Phantoms at Norfolk Admirals, 4-3-09: Third Period and OT

Nuts. Looks like the original file I was creating for the third period got lost. We have about eight minutes remaining in the frame, and the score is now tied 2-2. A loose puck near our net got cashed in by Norfolk, followed not long afterward by a lovely goal by Sirianni.

I like some of the things we are doing in this second half of the third period. Rochester is currently beating Bingo 3-0, so we have got to come out with determination and pick up two points tonight. GOT to. No alternatives.

Sirianni and Kane create all kinds of havoc in front of the Norfolk net. Eventually someone sent the puck into the corner, where Sirianni retrieved it for Ross at the half-boards. No dice on that shift. The Matsumoto line comes out and makes a bit more noise for the Phantoms. But Norfolk starts heading up ice with the puck, just in time to earn themselves a bench minor for having too many men on the ice. So the Phantoms are getting a very timely PP with 3:26 remaining in the period. Ross's line is out with Syvret and Kukkonen. Freaking Norfolk keeps clearing the puck; we change shifts and the Matsumoto line comes out. TRIPPING on Norfolk and here we go with a 5-on-3 advantage. Ross's line is out. Norfolk's first clearing attempt hit the official and stayed in. The 5 on 3 expires but the Phantoms have gvot a PP for the better part of the rest of regulation time. Offside. :headdesk:

One minute left in the period, and we are having issues getting into the Ads' end. Matsumoto's line is out with Syvret and Ratcbhuk. Just as time expires, Helenius freezes the puck. We are headed to OT. We definitely have gotten at least one point from this contest.

Oh, wait, they add 1.5 seconds to the clock to compensate for the amount of time before the buzzer that Helenius held the puck. AAAH and we shoot just wide off the faceoff. Oh, my gosh, we came that close to winning in regulation. But now we really ARE going into OT. No kidding. I mean it this time.

Matsumoto and Laliberte are out with Syvret and Guenin. Now Ross and Sirianni with Bartulis and Kukkonen. And now it's Norfolk's turn to go offside.

ROSS SCORES!!! We win in OT and what a freaking beauty of a goal it was! He got himself in on a breakaway and roofed the puck. Wow... so if Rochester cooperates and wins this game in regulation, and they are ahead 4-0 over Bingo with 13 minutes left in their third period, we could very well be only one point behind Binghamton by the time this night is over. GO AMERKS! Beat the Sens!

Stars: #3 Sirianni; #2: Quick (Admirals) and #1:Ross