December 1, 2012

The Adirondack Phantoms blasted away for 46 shots but Albany goalie Keith Kinkaid was able to turn away 44 of them as the Devils hung on for a 3-2 win at the Glens Falls Civic Center on Saturday night. It was Albany's first victory in Glens Falls in almost two seasons ending an eight-game losing streak for them in the North Country.

Adirondack carried the play for much of the game. But the second-year pro out of Union College earned #1 Star of the Game honors as Kinkaid made a number of acrobatic and impressive stops in holding off the Phantoms attack.

And different bounces on both ends made a key difference. One Albany goal on a potentially kicked puck and another one on an unlucky deflection off the top of Cal Heeter's stick. While Adirondack had bounces the other way going against them on juicy rebound opportunities and cross-ice feeds. And so it goes. Albany escaped with the victory despite the Phantoms playing quite well throughout.

"We put a lot of pucks to the net and had a lot of great looks," said Phantoms head coach Terry Murray. "Their goalie made a couple of ten-bell saves in the first period. Really outstanding saves."

The Phantoms finished their longest homestand of the season with a 3-3 record and moved to 9-11-0 overall. The Devils ended a four-game winless streak to improve to 5-8-5.

"What we're trying to do is become a good, young hockey club and that's going to take some time," Murray said. "Our longest win streak is three games and now we've lost three. You have to find a point where you are emotionally in the right keel. You don't want to get too high about wins and you can't get too down when you lose three like we just have."

Coach Murray has emphasized a focus on the future, win or lose, and to put the past results behind. And he reiterated that message again. "We'll come back Monday to practice and get back to work and focus on the detailed part of the game and get ready for next weekend."

Erik Gustafsson and Tye McGinn scored the Adirondack goals, both on the power play. But it was the missed opportunities and close calls as well as the dazzling Kinkaid saves that were noticed due to the end result.

"I felt we had our looks. We had our play in the offensive zone to give us a chance," Murray said. "We're just not scoring right now."

It was the second night in a row that the Adirondack offense had cranked out 40+ shots in a losing effort. The Phantoms had 48 shots on Friday against Binghamton in a 7-4 defeat.

Albany received goals from Joe Whitney, Jacob Josefson and Mattias Tedenby. The first of Albany's goals to give them the initial lead came with time winding down in the first period and Bobby Butler stealing it in the corner and then Whitney scoring on the rebound on what appeared to be kick.

The Phantoms held the advantage for the majority of that opening frame but found themselves down by a goal at the first break.

And then just 30 seconds into the second period, Albany would strike again. Jacob Josefson was on the back-door of a rush and from almost behind the goal reached back in front to deflect in Harri Pesonen's centering pass to give Albany the surprising 2-0 lead.

The Phantoms roared back with a power-play goal a few minutes later on a big Erik Gustafsson slapshot given over to him by Danny Syvret. It was Gustafsson's third goal of the year.

The second period went back and forth with both teams cranking out shots at Keith Kinkaid and Cal Heeter. Albany had 17 shots in the second period to Adirondack's 16 but both netminders were stable and each allowed just the one early goal in the period and then went on to stop the rest.

A weird deflection on a wrap-around would prove to be the game-winner. Early in the third period, Mattias Tedenby shimmied his way from a check and carried the puck out in front for a wrap-around try. He pushed it through the blue and Heeter's stick laid down inadvertently deflected it backwards off almost the knob to give Albany the fortunate bouncer and 3-1 lead.

Adirondack received a weird bouncer of their own late in the third with a power play and pulled goalie for a 6-on-4 attack. Gustafsson's big slapshot was deflected wide by Kinkaid but McGinn quickly got to it on the end-boards and he pushed it back out in front and somehow bounced it in for his sixth goal of the season. But Adirondack was not able to get the equalizer in the last 1:15 of the game.

Murray says that the highs and lows of this homestand come with the territory for any team and that it's an especially important aspect to learn. "Especially for the young guys because you don't know how to deal with the frustration. You just battle through with hard work and intensity and stick with it. And at the end of the day you become a better player and a better team when you do get through to the other side."

Adirondack was without Zac Rinaldo who had a lower body injury and Marc-Andre Bourdon who was feeling under the weather before the game.

Fans enjoyed the entertainment of the Flyers Ice Girls for both games this weekend presented by North Country Snow and Ice Management. And the game also featured an open-skate with the Phantoms players courtesy of Glens Falls Hospital with fans getting the chance to mingle and get autographs from their favorite players during the post-game interaction.

The Phantoms have almost a full week between games before playing three more in three days next weekend. Adirondack travel to Rochester next Friday night. And then the Phantoms will return home Saturday against Syracuse on Phantoms T-Shirt giveaway night. Next Sunday afternoon the Phantoms will travel to the Providence Bruins for a 4:05 contest.

Terry Murray Post-Game, Dec 1, 2012

Albany Devils 3 at Adirondack Phantoms 2 - Status: Final
Saturday, December 1, 2012 - Glens Falls Civic Center

Albany 1 1 1 - 3
Adirondack 0 1 1 - 2

1st Period-1, Albany, Whitney 2 (Butler), 19:57. Penalties-Gelinas Alb (boarding), 8:52; Corrente Alb (high-sticking), 11:35.

2nd Period-2, Albany, Josefson 8 (Larsson, Pesonen), 0:31. 3, Adirondack, Gustafsson 3 (Syvret, Couturier), 6:31 (PP). Penalties-McPherson Alb (interference), 6:00; Pesonen Alb (delay of game), 9:38; McGinn Adk (goaltender interference), 14:40; Zolnierczyk Adk (hooking), 19:48.

3rd Period-4, Albany, Tedenby 4 (Wiseman, Sestito), 4:16. 5, Adirondack, McGinn 6 (Gustafsson, Akeson), 18:44 (PP). Penalties-Gelinas Alb (slashing), 6:16; Tedenby Alb (high-sticking), 10:42; Zalewski Alb (holding), 18:10.

Shots on Goal-Albany 8-17-9-34. Adirondack 13-16-17-46.
Power Play Opportunities-Albany 0 / 2; Adirondack 2 / 7.
Goalies-Albany, Kinkaid 2-5-3 (46 shots-44 saves). Adirondack, Heeter 3-6-0 (34 shots-31 saves).
A-3,806
Referees-Chris Brown (86), Jarrod Ragusin (54).
Linesmen-Jim Harper (59), Marty Demers (79).

UPCOMING

Monday, December 3 (7:00) - Phantoms Power Hour LIVE on Q101.7 at 7:00 PM with player guest Danny Syvret

Friday, December 7 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Rochester Americans

Saturday, December 8 (7:00) - Syracuse Crunch at Adirondack Phantoms. Phantoms T-Shirt Giveaway, first 2,500 fans in attendance. Pregame Pasta Buffet ($12)

Sunday, December 9 (4:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Providence Bruins

Monday, December 11 (7:00) - Phantoms Power Hour LIVE on Q101.7. With player guests Erik Gustafsson and Oliver Lauridsen.

Friday, December 14 (7:00) - Syracuse Crunch at Adirondack Phantoms. Annual Teddy Bear Toss Night to benefit the Salvation Army. Bring your Teddy Bear donation and throw it on the ice after the Phantoms score their first goal. It will be raining Teddy Bears inside the GFCC!

Saturday, December 15 (7:00) - Manchester Monarchs at Adirondack Phantoms. Boy Scouts Night. Pregame Pasta Buffet ($12)

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