THE COLOR OF MUNY

Munroe’s 24-Save Shutout Boosts Phantoms Past Albany

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Phantoms took the ice Monday in special President’s Day jerseys that bore a green and copper color scheme of American currency, so perhaps it was fitting that the night belonged to goaltender Scott Munroe. The netminder, known to his teammates as “Muny,” stopped all 24 shots he faced in a 2-0 whitewashing of the Albany River Rats in an afternoon affair at the Wachovia Spectrum.

Philadelphia’s first goal came with 4:11 to play in the second period while on the power play. Jonathan Matsumoto was at the far post taking part in a scramble near the net, and owned the stick that finally pushed the puck over the line.

The second goal came early in the third period on a two-on-one break. Darroll Powe and Frederik Cabana headed down the ice and used deft passing to beat an Albany defender. Powe fed Cabana for the insurance marker at the 1:24 mark.

Playing his first game since February 9, Munroe’s 24 saves included several of the outstanding variety, including a backward dive to sweep a puck off the goal line. A few pucks were turned away by Phantoms skaters, while a couple others clanked off the iron. The shutout was Munroe’s third of the season and Philadelphia’s eighth as a team, and was also the second time this season that the Phantoms shut out Albany. The loss went to Justin Peters, who stopped 25 of 27.

With the win, Philadelphia bumped its record to 36-17-2-2 for 76 points. That gives them a 13-point lead in the East Division over Hershey, and perhaps Wilkes-Barre/Scranton pending the results of its game this evening in Binghamton.

The Phantoms are off until Friday night, when they’ll host the Hershey Bears in the first half of a home-and-home series. The first 3,000 kids 14 and under through the doors will receive a free t-shirt jersey courtesy of Comcast. Tickets are available at the Wachovia Complex box office, online at ComcastTIX.com or phantomshockey.com, or by phone at 1-800-298-4200.

Monday, February 18, 2008