Phantoms vs. Springfield 11-28-08: First Period

Scratches: Donati, Beaulieu, Kane, Hersley
Starting Lineup: Aubin, Guenin, Syvret, Ross, Maroon, Giroux.

Springfield has two Phantoms alumni in their starting lineup: Ryan Potulny and Guilliaume Lefebvre. I'm sure they'll both be motivated to put one in the net.

We finally got a pump video before a game. They showed the one that was made for the two preseason games at the Spectrum. The accompanying music is "The Sun Will Set On You". That's a song I'll have to look up onlne later, as I don't know who sings it.

As it's Tribute to Tough Guys Night, we're going to have a ceremonial pregame glove drop. :D Dave Schultz, Bob Kelly, Dave Brown, and Frank Bialowas dropped their gloves at center ice. LOL

Laliberte has got a rather prominent moustache that I don't recall seeing before -- I wonder if the Phantoms are doing "Moustache Boy" again?

Holy cow, I didn't see what happened to Aubin, but he went to drop to take a shot, which I don't actually think reached the net, and he stayed down. More than that, he wilted flat onto the ice. Good grief. Munroe is masking up and puttting on his gear, just in case. Aubin's down on the ice and other than kicking his leg in pain briefly, he's literally not moving. It took two people to help him off, and he wasn't putting his right leg down as they guided him to the bench door. Munroe took over in goal, and they had their work cut out for them in assisting Aubin up the tunnel. Ouch, poor guy. :( It must make maneuvering while injured a whole bunch harder to be wearing all that goalie gear.

Not long after that, we took a penalty. WHAT a PK! Munroe made several point-blank stops, including one when he was flat on his stomach, yet managed to make a skate save on a sure goal. We finished that shorthanded situation with the game stil scoreless.

Now it's our turn to be on the power lay. DeSantis, Syvret, Matsumoto, Powe, and Laliberte are out. Now it's Ross, Maroon and Giroux out, with the same two D (DeSantis/Syvret). PAY DIRT -- DeSantis scores with a BOMB from the point, assisted by Maroon and Giroux.

Here we go with the penalties. Seconds later, Bellamy goes to the bix and we're back on the PK. Powe, Raduns, Syvret, and Guenin are our guys. Next shift, Giroux and Ross generate a shorthanded scoring chance.

GEESH. The puck was wrapped aroudnd the glass, but it deflected oddly off one of the stanchions and nailed the ref, who went down in pain. Fortunately, he was't injured too badly. We got to see something that isn't witnessed often -- Philadelphia fans CHEERING an official, when he got up. Hey, don't say we're heartless. ;) Luckily, he is able to continue the game. Meanwhile, during the stoppage in play, Scotty is having one of the equipment guys adjust a throat protector which I guess he never had the chance to put on prior to the game.

Once again, as soon as the Phantoms penalty ended, we were put on the power play. We keep trading PPs n this game. Ross, Giroux, and Maroon are with Ratchuk and Curry. Now Matsumoto, Powe, and Laliberte are with Syvret and DeSantis. With 6:55 remaining in the period, the Phantoms are being outshot by the Falcons, 10-6. But we have about half a minute and change of PP time, so with luck we'll make up that deficit. Oh, Matsumoto nearly doubled our lead... So close!

YEAH -- no sooner do we return to even strength, than Jeff Szwez buries one to make the score 2-0! Great play! On the next shift, the Falcons bust their tail feathers getting to our end to try and close the gap. But Muny is money and keeps their attempt out.

Ross is with Clackson and Klotz... We have seven D dressed again, and we are double-shifting someone to go with our two extra guys.

Giroux showed some NICE speed there, pursuing a Falcon deep into the Springfield end to cance an icing call. The Falcon HAD to get hold of the puck prior to the goal lie, or else Giroux would've had both the puck and a prime scoring chance.

Boy, Scotty must have X-Ray vision, to have seen that shot through a screen on the faceoff. NICE work. Matsumoto, Powe, Laliberte, DeSantis, and D'Amour are out.

Powe just got into a major fight with Roy, which was not the best idea he could've had, as he took several punches to the head. MY NERVES, when our recently-concussed players drop the farging gloves. However, Powe got two for goalie interference along with his 5 for fighting, so I presume that's why Roy went after him in the first place. So we're shorthanded for the rest of this period, plus about six seconds' worth of the second period, presuming we kill the penalty.

Matsumoto just caused the Falcons to go offside by standing the puck carrier up at the blue ine. Nice. Anything that kills the Springfield momentum is good

SOG at the end of the first period, Phantoms 9, Falcon 16. We will have six more seconds of PK remaining when the second period begins.