Phantoms at Hershey Bears 2-21-09: Third Period and OT

During the second intermission, I am looking at the box score. It appears that the assists will be changed on Maroon's goal. The AHL's website indicates that Nodl and Ross are now credited with assists on the goal.

Matsumoto, Laliberte, Guenin,and Syvret start the frame for us. Here is a familiar phras, e: Guenin blocks a shot. :)

However, the pesky Bears do score on a knuckle-puck during the second half of Kane's double minor, so the score is now 4-3, Phantoms.

Hershey is really pressing now. They want that tying goal. We are going to have to get the heck out of our zone. SOG in the period have all gone to the Bears: 5-0.

Come on, guys, we really need to get out of our end for more than a few moments. Blah, we only got half a line change complete before getting called for icing, so we have got some really tired people out there for a defensive-zone draw. Between that and the INTERFERENCE call that Koharsky missed, the Bears score and tie the game. :swear: I can deal with the icing call, but the missed infraction when we have half-dead guys on the ice really burns my biscuits. 4-4.

As we get old waiting for a faceoff -- not sure if something is amiss or if this is a regular promo timeout -- there are about 11 minutes remaining in the third period and we are being outshot 11-1 in this period. Not what I want to hear. Let's go, Phantoms!

And we promptly shoot on goal. :)

CURSE WORDS. I hate the lack of video replay in the AHL. Ko-FREAKING-harski waved off a goal that appeared to have crossed the goal line. Tellingly, there was no video replay provided for the fans on this play... that makes me wonder if the replay would have shown that the ref messed up. We remain tied 4-4.

Now in the final five minutes or so of the period, it's the Phantoms who are pressing hard. But we have a slight break in the action as Munroe needs to have his mask fixed.

GUENIN blocks a shot at a really crucial time. However, the farging Delay of Game rule comes back to bite usm as Matsumoto's clearing pass goes over the glass. We will spend the rest regulation shorthanded, provided we kill the penalty and make it to OT.

With 30 seconds remaining, Munroe freezes the puck and we are able to changel ines. WHEW.

The third period is over, and we are going into OT. Egad, this game is hard on the blood pressure. Matsumoto's penalty expires at the end of regulation, so it won't bleed into the OT frame. We are at 4 on 4 for the extra frame. For his third-period heroics, especially inthat late PK, I think the team owes Munroe a dinner.

Mayotte makes a nice save on Raduns and freezes the puck, about halfway through the OT. However, these last couple of minutes of overtime are being spent in front of Munroe a bit too much for my liking. Ah,here we go, down to the other end and we have a flurry in front of Mayotte... unfortunately we don't cash it in. Eventually, we ice the puck with 4.7 seconds left in OT. We have already gone to shootout twice this season with Hershey, and it appears that we are close to doing so for a third time.

No dice. BLAST. WHile the bleeping stupid arenavision was showing a "Let's go Bears" graphic, the darn Bears score off a rebound from the faceoff. Farg. 5-4 Bears in OT with 1.1 seconds left. Rats, Nobody picked up Aucoin on the doorstep.

Our next games are at home on Friday and Saturday.