Friday, January 28, 2011

Phantoms prepare for big weekend

It's been a rough season so far for the last-place Phantoms, but considering the team has endured two 10-game losing streaks, is currently on its third coach of the season and has one of the youngest rosters in the AHL, every win matters and even the smallest accomplishments are noteworthy.

Since head coach Joe Paterson took control on Dec. 20, the Phantoms are 8-5-0-3, an astonishing turnaround from the season's opening months in which wins were few and far between.

In an article in Friday's paper, Paul Post of The Saratogian previews the weekend ahead for Adirondack:
A week from tomorrow the Phantoms could wake up in unfamiliar territory — out of last place.

They’ll take a big step toward that goal this weekend, starting tonight (7:30) at home against Charlotte followed by a Saturday road game at Syracuse – the team directly ahead of them in the AHL’s East Division standings.

Exiting the cellar might not seem like a noteworthy achievement, but considering where the Phantoms came from, it’s huge.

“We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves,” coach Joe Paterson said.

Click here to read Paul Post's article in its entirety

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Phantoms weekend recap

A look back at how the Adirondack Phantoms fared in their three games last weekend. The team is preparing for a return to action Friday night against Wilkes-Barre.
Friday, Jan. 14 vs. Hershey Bears: 3-0 loss
Phantoms goalie Michael Leighton turned in a 25-save performance, but Hershey forward Steve Pinizzotto had a goal and an assist, leading the Bears to a 3-0 victory.
The loss snapped a six-game Adirondack point streak as Hershey goaltender Danny Sabourin had a 25-save shutout, his 10th win of the season. The Bears, defending league champions, exacted revenge on the Phantoms for a loss in early December.
The Phantoms were 0-for-6 on the power play.
Saturday, Jan. 15 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins: 4-2 loss
Greg Moore and Danny Syvret scored for the Phantoms, and Michael Leighton started his second consecutive game in goal, but the AHL-leading Penguins and their high-powered offense was too much to handle, defeating Adirondack 4-2 on a night where the Phantoms bid farewell to their long-time mascot, Phlex.
After Moore tied the game at one in the first period, the Penguins responded with three consecutive goals to take a commanding 4-1 lead before Syvret’s late tally.
Leighton had 27 saves in net, but the former Philadelphia Flyers playoff hero suffered his second loss in as many days.
Sunday, Jan. 16 at Syracuse Crunch: 5-2 win
The Adirondack offense exploded for five goals, tying its season high, as five different Phantoms scored goals in a 5-2 victory over division-rival Syracuse. The Phantoms improved to 4-0 against the Crunch this season.
Kevin Marshall, Stefan Legein, Luke Pither, Rob Bordson and Ben Holmstrom all scored for Adirondack and goaltender Johan Backlund picked up his first win in over two months.
Denis Hamel added two assists for the Phantoms, who on their first game after enduring a four-game losing streak.
Backlund had 24 saves in the victory.
Player of the Weekend
Ben Holmstrom led the Phantoms with a three-point weekend, contributing a goal and two assists, including a two-point night in Adirondack’s 5-2 victory over Syracuse Sunday.
Holmstrom, a 6-foot-1, 171-pound forward from Colorado Springs, is currently third on the Phantoms with 18 points in 43 games played.