Phantoms vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers 1-2-09: Third Period, OT

Munroe made a fantasti save early, to preserve our lead. :) I'm thinking, as I have posted on several other games already this season, that Muny is turning in a star-worthy performance tonight.

I was surprised a little while ago when, during a scrum at the boards behind the Phantoms net, all five Phantoms skaters were involved, but numbers 3 and 4 on the Sound Tigers were way back at our blue line watching what was transpiring. That's not what I expect to see from any team, the leaving of their teammates to e outnumbered in a multi-player shoving match. And if I saw two of our guys leave three teammates to the mercies of five opposing guys, I would be ranting like anything about it.

But nothing much happened in the scrum anyhow -- no fights or penalties ensued. And we are back at work now, trying to get set up in the Bridgeport end. Yet again, that has proven to be easier said than done. YO, go Muny, he deflected a dangerous bouncing puck away from the goal. Those knuckle-pucks are a challenge, for sure.

After a commercial timeout, we are ready to have a faceoff in our end. Raduns was replaced by Maroon in the faceoff circle. It took us a couple tries to get the puck out, but in a few moments, the Sound Tigers carried it right back in. We are going to have to withstand a heavy-duty charge from Bridgeport, as they are desperate to even the score with ess than nime minutes to play. Even better, I would like to see us being the ones to dictate the goings-on and pressure the Sound Tigers for a while. We can start by winning this faceoff in front of the Sound Tigers net, which we did. Matsumoto, Szwez, and Lalierte are out with Ratchuk and Curry. I can't believe this line hasn't scored yet tonight, given the way they have been best at evading the Bridgeport defenders. Well, they still have time. :) Ross just knocked 44 off the puck, resulting in Maroon's retrieving the puck and takign a shot on goal. Danis froze it, so we earned an offensive-zone draw from it. All from Ross knocking one guy off the puck... If anyone ever needs to explain or give examples how one event can lead to a chain of several others in quick succession, I suggest that the instructor make use of any hocey game tape. They'll find a plethora of examples to illustrate their point.

HOW did Parent "interfere" with a guy when said guy HAD THE FREAKING PUCK... Nygel P. strikes again. And what do you know, the flipping Sound Tigers score right off the faceoff. Thanks, Nygel, you nimrod, for the stupidest penalty of the night. So far, anyway. The game isn't over yet. Phantoms 1, Referee 1.

Raduns/Clackson/Maroon are out. Next faceoff, it's Matsumoto's lne again. Boy, if we eer needed a line to create a scoring opportunity, it would e now. There's 3:38 left in the game, and the score is tied. The SOG are Phantoms 23, Sound Tigers 32.

Next, Ross/Nodl/Sirianni. NICE GLOVE SAVE by MUNROE, he batted it aside with his mitt. That was as timely a stop as we've seen tonight, and we have seen a bunch of them. A Bridgeport player shooting from the top of our slot just nailed one of his teammates. The puck bounced to one of our own guys, so now we are in the Sound Tigers end trying to retake the lead. (The Sound Tiger wasn't injured, fortunately.) We came darn cose to a goal with a mad scramble in front of the Bridgeport net, but the Danis was right there to reject whatever came his way.

Last minute of the period. Ross's lne is buzzing in the Bridgeport endd, but no luck. Now the Sound Tigers are rushing back. Munroe snared the shot and hung on for a faceoff with 4.8 left in the third period. I can't believe we are this close to giving up a point to a divisional rival because of that IDIOTIC freaking penalty... GRRR.

Oh, well. The third period is over. The score is 1-1 and the SOG are Phantoms 25, Sound Tigers, 36.

Ross and Nodl are out with Parent and Syvret. Ross rushes the puck up the left wing, but the dump-in gets stopped behind the Sound Tigers net. There we go with chain reactions again. The shot that Munroe saved led to another shot, which we retrieved and rushed up the ice. That drew a penalty and the Phantoms are about to embark on a one-minute PP, as soon as our 30-second timeout is complete. The AHL is trying out one-minute minor penalties during OTs this year. Ross and Maroon are out with Curry and Syvret. Maroon just got nailed by a high shot and startled me when he dropped like a tree. Fortunately, he bounced right back up. We have 40 seconds left in this PP. Curry has the puck at the to of the slot, Syvret shot through a uge crowd, but somehow Danis tracked the puck through everyone and managed to freeze it. Matsumoto and Laliberte came out for the fina few seconds of the PP, along with parent and Bartulis soon after we returned to even stremgth. Now the forwards are Raduns and ryan. Munroe smacked down another shot on goal, and Ryan is now hounding a Sound Tiger in the Bridgeport end. We're trying to get a line change accomplished... And we do. Nod/Ross/Parent/Bartulis are out and in our zone. We have just over two mintues left, and Ross is tring to blast through tree Bridgeport players to get a shot. Incredibly, he DOES get through them, though he takes a spill and bounces back up.

Good old Nygel, here we go. He's sending Nodl off with 1:37 left, o we will be shorthanded for a minute. Bridgeport is now using their 30-second timeout.

Our PK unit will be Ross, Syvret, and Parent. Parent blocked a shot. The next puck clanged incredibly LOUDly off the post. Ross broke his stick stopping the next shot , but he proceeded to drop to a knee and stop yet another one.

Unfortunately, eventually the puck went out to a Sound Tiger in ther ight faceoff circle, and he scored.

So we went from a 1-0 lead to a 2-1 OT loss on two PP goals, all because of the one horrid interference call that staryted it all. Drat.

Stars: Munroe, Danis, and Iggulden (GWG).