TONIGHT'S GAME – Tonight, the 12-1-1-0 Philadelphia Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers) welcome the 7-5-0-1 Albany River Rats (Carolina Hurricanes). The Phantoms have a league-high 25 points and have not lost a game in regulation in their last eight games, going 7-0-1-0 during that time. They have won their last four outright---The Rats are 10 points behind the Phantoms in the East Division.
PHANTOMS LAST GAME – Last night in Binghamton, New York the Phantoms beat the Senators, 2-0. Ryan Potulny scored what would prove to be the only goal the Phantoms needed just 3:30 into the game. While on the power play, a shot from the left wing circle by Steve Downie was deflected and then poked in by Potulny. Boyd Kane had an assist on the goal and then scored one of his own. Standing to the left of the Sens net, Darroll Powe dealt the puck perfectly for the Kane one-timer. Goaltender Scott Munroe was splendid, stopping 29 shots for his first solo shutout of the season. He combined with Brian Boucher for a shutout in Worcester last Saturday night. The whitewash was Munroe’s third as a professional.
RIVER RATS LAST GAME – In Hartford, Connecticut last night the Rats were defeated by the Wolf Pack, 4-1. Mike Angelidis scored a first period goal to give the Rats a lead. The Pack, however, solved Michael Leighton with a pair in each of the next two periods. The Rats were outgunned in the game 32-16, with five shots in the first, four in the second and seven in the third.
ALL-TIME - This is the 895th regular season game in Phantoms franchise history. Philadelphia has an all-time record of 460-315-37-17 and 65 ties. The Phantoms have 1039 points in 894 games.
THE SERIES – Tonight’s game is the second of eight scheduled games during the regular season with the Phantoms and Rats. Here at the Spectrum on October 12, the Phantoms blanked the River Rats 3-0. Ryan Potulny, Jonathan Matsumoto and Jared Ross all scored against Michael Leighton. Brian Boucher made 37 saves for the shutout. The game featured 92 penalty minutes for the Phantoms and 89 for the Rats, as a line brawl developed in the third period---The series shifts to New York’s Capital on December 29. In 49 games all-time against the Rats, the Phantoms are 27-17-4-1-0 (W-L-T-OTL-SOL). They are 17-5-2-1-0 against the Rats here at home.
PHANTOM FILES – On Friday, the Phantoms recalled C David Laliberte and G Jeremy Duchesne from ECHL Wheeling and Dayton, respectively. Laliberte has two goals and five assists for seven points for the Nailers through seven games this season and is tied for third on the team in scoring. Duchesne is 2-0-0 with a 2.50 GAA and .886 save percentage in two games for the Bombers---The Phantoms continue to post the best start to a season in franchise history. The club is at 12-1-1-0 through 14 games. This year’s Phantoms are pacing the 2004-05 Calder Cup team, which was 12-2 through 14 games---The Phantoms have scored at least one power play goal in every game this season. The Phantoms power play is ranked third in the league at 24%. They have a league best 24 power play goals on 100 chances---Ryan Potulny’s natural hat trick was the Phantoms second of the season and sixth all-time. Jared Ross scored three consecutive goals on October 27 against Springfield. Potulny’s trick was his first as a Phantom and was Philadelphia’s 34th all-time. The three goals that Potulny scored on Friday night also found another spot in the Philly record books. Potulny’s feat spanned three minutes and 54 seconds, which is a new Phantoms franchise record for fastest three goals by a single player. It broke the mark of 4:10 set by Jason Zent in a 4-1 win vs. Albany on November 6, 1998 at the Spectrum---The Phantoms have a league-high 418 penalty minutes. The average of 29.86 minutes per game is also tops. They lead the AHL with 22 major penalties and eight game misconducts---Philly and Syracuse are each tied for tops in the AHL with 50 goals apiece---Scott Munroe leads all AHL goaltenders with a 1.79 goals against average. His save percentage is third at .938, just a skosh behind Michael Leighton’s .941. Munroe is off to a 5-0 start. Last season he logged his fifth win in his 16th appearance. He was 5-7 at that time (December 26).
RAT DROPPINGS – Goaltender Michael Leighton appeared in five games last season for the Phantoms. He had two wins and two shootout losses, along with a 1.56 goals against average and a save percentage of .948. All-time against the Phantoms, Leighton has appeared in 20 games and has a 13-7 record and three shutouts. The three shutouts are tied for second-most by an opponent goaltender. Leighton currently has a league-high three shutouts this season. His 1.82 GAA is second in the AHL only to Phantom Scott Munroe. Leighton is second in the AHL in minutes played (660), saves (317), save percentage (.941) and tied for second with five losses---The Rats are 2-3 in their last five games and 6-4 in their last 10---The Rats average 2.08 goals per game. That ranks 28th in the AHL. They only yield 2.0 goals per game, which is second best in the league. Overall this season they have outscored their opponents by a combined 27-26. By comparison, Philly is 50-31---Albany’s power play is 28th in the AHL at 11.8% (9-76). The penalty kill is tied for seventh at 86.4% (9-66).
ON THE AIR – Expanding on an already premium partnership, the Philadelphia Phantoms have partnered with the Philadelphia Area Dodge Dealers to provide free audio broadcasts of all Phantoms games home and away this season. It is the first time in the team's 12-year history that fans have the opportunity to enjoy audio broadcasts for all 80 of the Phantoms regular season games plus playoffs. The Phantoms official website, Phantomshockey.com, in conjunction with league and team partner B2 Networks, provides the home for the audio. Broadcaster Mike Thornton will handle the play-by-play. In addition to the games, Dodge will also bring the ever-popular Coaches Corner to fans on Phantomshockey.com. New editions of the weekly sit-down with Phantoms head coach Craig Berube are posted to the site every Tuesday.
NEXT GAME – The Phantoms host the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins in Philadelphia’s annual school day game. The puck drops this Wednesday morning at 11:05 AM. The Binghamton Senators will invade the Spectrum on Friday night, the only game of the weekend for the Phantoms.
