Adirondack rallied late to make the Portland Pirates sweat at the end but ultimately the Phantoms would fall on the road 6-3 on Wednesday night in game 2 of their 7-game road-swing. The stretch of away games is Adirondack's longest of the season.

It was Adirondack's first regulation loss in about a week-and-a-half as the team's three-game point streak came to an end.

Matt Mangene scored in his return to the Pine Tree State where he starred for the University of Maine Black Bears just last year. And Mitch Wahl knocked in his first goal as a Phantom while Jason Akeson tallied his team-leading 13th goal of the year.

Portland built a 5-1 lead in the third-period but a boarding penalty on Brendan Shinnimin gave Adirondack an exciting opportunity late in the game in the form of a five-minute major power-play. On five-minute majors, the power play continues even after the advantaged team scores a goal. And the Phantoms took advantage quickly with back-to-back goals by Mitch Wahl and Jason Akeson to cut the lead down to 5-3 with just under 5:00 remaining.

The Phantoms still had over three minutes remaining on their extended power play but then the Pirates penalty-kill stepped up and were able to kill off the rest. Garrett Roe blasted one off the iron that could have cut the deficit and Adirondack had other narrow misses as well. It was an exciting late-rush for Adirondack to try to pull off another near-miracle comeback to potentially best their Saturday night heroics but this time the deficit proved to be too great.

Portland's Chad Johnson secured the victory while six different Pirates lit the lamp past Scott Munroe in the Adirondack net.

Jordan Szwarz scored shorthanded in the first period and rookie Chris Brown's power goal for his 23rd taly of the season made it 2-0. Shortly after, Phantoms head coach Terry Murray used his time-out to rally the team.

Adirondack turned it around from their slow start after that and Mangene buried his opportunity on the back-door for his fourth of the season to cut Portland's lead to 2-1 at the break.

Rob Bordson had a point-blank opportunity on top of Chad Johnson on a quick steal in the corner but the former Connecticut Whale goalie made a spectacular left-leg kick-save to deny the potential equalizer on perhaps his top stop of the night. Eric Wellwood raced away on a long shorthanded breakaway and beat Johnson glove-side but pinged the shot off the outside of the post and away.

David Rundblad's eight of the year late in the second period came on a long power-play wrister from the point that was snapped over Munroe's left shoulder to give Portland a 3-1 lead after two periods.

Alexandre Bolduc found himself in the clear on a breakawya and was denied by Munroe but in the process was hauled down and awarded a penalty shot. It was the third penalty Adirondack took on a Portland breakaway but the first that would be deemed worthy of a penalty shot. Munroe denied the AHL veteran Bolduc off the pads to keep the game at 3-1.

But Bolduc would do it again just three minutes later and this time would impressively split through the Phantoms D and rush straight on Munroe with another breakaway this time to be converted for his 22nd goal of the year. And just a minute later, Jordan Schwarz wriggled free from Mitch Wahl's back-check and Andy Miele converted with a big one-timer from the left-circle on the Schwarz pass to make it 5-1.

Adirondack closed it to 5-3 on their late power-play goals by Wahl and Akeson. But Brett Hextell, the son of former Flyers goalie Ron Hextell, would seal the victory with his far-post drive from the right circle with 57 seconds left for the 6-3 final.

Akeson's goal was his fifth in just the last three games as he ties Brayden Schenn for the team-lead in goals with 13. Akeson and Gustafsson both have 91 career points with the Adirondack Phantoms as the two are in a race to see who can become the first in team history to reach the 100 point milestone. Denis Hamel is the current all-time Adirondack Phantoms point-leader with 96 over the previous two seasons.

Tye McGinn returned to the Adirondack lineup for his time since January 20 and recorded two assists. He played in 16 games with Philadelphia in the NHL before suffering an eye injury in a fight on February 25. McGinn played with a full cage to protect his broken orbital bone.

Erik Gustafsson returned to the Adirondack lineup for the first time since February 15. He played in 11 games with the Flyers in his latest call-up.

Portland out-shot the Phantoms 32-29. There were a total of five special teams goals out of the nine combined. Adirondack went 2-for-7 on the power play while Portland was 2-for-4 plus a shorthanded tally.

Scratches for the Phantoms included David Laliberte, Zack FitzGerald, Cullen Eddy and Jeff Dimmen.

Adirondack's longest road-trip of the season continues on Friday night at the Binghamton Senators. The Phantoms' next home game is Sunday, March 24 at 3:00 in the season-series finale against the Portland Pirates. It will be Dax's Kids Club Day featuring a post-game open-skate with the players presented by Glens Falls Hospital. Call the Phantoms to purchase your Sunday Family 3-Packs at 518-480-3355.



Adirondack Phantoms 3 at Portland Pirates 6 - Status: Final
Wednesday, March 13, 2013 - Cumberland County Civic Center

Adirondack 1 0 2 - 3
Portland 2 1 3 - 6

1st Period-1, Portland, Szwarz 9 (Rundblad), 7:04 (SH). 2, Portland, Brown 23 (Brodeur, Bolduc), 11:39 (PP). 3, Adirondack, Mangene 4 (Wahl, McGinn), 17:30. Penalties-served by McGinn Adk (bench minor - too many men), 2:45; Werek Por (delay of game), 5:16; Manning Adk (hooking), 10:12.

2nd Period-4, Portland, Rundblad 8 (Miele, Conner), 15:54 (PP). Penalties-Shinnimin Por (elbowing), 4:48; Valabik Por (interference), 8:14; Lauridsen Adk (hooking), 10:36; Gormley Por (hooking), 11:58; Lauridsen Adk (cross-checking), 15:08.

3rd Period-5, Portland, Bolduc 22 (Brown), 7:20. 6, Portland, Miele 12 (Szwarz, Werek), 8:19. 7, Adirondack, Wahl 2 (Manning, Sim), 12:56 (PP). 8, Adirondack, Akeson 13 (Syvret, McGinn), 13:54 (PP). 9, Portland, Hextall 7 (Brophey, Brodeur), 19:03. Penalties-Shinnimin Por (major - boarding, misconduct), 12:11; Valabik Por (misconduct), 12:11.

Shots on Goal-Adirondack 7-12-10-29. Portland 13-8-11-32.
Power Play Opportunities-Adirondack 2 / 7; Portland 2 / 4.
Goalies-Adirondack, Munroe 12-15-0 (32 shots-26 saves). Portland, Johnson 16-12-1 (29 shots-26 saves).
A-2,849
Referees-Tim Mayer (19), Dave Lewis (46).
Linesmen-Landon Bathe (80), Jeremy Lovett (78).

UPCOMING

Friday, March 15 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Binghamton Senators

Sunday, March 17 (5:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Hershey Bears

Tuesday, March 19 (7:15) - Adirondack Phantoms at Norfolk Admirals

Wednesday, March 20 (7:15) - Adirondack Phantoms at Norfolk Admirals

Saturday, March 23 (7:00) - Adirondack Phantoms at Connecticut Whale

Call the Phantoms in advance for tickets and Sunday Family 3-Packs and SAVE! 518-480-3355


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