Phantoms vs. Lowell 12-19-08: Third Period

Yikes, we just had quite a close call. Munroe stopped a shot at the left post, but the rebound went way to the right and right to a Devi. Fortunately, said Lowell player shot wide. However, on the same shift, Jeff Szwez picked up a penalty for Delay of the Game, so we are getting to see our PK unit in action. The first pairing was Giroux. Kane with Ratchuk/Guenin. Now it's Raduns/Nodl with Jones/Bartulis. We have done a good job of keeping the puck out of harm's way, and as a result, the penalty is killed. Time to head down and keep Frazee company at the other end of the ice now. ;)

This period is going rather like what we saw in the last game -- a LOT of end-to-end rushes. With 9:50 left in the period, the Phantoms have 26 SOG and the Devils have 25, so the action has been relatively even in this period.

We interrupt this blogging to announce that the scoring on the third goal of the Phantoms was just changed -- it's now credited to Raduns from Szwez and Syvret. We now return you to your regular recap. :D

Ross's line is out, and Ross went speeding up the ice with the puck like his skates were on fire. He fed the puck to Kane, whose shot on goal caused a huge rebound into the slot. Unfortunately, the ony player anywhere near it was wearing a Lowell jersey. Pity. That'd have been a nice goal.

Munroe has been looking good tonight. He's tracking the play well. Looks like having a couple of nights off hasn't hurt him in the slightest.

And we just came this-close to seeing Muny in his first pro goalie fight. The Phantoms literally crashed the Devils net, with Kalinski slamming into the post hard. Someone apparently bowled over the goalie -- I was too busy watching if Kalinski was OK to notice what else happened. But the upshot was that Frazee was sprawled in the crease, and there was a ten-skater shoving convention over by the boards. It looked for moment like Frazee was about to turn it into an eleven-player gathering, and the next thing I knew, there was Munroe at our blue line. Frazee did not get involved in fisticuffs, so Munroe remained at our end of the ice. But hey -- we have Neil Little, one of the better Brawling Goalies the league has seen, as our goaltending coach. In fact, he's staning right behind our bench even as I type. So I would expect that the Organ-Eye-Zation's attitude that all players stand up for one another is being imparted to our young'uns. :D

When all was said and done, we had some four-on-four skating for a while. Kalinski's two minutes for charging were counterbalanced by a Devil's roughing minor. As Constable Benton Fraser (see: /Due South/) would say, "Even Steven". :)

I like how our D is getting to loose pucks first when we're in front of Munroe. In particular Jones made a nice play earlier in the period, and I didn't see who just cleared away the oose disk right now (with less than four minutes remaining in the period), but his timing was impeccable as a Devil was about to try and nab the puck.

Now it's three minutes left in the period, and we are clogging the living dayliights out of the ice. Lowell is having a hard time getting through the neutral zone, because there's an array of white-and-purple jerseys right there for them to have to skate through. Aw, come on, ref, that guy tripped over his own feet, Kalinski had nothing to do with it. ;) Oh well. Great, just what we need: a PK with the goalie pulled with 90 seconds left in the frame. Giroux and Ross are out with Syvret and Guenin and SCOOOORE. Ross BLASTED the puck the length of the ice, straight into the empty net. 5-2, Phantoms. The assist went to Giroux.

After the next faceoff, Guenin BURIED a Devil. I think there's a dent in our half- boards where the hit made contact. NICE stuff. :)

Game over -- the Good Guys win! Phantoms 5, Devils 2, and the Phantoms lead in SOG 31-27.

Stars:

#3 Rheaume (Lowell)
#2 Nodl
#1 Kalinski