This Week's Games

Friday, January 4 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Connecticut Whale
Saturday, January 5 (7:00) - Connecticut Whale at Adirondack Phantoms

Last Week's Scores

Friday, December 28 - Providence Bruins 4 - Adirondack Phantoms 2
Saturday, December 29 - Portland Pirates 2 - Adirondack Phantoms 1
Monday, December 31 - Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4 - Adirondack Phantoms 3 (SO)

Top Scorers Goals Assists Points
Brayden Schenn 13 19 32
Sean Couturier 9 18 27
Erik Gustafsson 3 11 14
Jason Akeson 3 10 13
Danny Syvret 1 11 12

Goalies W-L-OTL GAA SVS
Scott Munroe 9-8-0 2.59 .918
Cal Heeter 4-9-1 3.03 .901


Coming Up

The Phantoms begin the 2013 portion of the season with a home-and-home series against the Connecticut Whale, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers. These are the first games between the Northeast Division rivals this year.

The Phantoms travel to Hartford for the weekend opener on Friday night. And then the Whale travel to the Glens Falls Civic Center on Saturday night for the rematch.

Saturday's home game is Phantoms Drawstring Backpack Night for the first 1,000 kids in attendance presented by UniFirst.

Come out and cheer for Brayden Schenn, Sean Couturier and the Phantoms!

Schenn currently has 32 points placing him in a four-way tie for fifth in the AHL in scoring and third in the Eastern Conference.


Transaction

Marcel Noebels has been reassigned to the Adirondack Phantoms from the Trenton Titans (ECHL). The big left-winger has 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points in just 31 games for Trenton so far this year and has seven goals and 14 assists just in December. His hot hand started at the very beginning of the month when he recorded his first career professional hat trick on December 1 against Elmira.

The 20-year-old prospect from Germany was selected in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2011. He has played in the World Junior Championships for Germany and last year played in the Western Hockey League in Major Juniors with the Seattle Thunderbirds and Portland Winterhawks.

Phantoms Fun Bus

The next Phantoms Fun Bus is scheduled for Saturday, January 19 for the team's trip to Worcester, Mass. against the Sharks at the DCU Center. Special thanks to team bus driver Craig LaFave and Upstate Tours for helping organize these fun events. The last Fun Bus trip on December 9 to the Providence Bruins was packed!

$58 gets you a seat on the Fun Bus and a ticket to the game. Bus departs from South Glens Falls at 2:00 PM.

Space is limited and seats will go quickly. Sign up in the front lobby at upcoming Adirondack Phantoms home games or contact Craig LaFave at 518-378-9533.


Thank You, Fans!

During last Friday's game, a check was presented from the proceeds generated during our great Movember Mustache Jersey Night on November 24. The results of the post-game jersey auction were astonishing. Presenting sponsor Parks Heritage Federal Credit Union were pleased to offer a check for $13,003 to the C.R. Wood Cancer Center at Glens Falls Hospital for the continued treatment and research in men's cancer awareness and issues.

It was all thanks to the generous support from you fans during the jersey auction. And even more was contributed to the players' cans and on our Movember website for this great cause.

We are pleased to have helped another great cause in our most recent home game. A portion of the proceeds from the Tuxedo Jersey auction of December 31 will go to benefit the WAIT House of Glens Falls; Welcoming Adolescents in Transition. The Tuxedo Jerseys were presented by sponsor Scoville Jewlers.


Phantoms Week in Review

Friday, December 28 - Providence Bruins 4 - Adirondack Phantoms 2

In the first game back from the holiday break, a 45-shot barrage was not enough to beat Providence goalie Niklas Svedberg as the Bruins pulled out a 4-2 win over the Phantoms. The result ended Adirondack's three-game win streak.

Eric Wellwood's goal with over nine minutes remaining made the score 3-2 and then the Phantoms would get more chances with a late power play and pulled goalie. But Chris Bourque's empty-netter in the last minute would nail down the victory for the visiting affiliates of the Boston Bruins in their lone Glens Falls appearance of the season.

Brayden Schenn scored his team-leading 13th goal of the year on a breakaway triggered from a crisp outless pass by Jeff Dimmen.

Adirondack outshot Providence 45-35 and kept them coming with several tremendous chances throughout the third period. But Svedberg and the Bruins were just able to hang on.

Glens Falls native Christian Hanson (son of former Adirondack Red Wing Dave Hanson) recorded two nice assists in the game in his return to the same building where he used to play as a kid in the Adirondack Youth Hockey Association.


Saturday, December 29 - Portland Pirates 2 - Adirondack Phantoms 1

In snowy Lewiston, Maine for the last away game of 2012, the Phantoms ran into another hot goaltender and had trouble breaking him. This time it was Mark Visentin who put on the show as he carrier a shutout into the last minutes of the game before finally getting the win in the last seconds.

Portland scored a pair of power play goals, including a 5-on-3 tally, to take a 2-0 lead in the second period.

Jason Akeson finally broke through with 2:37 to go with his rebound goal on the power play. And Adirondack was still alive but unable to get the equalizer.

Scott Munroe played one of his finest games of the season with 31 saves many of which appeared to already be destined for lamp-lighters.

The game was played at the Pirates' alternative home venue in Lewiston, Maine which has been the home to various hockey teams and other sporting events since the 1950's. It evened the season series with the affiliates of the Phoenix Coyotes at one game apiece with still two more games to be played between Adirondack and Portland in March.

Monday, December 31 - Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4 - Adirondack Phantoms 3 (Shootout)

Adirondack put on a ferocious rally from a 3-0 deficit in the second period to come back and even the score with Bridgeport. After a wild third period with multiple incredible chances, the Sound Tigers would eventually prevail in the shootout for the 4-3 final in Adirondack's traditional New Years' Eve game.

The Phantoms had to settle for just the one standings point when it seemed a virtual guarantee on some of their chances that they were on the verge of picking up the second.

Jeff Dimmen, Sean Couturier and Brandon Manning all scored in the comeback effort for Adirondack as they overcame their largest deficit of the year. Matt Watkins scored for Bridgeport just 27 seconds into the game for the fastest goal of the season in a Phantoms game.

Cal Heeter came on relief after the score was 3-0 on an unlucky deflection. And the rookie from Ohio State stopped 17 straight shots to get the game to overtime and the shootout. Kevin Poulin similarly entered in relief for Bridgeport and made some amazing saves among his 17 total to get the win.

It was the first shootout loss this season for Adirondack in three tries.

Adirondack stayed unbeaten in regulation against the affiliates of the New York Islanders at 2-0-1 with still three games remaining between the Northeast Division rivals this season.

The Phantoms donned impressive orange tuxedo jerseys presented bu Scoville Jewelers with post-game auction proceeds benefiting the WAIT House of Glens Falls. Adirondack was the classiest outfitted team in the league on New Years' Eve!

Saratoga Spine Phantoms Player of the Week - Brandon Manning

Brandon Manning is the Saratoga Spine Player of the Week.

The 22 year old defenseman and alternate captain scored the exciting game-tying goal late in the second period in the team's New Years' Eve comeback against Bridgeport. Manning drove hard after the puck behind the goal and then carried it out in front of a wrap-around goal after multiple digs trying to push it in.

Manning has four goals this year and scored six goals last season with Adirondack as a rookie with 19 points in just 49 games. Manning also played in four games with the Philadelphia Flyers late last season.

The Prince George, British Columbia native previously served as captain for the Chilliwack Bruins in the Western Hockey League.



Schenn Among League Leaders

Brayden Schenn ranks fifth in the AHL and third in the Eastern Conference in points entering this week. His 13 goals and 19 assists give him 32 points on the season placing him in a four-way tie for the #5 spot with some pretty talented players; Taylor Hall (OKC), Keith Aucoin (TOR) and Jeff Taffe (HER).

The more you shoot, the more you can score. And Schenn has displayed his belief in that philosophy with 112 shots this season, third in the AHL behind only Ben Street of Abbotsford and T.J. Brennan of Rochester.



Drop the Gloves!

It's not just a couple of tough-guys taking care of business when the situation calls for it. 16 different Adirondack Phantoms players have received at least one fighting major this year. That is believed to be the highest total number of players dropping the gloves of any AHL team.

Phantoms who have received fighting majors this year have included:
Akeson, Bourdon, Brown, Dimmen, Eddy, FitzGerald, Gustafsson, Harper, Holmstrom, Lauridsen, Manning, McGinn, Rinaldo, Roe, Schenn, Testwuide.

Munroe Milestones

Scott Munroe was a standout goalie for the Phialdelphia Phantoms from 2006-09. And now the University of Alabama-Huntsville product back with the Adirondack Phantoms in 2012-13 to add to his impressive totals. On December 19 vs. St. John's he earned his 72nd career win as a Phantom to pass Antero Nittymaki for second place all-time in franchise history. Neil Little holds the all-time record with 177 wins. Munroe also eclipsed the 4,000 save milestone in a Phantoms jersey earlier this season. On December 9, he recorded his 6,000th career save in the AHL late in the third period against Providence.

Key Team Stats

- The Phantoms are 6-1-0 when leading after two periods. They are 6-3-1 when tied after two.
- Adirondack is 11-6-1 when they score at least one power play goal.
- The Phantoms are 10-1-1 when they score 3 or more goals
- The Phantoms are 10-7-2 on all "non-Fridays."
- The Phantoms are 1-1 in overtimes and are 2-1 in shootouts for a combined 3-2 in games decided after regulation. All three of those post-regulation wins have come against Syracuse.
- 6 of the Phantoms wins have come when they have held the opponents to 0 or 1 goals.


Upcoming Opponents

Connecticut Whale, 13-17-2 (New York Rangers)

It's the first of six games between the Phantoms and the Whale this year when the two teams meet back-to-back this weekend.

Record - 13-17-2
Division - 5th place (Northeast Division)
Home Arena - XL Center
Head Coach - Ken Gernander
Offense - 2.8, 14th (out of 30)
Defense - 3.3, 30th
Power Play - 15.3%, 20th
Penalty Kill - 80.5%, 24th

Head Coach Ken Gernander - Has lead the Whale (formerly Hartford Wolf Pack) since 2007. Eight seasons as Hartford captain and retired as Hartford's all-time leading point-scorer (160-187-347) but has since been surpassed by Brad Smyth. Holds franchise record for games played (599). Two-time winner of AHL Fred T. Hunt Award (sportsmanship, dedication) in 1996 with Binghamton and 2004 with Hartford.

Kris Newbury, 10-17-27 - Tops in points for the Whale. Played for St. John's Maple Leafs and then Toronto Marlines from 200304 through 2008-09. Career highs 44 assists and 61 points in 2010-11 with CT. 66 NHL games with Toronto, Detroit and New York Rangers and 4 goals.

Chad Kolarik, 12-14-26. Leads Whale in goals. University of Michigan product in AHL since 2007-08 with San Antonio Rampage. Joined CT in 2010-11 but missed 2011-12 with ACL injury in left knee.

Chris Kreider, 5-6-11. 19th overall pick in 2009 NHL Draft. Scored six goals for 2010 US WJC team in 2010 winning goal medal. Led USA with 4-6-10 in 2011 on way to Bronze medal. 10 goals is third all-time in USA WJC play tied with John LeCalir and Mike Modano and trailing only Jeremy Roenick and Brian Gionta who had 11 each. Joined Rangers out of Boston College for 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs and scored five goals, an NHL record for most playoff goals before playing in a single regular-season game.

Matt Gilroy, 6-9-15. 28-year-old with 194 games in NHL with New York Rangers, Tampa Bay and Ottawa.

Ryan Bourque, 5-6-11. Son of Hall of Famer Ray Bourque and younger brother of Chris Bourque of Providence. Second-year pro was Rangers' third round selection in 2009.

Cameron Talbot, 11-14-0, 2.75, .914. Third year pro out of University of Alabama-Huntsville. Played for Chargers from 2007-08 through 2009-10. Phantoms' goalie Scott Munroe suited up for UAH 2002-03 through 2005-06.


UPCOMING

Friday, January 4 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Connecticut Whale

Saturday, January 5 (7:00) - Connecticut Whale at Adirondack Phantoms. Phantoms drawstring backpacks for the first 1,000 kids in attendance presented by UniFirst.

Monday, January 7 (7:00) - Phantoms Power Hour returns LIVE on Q101.7 Player guest to be announced.

Friday, January 11 (7:05) - Adirondack Phantoms at Binghamton Senators

Saturday, January 12 (7:05) - Adirondack Phantoms at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins


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