 499-383-89-41 for a points percentage of .557 and is 19th all-time in NHL history in regular season games coached and is 18th all-time in total wins.

Murray returns to the Flyers organization for his third tour of duty as a coach. He most recently worked in the Los Angeles Kings organization, where he was the head coach from the start of the 2008-09 season through December 2011. Prior to joining the Kings, Murray was a Flyers assistant coach for four seasons from 2003-2008, working first under Ken Hitchcock and later under John Stevens.

He was the head coach of the Flyers for three seasons from 1994 through 1997, leading the Flyers to the 1997 Stanley Cup Final. He posted a record of 118-64-30 in 212 games behind the bench in Philadelphia.


On The Air

The Voice of the Phantoms, Bob Rotruck, has the fast-paced hockey action and excitement all season long on the flagship home of the Adirondack Phantoms, Classic Hits Q101.7 and on the Phantoms Radio Network presented by Curtis Lumber. Broadcasts begin 30 minutes prior to game-time with the Countdown to Faceoff pregame show and also have an extended post-game show including audio-replay highlights. Be sure to tune-in on your way to and from each Phantoms home game!

And get ready for the return of the Phantoms Power Hour on Monday nights which will debut soon and at a great new location to be announced in the future.

Fans can also listen to all the Phantoms games on our internet home at ustream.tv/channel/phantomsradio . UStream is also available as a free app on Android and iPhone so you can listen wherever you go! AHLLive.com has all the games too on pay-per-view.


The Season Ahead

The Phantoms will again compete in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the AHL against the Albany Devils, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Connecticut Whale and Springfield Falcons. The top eight teams from the Eastern Conference qualify for the playoffs in April with the three division winners landing the top seeding advantage.

Adirondack will tangle with the Albany Devils more than any other team in the league. 12 games in the season series will determine the winner of the Time Warner Cable Cup to be awarded to the champions of the local rivalry. Adirondack has taken the cup each of the last two years.

Adirondack's next most frequent opponents will be the Binghamton Senators and Syracuse Crunch; eight times each. The Phantoms face one new opponent in 2012-13, the St. John's IceCaps, AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets. That is something of an old rivalry renewed in a way as the Adirondack Red Wings and St. John's Maple Leafs were fierce competitors in the 1990s including a 1992 Calder Cup matchup for the Red Wings with Adirondack taking the title four games to three.


Great Promos - More Than Hockey!

Great giveaways, terrific value, and lots of fun are on tap for Phantoms' fans in 2012-13. bobblehead nights with Dan Miner and Dax will be awesome. Plus lots of other great giveaways including t-shirts, posters, youth jerseys and much more. The Phantoms will be wearing a variety of specialty jerseys this year beginning with throwback Adirondack Red Wings jerseys on Opening Night. Plus autograph sessions, post-game skates and pre-game buffets.

Every Wednesday feature $1 hot dogs. Fridays are $2 draft beers. And Sundays are the Family Fun Pack for only $43 which is the best ticket-plus-food value you can get for a group of three or more.



Upcoming Events

Friday, October 19 (6:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at St. John's IceCaps - Broadcast on Q101.7 and on your computer and smart-phone at ustream.tv/channel/phantomsradio

Saturday, October 20 (6:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at St. John's IceCaps - Broadcast on Q101.7 and on your computer and smart-phone at ustream.tv/channel/phantomsradio

Friday, October 26 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Albany Devils - Game 1 of Time Warner Cable Cup

Saturday, October 27 (7:00) - Rochester Americans at Adirondack Phantoms - Halloween Costume Parade


Phantoms Have You Covered

We have all the latest interviews, game-recaps, videos and more. Make sure you're keeping up! Follow the Phantoms and join our online communities on facebook.com/adkhockey and on twitter @phantomshockey. And, of course, check in frequently at our official team website at phantomshockey.com

Pick up your Phantoms schedule posters! They're available now at the Adirondack Phantoms offices located downstairs inside the Glens Falls Civic Center. Also look for them around town. Pick up an extra and post it on the door or window of your area store or business. Help spread the word...Hockey Season is Here!!

Get great savings with the Phantoms when you purchase a season ticket PLUS never waste a ticket. Your unused game tickets can be redeemed for future Phantoms games. 22-game and 12-game packages available as well.

I'm In! We need 1,756 season ticket holders for this season to help prove the viability of Glens Falls as a great hockey market. The league and other teams are watching! We're almost there. Keep it up, fans! To join the "I'm In" campaign, contribute your $50 down-payment to a season ticket for 2012-13 or ask about a 22-pack or 12-pack ticket plan. Together we can do this. Call the Adirondack Phantoms at (518) 480-3355.