While I still have the energy to post...
CLICK HERE for the game recap from the Phantoms site.
CLICK HERE for the box score from the AHL's site.
Showing posts with label Loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Loss. Show all posts
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Phantoms at Hershey Bears, Game 4, East Division Semifinals, 4-24-09: Third Period
OK, Boys, it's all or nothing! Come out playing for BLOOD! I mean it!
HAHAHA, they were showing some Bears fan waving a faux broom with a cardboard tube for a handle. The cardboard tube broke and the broom wilted away. Here's to seeing Hershey's attempt to sweep the Phantoms be broken just as utterly.
The Bears start off by buzzing in our zone, including the first "pinball off the back boards" attempt that I've specifically noticed in this game. We had some congestion around the net and Aubin was in position to prevent trouble.
Hershey has iced the puck a couple times so far. We get a little something-something going in the Bears end, and though they clear it, we get it back and start Buzzing: The Sequel. Ah, there we go, we draw a penalty and go on the PP. Matsumoto's line is with Syvret and Kukkonen. Maroon stations himself at the net for rebounds. Bears block a shot. Two Bears and two Phantoms battle in the corner and we get the disk back. But the Bears clear it.
Curry and Ratchuk with JVR and I can't see who the other two forwards are. The penalty ends, and the Bears get called for icing even though technically they were still shorthanded when the puck was cleared. Kane, Kalinski, and Szwez are out. Kalinski brings it in and Neuvirth freezes it.
Raduns, Kempe, and Clackson are out with Curry and Ratchuk. Ratchuk and Pinnizotto, he who caused a ten-skater scrum by taking a slapshot into an empty Phantoms net, battle all the way up the boards into our zone for the puck.
Kempe is getting sent off for hooking, when his stick never touched the freaking Bear on the replay. Expletive Omitted. Strings of Expletives Omitted, actually. Kane/Kalinski are out with Kukkonen and Bartulis. Kalinski rushes up and gets a shorthanded shot on goal. Syvret blocks a shot back in our end. There goes the Zebra's arm up once again. Kempe's penalty ends, so Guenin goes into the box to replace him. Too bad the dive on Perrault wasn't called. It must be nice.
Good freeze by Aubin. Next shift, Hershey gets a shot through a screen but the post helps us out on that one. Kane prevents The Wrong Giroux from getting a shot off. HOLY COW at least three consecutive saves by Aubin. He is busting his rump keeping us in this game. We absolutely HAVE to reward him with some activity at the other end. Period. End of sentence.
Nodl, Sirianni, and JVR are out with Bartulis and Kukkonen. AAH Scramble in front of Neuvirth and he had to get very creative to avoid giving up a rebound to Nodl. Tbat was the most dangerous play we have had all game, really. Six minutes and change remain in the period.
Matsumoto's line is out and we are starting to buzz somewhat in the Bears end again. Kalinski/Nodl/Szwez with Cury/Ratchuk. Out they go to the Phabtoms end. Five minutes and change left in the frame. Back to the Hershey end and we try to get into position. So far the SOG in this period are Phanbtoms 7, Bears 4. AAH Laliberte blasts one on goal. Neuvirth stops it and we get a faceoff.
Nice hip check to eliminate Mink at the Phantoms half-boards. AUBIN nice work to keep us within one. Now we are getting a lot of end-to-end play. Kempe is out with Sirianni and JVR.
Holy moley, a late penalty vs. Hershey after Aucoin trips Maroon. Hershey tries to kill time by not touching the puck. Eventually we get it, even tho9ugh we go offside. Sirianni, Syvret, Kukkonen, Kane, JVR are out. Aubin is actually pulled for a 6 on 4 with under 2 minutes left in the period. Timeout, Phantoms.
One minute left: we have Matsumoto, Laliberte, Maroon, JVR, Syvret, and Kukkonen out. DAGNAB IT Laliberte actually fell on top of the freaking puck which was loose in the crease. ARGH ARGH ARGH. 50.5 seconds left in the period. Faceoff. JVR is the extra forw1ard with Matsumoto's line, apparemtnly. Syvret is one of the D LONG pass to Maroon from our end. Hershey gets called for a hand pass. Ten seconds left in the PP, 24 left in the period.; Faceoff in the Bears end. Same guys on the ice. Hershey clears it to the far end Syvret retrieves it. 32 seconds left. Long pass. Hershey clears again.
Game over and series over.
And there's the end of the Phantoms' 13-year stint in Philadelphia.
Handshake line forthcoming.
Aubin had BETTER BE one of the game's stars. We shall see.
It's astounding that the Phantoms went 0-for-21 on the PP, but as our announcer is pointing out, the absence of Jared Ross from our lineup surely made a difference there.
Yes, Aubin is, in fact, the second star. Mink (goal-scorer) was the third star, and Neuvirth (shutout) was the first star.
Hershey will face the Penguins in the next round. I will most definitely root for the Bears over the Penguins.
I will keep updating this blog with info about where the Phantoms' franchise will be playing nezt season. However, when the new season begins, I will start a separate blog for the reincarnated version of the Flyers' farm team.
This blog is for the Phantoms, which have accounted for my absolute favorite pastime for the past 13 years. Because of my time supporting this team, I will never be the same.
With them consigned to history, nothing will ever be the same. It is NOT an adjustment I look forward to making in the least.
HAHAHA, they were showing some Bears fan waving a faux broom with a cardboard tube for a handle. The cardboard tube broke and the broom wilted away. Here's to seeing Hershey's attempt to sweep the Phantoms be broken just as utterly.
The Bears start off by buzzing in our zone, including the first "pinball off the back boards" attempt that I've specifically noticed in this game. We had some congestion around the net and Aubin was in position to prevent trouble.
Hershey has iced the puck a couple times so far. We get a little something-something going in the Bears end, and though they clear it, we get it back and start Buzzing: The Sequel. Ah, there we go, we draw a penalty and go on the PP. Matsumoto's line is with Syvret and Kukkonen. Maroon stations himself at the net for rebounds. Bears block a shot. Two Bears and two Phantoms battle in the corner and we get the disk back. But the Bears clear it.
Curry and Ratchuk with JVR and I can't see who the other two forwards are. The penalty ends, and the Bears get called for icing even though technically they were still shorthanded when the puck was cleared. Kane, Kalinski, and Szwez are out. Kalinski brings it in and Neuvirth freezes it.
Raduns, Kempe, and Clackson are out with Curry and Ratchuk. Ratchuk and Pinnizotto, he who caused a ten-skater scrum by taking a slapshot into an empty Phantoms net, battle all the way up the boards into our zone for the puck.
Kempe is getting sent off for hooking, when his stick never touched the freaking Bear on the replay. Expletive Omitted. Strings of Expletives Omitted, actually. Kane/Kalinski are out with Kukkonen and Bartulis. Kalinski rushes up and gets a shorthanded shot on goal. Syvret blocks a shot back in our end. There goes the Zebra's arm up once again. Kempe's penalty ends, so Guenin goes into the box to replace him. Too bad the dive on Perrault wasn't called. It must be nice.
Good freeze by Aubin. Next shift, Hershey gets a shot through a screen but the post helps us out on that one. Kane prevents The Wrong Giroux from getting a shot off. HOLY COW at least three consecutive saves by Aubin. He is busting his rump keeping us in this game. We absolutely HAVE to reward him with some activity at the other end. Period. End of sentence.
Nodl, Sirianni, and JVR are out with Bartulis and Kukkonen. AAH Scramble in front of Neuvirth and he had to get very creative to avoid giving up a rebound to Nodl. Tbat was the most dangerous play we have had all game, really. Six minutes and change remain in the period.
Matsumoto's line is out and we are starting to buzz somewhat in the Bears end again. Kalinski/Nodl/Szwez with Cury/Ratchuk. Out they go to the Phabtoms end. Five minutes and change left in the frame. Back to the Hershey end and we try to get into position. So far the SOG in this period are Phanbtoms 7, Bears 4. AAH Laliberte blasts one on goal. Neuvirth stops it and we get a faceoff.
Nice hip check to eliminate Mink at the Phantoms half-boards. AUBIN nice work to keep us within one. Now we are getting a lot of end-to-end play. Kempe is out with Sirianni and JVR.
Holy moley, a late penalty vs. Hershey after Aucoin trips Maroon. Hershey tries to kill time by not touching the puck. Eventually we get it, even tho9ugh we go offside. Sirianni, Syvret, Kukkonen, Kane, JVR are out. Aubin is actually pulled for a 6 on 4 with under 2 minutes left in the period. Timeout, Phantoms.
One minute left: we have Matsumoto, Laliberte, Maroon, JVR, Syvret, and Kukkonen out. DAGNAB IT Laliberte actually fell on top of the freaking puck which was loose in the crease. ARGH ARGH ARGH. 50.5 seconds left in the period. Faceoff. JVR is the extra forw1ard with Matsumoto's line, apparemtnly. Syvret is one of the D LONG pass to Maroon from our end. Hershey gets called for a hand pass. Ten seconds left in the PP, 24 left in the period.; Faceoff in the Bears end. Same guys on the ice. Hershey clears it to the far end Syvret retrieves it. 32 seconds left. Long pass. Hershey clears again.
Game over and series over.
And there's the end of the Phantoms' 13-year stint in Philadelphia.
Handshake line forthcoming.
Aubin had BETTER BE one of the game's stars. We shall see.
It's astounding that the Phantoms went 0-for-21 on the PP, but as our announcer is pointing out, the absence of Jared Ross from our lineup surely made a difference there.
Yes, Aubin is, in fact, the second star. Mink (goal-scorer) was the third star, and Neuvirth (shutout) was the first star.
Hershey will face the Penguins in the next round. I will most definitely root for the Bears over the Penguins.
I will keep updating this blog with info about where the Phantoms' franchise will be playing nezt season. However, when the new season begins, I will start a separate blog for the reincarnated version of the Flyers' farm team.
This blog is for the Phantoms, which have accounted for my absolute favorite pastime for the past 13 years. Because of my time supporting this team, I will never be the same.
With them consigned to history, nothing will ever be the same. It is NOT an adjustment I look forward to making in the least.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Phantoms at Hershey Bears, Game 3, Round 1, East Division Semi-Finals: recap and box score
The Phantoms have gotten into a bit of a hole, as of the end of this game.
I got home from class and tuned in JUST in time to hear the Phantoms' tying goal disallowed, and a penalty assessed to Nate Raduns, in the final few minutes of the third period.
I am unhappy to report that the Phantoms lost the cotest 3-2, and currently trail the Hershey Bears 3 games to 0 in this series.
CLICK HERE for the game recap from the Phantoms site.
CLICK HERE for the box score from the AHL's site.
As they say, the fourth game is the hardest one for a team to win. Here's to seeing the Phantoms take tonight's game in Hershey. Then, not only will we stay alive in the series, but it will allow the Phantoms fans who can't get to Hershey tonight, but CAN be there on Saturday night, to attend Game 5.
Tomorrow, the extra inspiration to win could come from the desire to play in the Spectrum at least once more; on Sunday, it'll be that we want to take the series and advance to the next round. But all in due time. First, the Phantoms need to focus on going Bear Hunting with the heavy artillery in tonight's game. Series are played, and ultimately won, ONE game at a time. So the best bet is to concentrate on the task at hand: the current game, the current period, and even the current shift.
GO PHANTOMS!
I got home from class and tuned in JUST in time to hear the Phantoms' tying goal disallowed, and a penalty assessed to Nate Raduns, in the final few minutes of the third period.
I am unhappy to report that the Phantoms lost the cotest 3-2, and currently trail the Hershey Bears 3 games to 0 in this series.
CLICK HERE for the game recap from the Phantoms site.
CLICK HERE for the box score from the AHL's site.
As they say, the fourth game is the hardest one for a team to win. Here's to seeing the Phantoms take tonight's game in Hershey. Then, not only will we stay alive in the series, but it will allow the Phantoms fans who can't get to Hershey tonight, but CAN be there on Saturday night, to attend Game 5.
Tomorrow, the extra inspiration to win could come from the desire to play in the Spectrum at least once more; on Sunday, it'll be that we want to take the series and advance to the next round. But all in due time. First, the Phantoms need to focus on going Bear Hunting with the heavy artillery in tonight's game. Series are played, and ultimately won, ONE game at a time. So the best bet is to concentrate on the task at hand: the current game, the current period, and even the current shift.
GO PHANTOMS!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Phantoms at Albany River Rats ,3-22-09
I tried to email this post last night, but I am checking now and I see that it never arrived. Doggone it. Let's try this again.
The Phantoms had a game in Albany on Sunday evening. I didn't get to tune in online until the final few minutes of the cybercast. Unfortunately, that basically means I got online just in time to see us lose 2-0.
This is disappointing for multiple reasons. We desperately needed those two points, for one thing. I see the Phantoms got 17 shots on goal in the third period alone, so it's obvious that they're thinking along the same lines on that topic. For another thing, we just used up one of the three games-in-hand we had on the Senators. Drat.
Our next game is on Wednesday in Bingo, so that will be a four-poit-swing game. GO PHANTOMS! We need that win!
CLICK HERE for the game recap from the Phantoms site.
CLICK HERE for the box score from the AHL site.
The Phantoms had a game in Albany on Sunday evening. I didn't get to tune in online until the final few minutes of the cybercast. Unfortunately, that basically means I got online just in time to see us lose 2-0.
This is disappointing for multiple reasons. We desperately needed those two points, for one thing. I see the Phantoms got 17 shots on goal in the third period alone, so it's obvious that they're thinking along the same lines on that topic. For another thing, we just used up one of the three games-in-hand we had on the Senators. Drat.
Our next game is on Wednesday in Bingo, so that will be a four-poit-swing game. GO PHANTOMS! We need that win!
CLICK HERE for the game recap from the Phantoms site.
CLICK HERE for the box score from the AHL site.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Phantoms vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3-11-09: Game Recap and Box Score
CLICK HERE for the recap of the game on the Phantoms site.
CLICK HERE for the box score from the AHL's site.
What a frustrating, frustrating game, and that's putting it mildly. We got behind the 8 ball early and never recovered from that. The game was a goal-fest for both teams, but it was also a Special Teams Parade. 10 infractions per side? 9 PPs each? 4 PP goals each? Take a look through the box score -- it appears to bear out my suspicion that the special teams were on the ice for nearly as much time as the teams spent at full strength. I wish the ref had let the teams PLAY THE GAME. We could have decided the outcome of the game for ourselves without nine powerplays and nine penalty kills per team.
But we need to stop falling behind early in games. And in particular, this game's kind of start needs to be a complete anomaly from here on out. The Phantoms recap says that we gave up three goals on our first three shots. But I remember seeing 3 shots on goal listed for the Pens well *before* their third goal went in. But it took forever for the fourth shot to be registered on the board (if it ever was). So unless one of those three shots was an error that was allowed to sit on the board until an actual shot on goal took place, we might have given up FOUR shots on goal and three goals-against. Which is, to be sure, no comfort to anyone who plays for or supports the team. Sigh.
But dwelling on the past won't change it. Time to move on to the next games, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday.
CLICK HERE for the box score from the AHL's site.
What a frustrating, frustrating game, and that's putting it mildly. We got behind the 8 ball early and never recovered from that. The game was a goal-fest for both teams, but it was also a Special Teams Parade. 10 infractions per side? 9 PPs each? 4 PP goals each? Take a look through the box score -- it appears to bear out my suspicion that the special teams were on the ice for nearly as much time as the teams spent at full strength. I wish the ref had let the teams PLAY THE GAME. We could have decided the outcome of the game for ourselves without nine powerplays and nine penalty kills per team.
But we need to stop falling behind early in games. And in particular, this game's kind of start needs to be a complete anomaly from here on out. The Phantoms recap says that we gave up three goals on our first three shots. But I remember seeing 3 shots on goal listed for the Pens well *before* their third goal went in. But it took forever for the fourth shot to be registered on the board (if it ever was). So unless one of those three shots was an error that was allowed to sit on the board until an actual shot on goal took place, we might have given up FOUR shots on goal and three goals-against. Which is, to be sure, no comfort to anyone who plays for or supports the team. Sigh.
But dwelling on the past won't change it. Time to move on to the next games, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday.
Phantoms vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3-11-09: Third Period
After Ross's line went of, we got a combo of Kalinski, Beaulieu, and Raduns. So I'm wondering if there is just a small bit of weaking going on out there. We'll have to see. Matsumoto's and Ross's lines were not changed, so I'm thinking about the third snd fourth line combos and wondering what's up there.
Come to think of it, Gratton limped into the tunnel at the end of the second period. I'm not sure what was hurting him, but his gait was not normal. I am currently looking for him on the bench, and I'm not seing him there. I don't know what's amiss, but whatever it is, he appears to have been given the rest of the game off.
One person who IS in the bench area is Neil Little. :) I'm glad they haven't sent him off to Parts Unknown right about now. I'd love to see him sit with both our goalies and make sure that they're where they need to be regarding confidence and fundamentals.
Here we go again with another PP, which is nice. Come to think of it, during the first four minutes of the period, we spent the vast majority of it in the Pens' zone and we were at even strength at the time. So that bodes well for us... Certainly it bodes better than our results at even strength earlier in tonight's game.
The first PP lne out was Matsumoto's.
CRIKEY, our annoucner Keith Jones just got naled with a puck in the mouth/ :( :( :( He's exiting via the Phantoms tunnel with our trainer in tow. Ouch and double ouch. Mike Thornton is in our tunnel, talking on a walke-talkie to I Know Not Whom. I don't see anyone with the headset on just now -- OH! SCOOOORE, so we need to have someone figure out who is going to announce the Phantoms PP goal. Here goes Shawn Hill into the announcers box to take over Keith's duties. Geesh. I can't help but remember a Flyers game where one of our goal judges got injured, where the report in the next day's papers said it's important to have depth in the off-ice officials. Well, the same apparently holds true here. And the goal was by SYVRET from ROSS and KANE. And geesh but I hope Keith's not too badly banged up.
We are still tilting the ice in the Pens' direction, even when we are at 5 on 5. I'm very pleased with that and SCOOOOOORE, Laliberte in the slot SLAMS one home! ALl-freaking-RIGHT! 6-4 and 3 minutes and change left in the period. COME ON, PHANTOMS! Assists from Maroooooon and Matsumoto.
Don't look now, but with 12:33 remaining in the period, The Penguins just got their first shot on goal in the frame. It took until a delayed penalty against us for them to get a puck on net.
PK time. Guenin blocked a shot. Syvret, Kane, nd Ross are also out there. Kane clears it halfway to New Jersey. We had a few more back-and-forth exchanges, including a nice Sh rush from Kalinski who evaded several attempts by Pens to steal the puck from him. However, we had one instance where Aubin was cheating a bit and when he made a leg save and was down on the ice, there was too much space between him and the far post. Our D and the Pens' O duelled for the puck, but the end result was a Wilkes-Barre goal. 7-4 Bad Guys.
Oh, what in the flying blazes is this now? I see Guenin and Matsumoto in the box with minors. At 10:36, it appears that this nitwit ref is about to put us on the PK for a full two-minute 5-on-3. Both get two minutes for slashing. It's about time for us to get the Chicken Dance song. HA HA HA HA, and just as I tuype it, the music guy plays it. LMHO... (For those who haven't seen this, at Phantoms games, the crowd chants, "Hey, Ref! You S*ck!" at the point of the song where the four claps take pace.)
NICE stop by Aubin. Kane, Syvret, and Kukkonen are out. Lasse follows up by blocking a shot. Good work. 50 seconds left on the PK, and we change forwards. Kalinski comes out. The D stay on the ice. I'm a little surprised by that.
15 seconds left in the PK... A rebound from a far-side shot comes out on the near side, and the waitng Pen has the entre net to aim at. 8-4 Pens. We have dug ourselves quite a hole in this game, and for the most part we have ony ourselves to blame, but we can thank the freaking ref for that goal-against. Blankety-blank-blank-blank.
This zebra just has no intention of letting play go at even strength for more than a few moments at a time. Raduns gets called for hooking immediately after the goal. More fargin' PK. Matsumoto, Laliberte, Guenin, and Bartulis are out. Ross, Kane, Kukkonen, and Syvret are next. Kukkonen starts rushing the puck shorthanded, resuting in an offensive-zone draw for us with 34 seconds of PK time left. Guenin comes out and Kukonen goes off. Kalinski and Beaulieu are also out. Syvret stays on. (What the heck is up with the D moves in this game tonight -- there are some non-changes that puzzle me.)
In any event, ow we are at even strengt, don't tell the ref or he'll call something on someone, and we are, again, hemming the Pens in. I wish we had done this earier in the game... We wouldn't be trailing quite this badly now.
Whoops, the ref saw 5 on 5 and decided the ice was too crowded, so he's giving the Phantoms a PP. Curry, Ratdhuk, Ross Kane SIrianni are out and we don;'t take long to cash in the PP goal. 11 seconds into the powerplay, Kane buries a shot, courtesy of Curry and Ross. 8-5 Penguins and there's just under 3 minutes remaining.
Raduns saved us from another goal-against, as the puck went off to the opposite side from the one Aubin was guarding. His quick stickwork prevented a Penguin's shot into a wide open goal. Still 8-5 Bad Guys. 1:30 remains in the period. SOG are Pens 36, Phantoms 22.
There goes the final horn. The Pens win 8-5. SOG at the end of the game: Penguins 37, Phantoms 23. Boyd Kane was the third star of the game.
Come to think of it, Gratton limped into the tunnel at the end of the second period. I'm not sure what was hurting him, but his gait was not normal. I am currently looking for him on the bench, and I'm not seing him there. I don't know what's amiss, but whatever it is, he appears to have been given the rest of the game off.
One person who IS in the bench area is Neil Little. :) I'm glad they haven't sent him off to Parts Unknown right about now. I'd love to see him sit with both our goalies and make sure that they're where they need to be regarding confidence and fundamentals.
Here we go again with another PP, which is nice. Come to think of it, during the first four minutes of the period, we spent the vast majority of it in the Pens' zone and we were at even strength at the time. So that bodes well for us... Certainly it bodes better than our results at even strength earlier in tonight's game.
The first PP lne out was Matsumoto's.
CRIKEY, our annoucner Keith Jones just got naled with a puck in the mouth/ :( :( :( He's exiting via the Phantoms tunnel with our trainer in tow. Ouch and double ouch. Mike Thornton is in our tunnel, talking on a walke-talkie to I Know Not Whom. I don't see anyone with the headset on just now -- OH! SCOOOORE, so we need to have someone figure out who is going to announce the Phantoms PP goal. Here goes Shawn Hill into the announcers box to take over Keith's duties. Geesh. I can't help but remember a Flyers game where one of our goal judges got injured, where the report in the next day's papers said it's important to have depth in the off-ice officials. Well, the same apparently holds true here. And the goal was by SYVRET from ROSS and KANE. And geesh but I hope Keith's not too badly banged up.
We are still tilting the ice in the Pens' direction, even when we are at 5 on 5. I'm very pleased with that and SCOOOOOORE, Laliberte in the slot SLAMS one home! ALl-freaking-RIGHT! 6-4 and 3 minutes and change left in the period. COME ON, PHANTOMS! Assists from Maroooooon and Matsumoto.
Don't look now, but with 12:33 remaining in the period, The Penguins just got their first shot on goal in the frame. It took until a delayed penalty against us for them to get a puck on net.
PK time. Guenin blocked a shot. Syvret, Kane, nd Ross are also out there. Kane clears it halfway to New Jersey. We had a few more back-and-forth exchanges, including a nice Sh rush from Kalinski who evaded several attempts by Pens to steal the puck from him. However, we had one instance where Aubin was cheating a bit and when he made a leg save and was down on the ice, there was too much space between him and the far post. Our D and the Pens' O duelled for the puck, but the end result was a Wilkes-Barre goal. 7-4 Bad Guys.
Oh, what in the flying blazes is this now? I see Guenin and Matsumoto in the box with minors. At 10:36, it appears that this nitwit ref is about to put us on the PK for a full two-minute 5-on-3. Both get two minutes for slashing. It's about time for us to get the Chicken Dance song. HA HA HA HA, and just as I tuype it, the music guy plays it. LMHO... (For those who haven't seen this, at Phantoms games, the crowd chants, "Hey, Ref! You S*ck!" at the point of the song where the four claps take pace.)
NICE stop by Aubin. Kane, Syvret, and Kukkonen are out. Lasse follows up by blocking a shot. Good work. 50 seconds left on the PK, and we change forwards. Kalinski comes out. The D stay on the ice. I'm a little surprised by that.
15 seconds left in the PK... A rebound from a far-side shot comes out on the near side, and the waitng Pen has the entre net to aim at. 8-4 Pens. We have dug ourselves quite a hole in this game, and for the most part we have ony ourselves to blame, but we can thank the freaking ref for that goal-against. Blankety-blank-blank-blank.
This zebra just has no intention of letting play go at even strength for more than a few moments at a time. Raduns gets called for hooking immediately after the goal. More fargin' PK. Matsumoto, Laliberte, Guenin, and Bartulis are out. Ross, Kane, Kukkonen, and Syvret are next. Kukkonen starts rushing the puck shorthanded, resuting in an offensive-zone draw for us with 34 seconds of PK time left. Guenin comes out and Kukonen goes off. Kalinski and Beaulieu are also out. Syvret stays on. (What the heck is up with the D moves in this game tonight -- there are some non-changes that puzzle me.)
In any event, ow we are at even strengt, don't tell the ref or he'll call something on someone, and we are, again, hemming the Pens in. I wish we had done this earier in the game... We wouldn't be trailing quite this badly now.
Whoops, the ref saw 5 on 5 and decided the ice was too crowded, so he's giving the Phantoms a PP. Curry, Ratdhuk, Ross Kane SIrianni are out and we don;'t take long to cash in the PP goal. 11 seconds into the powerplay, Kane buries a shot, courtesy of Curry and Ross. 8-5 Penguins and there's just under 3 minutes remaining.
Raduns saved us from another goal-against, as the puck went off to the opposite side from the one Aubin was guarding. His quick stickwork prevented a Penguin's shot into a wide open goal. Still 8-5 Bad Guys. 1:30 remains in the period. SOG are Pens 36, Phantoms 22.
There goes the final horn. The Pens win 8-5. SOG at the end of the game: Penguins 37, Phantoms 23. Boyd Kane was the third star of the game.
Phantoms vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3-11-09: Second Period
This is, and always will be, a family-friendly blog, but OOOO does that ever mean keeping myself from typing out some vocabuary that's best left unexpressed. We took an early penalty for my UNFAVORITE infraction, Delay of the Game, and gave up a PP goal on the first Pens shot. 5-1, Evil Flightless Waterfowl.
We are currently killing a penalty to Clackson for boarding, and so far that's going as we would like it to. Including the goal against, we have only given up three SOG in two shortanded situations, so that's good.
FINALLY, we get a shot on goal of our own with nearly five and a half minutes gone in the period. I do realize that about three of those minutes were spent shorthanded; however, we really need to start getting pucks on Curry-the-goalie ASAP.
Clackson and a Penguin were jawing with each other, but for whatever reason, it didn't come to anything.
The Penguins scored right off the faceoff, just after this, making it 6-1 Penguins. Geesh, this game is painful. I am, however, a firm believer in not exiting the building until the final horn unless the Fire Marshall is evacuating the building. So I am here for the duration. SOG: Penguins 20, Phantoms 10.
ANOTHER penalty, this time to Guenin for tripping. It would be nice if the zebras would remember for a moment or two that BOTH teams have taken liberties with the rules during the course of the game... It's awfully one-sided so far tonight.
Crud, Matsumoto's stick is broken. He's out there with Laliberte, Kukkonen, and Bartulis. Finally, a clear and we can get a line change. Kalinski, Raduns, Curry-the-Dman, and Syvret. Here we go on a shorthanded rush -- Raduns with Kalinski. Raduns takes the shot, but he's nearly level with the goal line by then and Curry-the-goalie is hugging the post for all he's worth. It does, at least, get us a faceoff in the Penguins' end. Now Kane nd Ross are on the attack, but we're no longer shorthanded. I'm wondering if the Pens are pulling into a bit of a defensive mode. Let's see how these next shifts go.
How they're going so far is that the Pens are the only ones handling the puck, other than Aubin. With 9:39 left in the period, we have only taken one shot in this frame. It's really sad-looking, and I know we are a better team than this.
The ref's arm was up, again, in our zone. When play stopped, and I couldn't see who it was that touched the puck so your guess is as good as mine who the penalty was originally on, Guenin gets into a shoving match behnd our net and there's a conference of all ten skaters at the boards. The end result was matching cross-checking penalties and 4 on 4 hockey.
Ross/Kane conme in on a 2-on-1. Ross passes toward Kane, but it was just a bit too far out of his rech. Had the puck gotten to Kane, he would have had a wide-open net to fire at because Curry-the-goalie was still in position to stop a shot from Ross on the far side.
We are about to embark on 1:07 of a 4 on 3 PP. Minard, who has two goals so far in this game, goes off for the Penguins. We finally get a PECOOOO POWER PLY. Maroon, Laliberte, Matsumoto, and Syvret are out. Finally: a shot. Unfortunately: a save. Fter the faceoff, the same players are out, and we keep getting in place at the crease's edge. But there is a lot of traffic in front, including two or three Pens at any given time, so the pucks are staying out. On the other hand, with 43 seconds remaining in the 5-on-4 PP, the Pens take another infraction and we go back to a two-man advantage. Syvret, Kukkonen, Ross, Kane, Sirianni. SCOOOORE, Kane! Finally all that traffic we have been ge4tting in front has paid off, plus we have 1:38 left of 5-on-4 PP. Assists to Syvret and Kukkonen. (I thought Syvret scored it, but Kanem ust have redirected. Did I mention we had plenty of bodies in front of the net?)
Matsumoto, Laliberte, Maroon, Syvret, Kukkonen are out for the remainder of the PP. Check that, lol, now it's Kalinski, Raduns, Gratton, Curry-the-Dman, and Ratchuk. We don't have a lot of PP time left. Or *do* we? Seems we are cycling the puck and the ref's arm is up. So I presume we have another couple of minutes of PP coming our way. Yep. There we go. Ross, Kane, Sirianni, Kukkonen, Syvret are out again for the PECOOOO POWER PLAY. Argh... Why did we all pinch so far in? No one was at the right pont, so when one of our guys passed back to there, it went out of the zone. With a minute left on the PP, we have Matsumoto's line with Curry-the-Dman and Ratchuk out. Matsumoto shot top shelf, but it went just a few inches high. Too bad -- it would have gone in if it'd been below the crossbar, as Curry-the-goalie wisely ducked when the puck sailed tward his head.
After that PP ends, we get ANOTHER one. Wowie. See what happens when you spend all your time in one zone? The defending team takes one infraction after another. For all these PPs, though, I'm not too happy that we only have five shots in this period. There is still 1:16 left in the period, though -- one less second than there is PK time for the Pens. (Unless, of course, we put in another goal, whioch would be nice. ;)) Aaah, of all the times to go offside... Faceoff otusize the zone. Curry, Ratchuk (whose NICE shot nearly made up for the offside gaffe), Raduns, Kalinski, Gratton. Freaking Curry-the-Goalie made a nice glove save, however.
And there goes the end of the period. The score is 6-2 Penguins, and the SOG are Penguins 25, Phantoms 15. We have one second of PP time left at the start of the third period.
We are currently killing a penalty to Clackson for boarding, and so far that's going as we would like it to. Including the goal against, we have only given up three SOG in two shortanded situations, so that's good.
FINALLY, we get a shot on goal of our own with nearly five and a half minutes gone in the period. I do realize that about three of those minutes were spent shorthanded; however, we really need to start getting pucks on Curry-the-goalie ASAP.
Clackson and a Penguin were jawing with each other, but for whatever reason, it didn't come to anything.
The Penguins scored right off the faceoff, just after this, making it 6-1 Penguins. Geesh, this game is painful. I am, however, a firm believer in not exiting the building until the final horn unless the Fire Marshall is evacuating the building. So I am here for the duration. SOG: Penguins 20, Phantoms 10.
ANOTHER penalty, this time to Guenin for tripping. It would be nice if the zebras would remember for a moment or two that BOTH teams have taken liberties with the rules during the course of the game... It's awfully one-sided so far tonight.
Crud, Matsumoto's stick is broken. He's out there with Laliberte, Kukkonen, and Bartulis. Finally, a clear and we can get a line change. Kalinski, Raduns, Curry-the-Dman, and Syvret. Here we go on a shorthanded rush -- Raduns with Kalinski. Raduns takes the shot, but he's nearly level with the goal line by then and Curry-the-goalie is hugging the post for all he's worth. It does, at least, get us a faceoff in the Penguins' end. Now Kane nd Ross are on the attack, but we're no longer shorthanded. I'm wondering if the Pens are pulling into a bit of a defensive mode. Let's see how these next shifts go.
How they're going so far is that the Pens are the only ones handling the puck, other than Aubin. With 9:39 left in the period, we have only taken one shot in this frame. It's really sad-looking, and I know we are a better team than this.
The ref's arm was up, again, in our zone. When play stopped, and I couldn't see who it was that touched the puck so your guess is as good as mine who the penalty was originally on, Guenin gets into a shoving match behnd our net and there's a conference of all ten skaters at the boards. The end result was matching cross-checking penalties and 4 on 4 hockey.
Ross/Kane conme in on a 2-on-1. Ross passes toward Kane, but it was just a bit too far out of his rech. Had the puck gotten to Kane, he would have had a wide-open net to fire at because Curry-the-goalie was still in position to stop a shot from Ross on the far side.
We are about to embark on 1:07 of a 4 on 3 PP. Minard, who has two goals so far in this game, goes off for the Penguins. We finally get a PECOOOO POWER PLY. Maroon, Laliberte, Matsumoto, and Syvret are out. Finally: a shot. Unfortunately: a save. Fter the faceoff, the same players are out, and we keep getting in place at the crease's edge. But there is a lot of traffic in front, including two or three Pens at any given time, so the pucks are staying out. On the other hand, with 43 seconds remaining in the 5-on-4 PP, the Pens take another infraction and we go back to a two-man advantage. Syvret, Kukkonen, Ross, Kane, Sirianni. SCOOOORE, Kane! Finally all that traffic we have been ge4tting in front has paid off, plus we have 1:38 left of 5-on-4 PP. Assists to Syvret and Kukkonen. (I thought Syvret scored it, but Kanem ust have redirected. Did I mention we had plenty of bodies in front of the net?)
Matsumoto, Laliberte, Maroon, Syvret, Kukkonen are out for the remainder of the PP. Check that, lol, now it's Kalinski, Raduns, Gratton, Curry-the-Dman, and Ratchuk. We don't have a lot of PP time left. Or *do* we? Seems we are cycling the puck and the ref's arm is up. So I presume we have another couple of minutes of PP coming our way. Yep. There we go. Ross, Kane, Sirianni, Kukkonen, Syvret are out again for the PECOOOO POWER PLAY. Argh... Why did we all pinch so far in? No one was at the right pont, so when one of our guys passed back to there, it went out of the zone. With a minute left on the PP, we have Matsumoto's line with Curry-the-Dman and Ratchuk out. Matsumoto shot top shelf, but it went just a few inches high. Too bad -- it would have gone in if it'd been below the crossbar, as Curry-the-goalie wisely ducked when the puck sailed tward his head.
After that PP ends, we get ANOTHER one. Wowie. See what happens when you spend all your time in one zone? The defending team takes one infraction after another. For all these PPs, though, I'm not too happy that we only have five shots in this period. There is still 1:16 left in the period, though -- one less second than there is PK time for the Pens. (Unless, of course, we put in another goal, whioch would be nice. ;)) Aaah, of all the times to go offside... Faceoff otusize the zone. Curry, Ratchuk (whose NICE shot nearly made up for the offside gaffe), Raduns, Kalinski, Gratton. Freaking Curry-the-Goalie made a nice glove save, however.
And there goes the end of the period. The score is 6-2 Penguins, and the SOG are Penguins 25, Phantoms 15. We have one second of PP time left at the start of the third period.
Phantoms vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3-11-09: First Period
Scratches: DeSantis, Klotz, Bellamy
Starting Linepup: Munroe, Guenin, Syvret, Ross, Sirianni, Kane.
Miroslav Satan was sent down to Wilkes-Barre and is scratched for tonight. I wonder if he has reported or not? In any event, that's one less threat to the Phantoms in this game.
Say what you will about Petr Nedved's stint in Philly -- when he got sent down for cap space, as Pittsburgh did to Satan, Nedved showed up and played his way back to a big-league contract elsewhere.
Including tonight, we have 10 more games remaining in the Spectrum.
35 seconds into the game, we are on the PECOOOO POWER PLAY. Syvret/Kukkonen are the D, along with Matsumoto, Maroon, and Laliberte. We make Curry-the-goalie freeze the puck, and upon winning the faceoff we started a scramble in front of the net. Laliberte cashed in a rebound, assisted by Maroon and Matsumoto. :) So we have gotten our game off to a great start!
Or maybe not. We give up a goal on the first shift following the PP goal. :( 1-1. Drat and double drat.
Next D pair: Bartulis/Kukkonen. Next lne combo: Matsumoto/Laliberte/Maroon.
We promptly dodged one bullet, a puck that went across the goal line behind Munroe, only to be shot by the bullet that folowed when Bissonette cashed the puck in after it came out on Munroe's other side. 2-1 Evil Flightless Waterfowl.
Next line combo: Szwez, Clackson, Beaulieu. Then Raduns, Gratton, Kalinski. Next D pair, Curry-the-Dman, Ratchuk.
OK, as much as I love Muny, he needs to sit tonight. He just gave up another goal. The Pens ony have four shots on goal, and they have three goals. Here comes Aubin. We are 5:39 into the game and we're already down 3-1. Goodness only knows what the matter is, but here's to seeing him straighten it out and come back solid in his next outing.
So ANYway... Other than the fact that we keep having to face off at center ice, there has been a lot of back-and-forth action in this game. It doesn't really float my boat to see us get into a skating game, since the team really isn't constructed for river hockey (Ross's line on the ice notwithstanding -- Ross won the Fastest Skater competition in the AHL All-Star Skills Competition). But I suppose it beats being hemmed into our own zone for minutes on end.
With 11:17 left, Gratton goes off for slashing, and we are on the PK. Kane/Ross and Guenin/Syvret are out. James from the Pens decided to try a cutesy behind-the-back pass in the slot, but the Phantoms took it and cleared it. I don't appreciate the disrespect of acting like he can just do anything he likes in our zone, regardless of what it says on the scoreboard. Maybe the next time he gets the puck, Guenin or Clackson can give him a nice open-ice check.
Next up on the PK: Kukkonen/Syvret, Matsumoto/Laliberte. We have a Penguin heading to the box with 21 seconds remaining on our PK. So not only do we get 4 on 4 play, we get an offensive zone draw to help shave some time off our penalty. Unfortunaely, we don't win the faceoff so play heads back to our zone. However, as soon as Gratton exits the box, another Penguin gets called for tripping, so we have 5 on 3 for 1:33.
Matsumoto, Laliberte, and Maroon are out with Syvret and... Ross. Four forwards. Paddock is dead set on closing that two goal gap. I havent' seen Ross on the point for a long time, though he was there with regularith last season for PPs. Shucks, Curry-the-goalie made two great stops in a row. We are about to go to 5 on 4 now. Ratchuk/Curry-the-Dman are now out with Kalinski, Kane, and Sirianni. There goes the other penalty, we are at even strength.
With 5:50 left in the period, SOG are even at 9 each.
Kane goes for slashing with 4:38 left. Kalinski, Raduns, Kukkonen, and Bartulis are out. Nice clear. But here come the Pens back again, of course. We dodge a bullet again as another shot creeps across the crease behind Aubin; however, THIS time Raduns slams his stick down to prevent the Penguin at the post from firing the puck home.
Unfortunately, a little later on the same PP, we don't fare as well. The Evil Flightless Waterfowl score again to make the score 4-1. That's Minard's 30th goal of the year... Pittsburgh needs to call this guy up and keep him up. Yeah, that's the ticket. Keep him with Pittsburgh. ;)
At the end of the first period, the score is Penguins 4, Phantoms 1, and the SOG are Penguins 14, Phantoms 9.
Come out angry in the second period, guys. We need you to follow Fred Shero's credo: take the shortest route to the puck, and arrive in ill humor.
Starting Linepup: Munroe, Guenin, Syvret, Ross, Sirianni, Kane.
Miroslav Satan was sent down to Wilkes-Barre and is scratched for tonight. I wonder if he has reported or not? In any event, that's one less threat to the Phantoms in this game.
Say what you will about Petr Nedved's stint in Philly -- when he got sent down for cap space, as Pittsburgh did to Satan, Nedved showed up and played his way back to a big-league contract elsewhere.
Including tonight, we have 10 more games remaining in the Spectrum.
35 seconds into the game, we are on the PECOOOO POWER PLAY. Syvret/Kukkonen are the D, along with Matsumoto, Maroon, and Laliberte. We make Curry-the-goalie freeze the puck, and upon winning the faceoff we started a scramble in front of the net. Laliberte cashed in a rebound, assisted by Maroon and Matsumoto. :) So we have gotten our game off to a great start!
Or maybe not. We give up a goal on the first shift following the PP goal. :( 1-1. Drat and double drat.
Next D pair: Bartulis/Kukkonen. Next lne combo: Matsumoto/Laliberte/Maroon.
We promptly dodged one bullet, a puck that went across the goal line behind Munroe, only to be shot by the bullet that folowed when Bissonette cashed the puck in after it came out on Munroe's other side. 2-1 Evil Flightless Waterfowl.
Next line combo: Szwez, Clackson, Beaulieu. Then Raduns, Gratton, Kalinski. Next D pair, Curry-the-Dman, Ratchuk.
OK, as much as I love Muny, he needs to sit tonight. He just gave up another goal. The Pens ony have four shots on goal, and they have three goals. Here comes Aubin. We are 5:39 into the game and we're already down 3-1. Goodness only knows what the matter is, but here's to seeing him straighten it out and come back solid in his next outing.
So ANYway... Other than the fact that we keep having to face off at center ice, there has been a lot of back-and-forth action in this game. It doesn't really float my boat to see us get into a skating game, since the team really isn't constructed for river hockey (Ross's line on the ice notwithstanding -- Ross won the Fastest Skater competition in the AHL All-Star Skills Competition). But I suppose it beats being hemmed into our own zone for minutes on end.
With 11:17 left, Gratton goes off for slashing, and we are on the PK. Kane/Ross and Guenin/Syvret are out. James from the Pens decided to try a cutesy behind-the-back pass in the slot, but the Phantoms took it and cleared it. I don't appreciate the disrespect of acting like he can just do anything he likes in our zone, regardless of what it says on the scoreboard. Maybe the next time he gets the puck, Guenin or Clackson can give him a nice open-ice check.
Next up on the PK: Kukkonen/Syvret, Matsumoto/Laliberte. We have a Penguin heading to the box with 21 seconds remaining on our PK. So not only do we get 4 on 4 play, we get an offensive zone draw to help shave some time off our penalty. Unfortunaely, we don't win the faceoff so play heads back to our zone. However, as soon as Gratton exits the box, another Penguin gets called for tripping, so we have 5 on 3 for 1:33.
Matsumoto, Laliberte, and Maroon are out with Syvret and... Ross. Four forwards. Paddock is dead set on closing that two goal gap. I havent' seen Ross on the point for a long time, though he was there with regularith last season for PPs. Shucks, Curry-the-goalie made two great stops in a row. We are about to go to 5 on 4 now. Ratchuk/Curry-the-Dman are now out with Kalinski, Kane, and Sirianni. There goes the other penalty, we are at even strength.
With 5:50 left in the period, SOG are even at 9 each.
Kane goes for slashing with 4:38 left. Kalinski, Raduns, Kukkonen, and Bartulis are out. Nice clear. But here come the Pens back again, of course. We dodge a bullet again as another shot creeps across the crease behind Aubin; however, THIS time Raduns slams his stick down to prevent the Penguin at the post from firing the puck home.
Unfortunately, a little later on the same PP, we don't fare as well. The Evil Flightless Waterfowl score again to make the score 4-1. That's Minard's 30th goal of the year... Pittsburgh needs to call this guy up and keep him up. Yeah, that's the ticket. Keep him with Pittsburgh. ;)
At the end of the first period, the score is Penguins 4, Phantoms 1, and the SOG are Penguins 14, Phantoms 9.
Come out angry in the second period, guys. We need you to follow Fred Shero's credo: take the shortest route to the puck, and arrive in ill humor.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Phantoms at Bridgeport Sound Tigers 3-7-09: Recap and Box Score
I wasn't able to watch this game or listen to it. However, I was told on the following day that one of our goals-against was an own-goal or close to it. Argh. :( Do I need to say that we need to avoid mishaps like that if we want to see postseason play? Particularly against a divisional rival?
Gaaah. Frustrating weekend.
CLICK HERE for the game recap from the Phantoms site.
CLICK HERE for the box score from the AHL's site.
Gaaah. Frustrating weekend.
CLICK HERE for the game recap from the Phantoms site.
CLICK HERE for the box score from the AHL's site.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Phantoms at Worcester Sharks 3-6-09: Recap and Box Score
CLICK HERE for the game recap from the Phantoms site.
CLICK HERE for the box score from the AHL's site.
This was a frustrating game to tune into partway through. By the time I logged on to watch the game, the Phantoms' offensive output for the night was complete and the score was 1-1. This game marked the first time that the Worcester Sharks defeated the Phantoms.
CLICK HERE for the box score from the AHL's site.
This was a frustrating game to tune into partway through. By the time I logged on to watch the game, the Phantoms' offensive output for the night was complete and the score was 1-1. This game marked the first time that the Worcester Sharks defeated the Phantoms.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Phantoms vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2-27-09: Third Period
Three minutes into the period, Mannino has had a couple of pucks to stop, while Munroe has been ide. THIS is how we need to conduct business in this period. (Even better would be getting pucks on net that Mannino *doesn't* stop ;), but we have to get some freaking offense going. Period.)
Three minutes later, there has been a lot of action in the neutral zone, but nothing much else. This favors Bridgeport, obviously, as they only need to keep us away from their end in order to win. They don't necessarily have to press for more goals. I actually do hope they go into a defensive shell, because I think that even without Ross in the lineup, we have enough scoring on our roster to make a team regret trying the "prevent defense" tactic. SOG Sound Tigers 21, Phantoms 12 with 12:38 left.
MUNY with the point-bank save, as Smith one-times a puck at the crease's edge!
Oooops, LOL. For the first time ever, an in-game host accidentally picked a fan of the visiting team to play a contest. He won the "finish the song" game, and then followed up with "Let's go, Sound Tigers". Good thing it's a substitute host, as our normal guy is over at the Flyers game. (He's a Flyers STH.) I don't think the team would wnt to have to find a new host for our team this ate in the season. ;)
We hit ANOTHER flipping POST! Blast these freaking magnetized pucks! The score remains 3-1, Bad Guys. :headdesk: :headdesk: If the darn post shots had gone in, this game would be tied. Oh, well.
Here comes the "It's a Friday in Lent, so some of us can't participate" hot dog toss. Though really, I've seen these hot dogs... The question is, do they have enough meat in them to actualy qualify as something that should be avoided on a Lenten Friday? ;)
Aaah, Nodl would have had a great scoring chance if the darn puck hadn't rolled on him. Darn thing had a bit too much momentum on its way to his stick blade, and it hit the toe of the blade and kept going. He still managed to give us a boost, however, by BURYING a guy in the corner a little later on the same shift.
CRUD! Crud and double crud. We let someone get the puck RIGHT in front of Munroe. Nobody was anywhere the heck near the guy, and he deked and buried the puck in the net. To add insult to injury, someone in the scorer's booth had a brain cramp and sounded the goal horn, for a goal AGAINST. Geesh. First we get a "Let's Go, Sound Tigers" on the PA and now the darn goal horn celebrates the wrong team's goal. Um, HELLO? Freakin' Friday the 13th was two weeks ago, so we should be well out of Mishap Mode. AAAAnyway... 4-1, Sound Tigers.
Guenin blocked a shot. I knew I'd get to type that before the game was out. ;) Unfortunately, it's the last minute of play, so we haven't got a lot of time left to make up this deficit.There goes the final horn. Sound Tigers 28, Phantoms 16. Matt Clackson was the third star of the game.
Three minutes later, there has been a lot of action in the neutral zone, but nothing much else. This favors Bridgeport, obviously, as they only need to keep us away from their end in order to win. They don't necessarily have to press for more goals. I actually do hope they go into a defensive shell, because I think that even without Ross in the lineup, we have enough scoring on our roster to make a team regret trying the "prevent defense" tactic. SOG Sound Tigers 21, Phantoms 12 with 12:38 left.
MUNY with the point-bank save, as Smith one-times a puck at the crease's edge!
Oooops, LOL. For the first time ever, an in-game host accidentally picked a fan of the visiting team to play a contest. He won the "finish the song" game, and then followed up with "Let's go, Sound Tigers". Good thing it's a substitute host, as our normal guy is over at the Flyers game. (He's a Flyers STH.) I don't think the team would wnt to have to find a new host for our team this ate in the season. ;)
We hit ANOTHER flipping POST! Blast these freaking magnetized pucks! The score remains 3-1, Bad Guys. :headdesk: :headdesk: If the darn post shots had gone in, this game would be tied. Oh, well.
Here comes the "It's a Friday in Lent, so some of us can't participate" hot dog toss. Though really, I've seen these hot dogs... The question is, do they have enough meat in them to actualy qualify as something that should be avoided on a Lenten Friday? ;)
Aaah, Nodl would have had a great scoring chance if the darn puck hadn't rolled on him. Darn thing had a bit too much momentum on its way to his stick blade, and it hit the toe of the blade and kept going. He still managed to give us a boost, however, by BURYING a guy in the corner a little later on the same shift.
CRUD! Crud and double crud. We let someone get the puck RIGHT in front of Munroe. Nobody was anywhere the heck near the guy, and he deked and buried the puck in the net. To add insult to injury, someone in the scorer's booth had a brain cramp and sounded the goal horn, for a goal AGAINST. Geesh. First we get a "Let's Go, Sound Tigers" on the PA and now the darn goal horn celebrates the wrong team's goal. Um, HELLO? Freakin' Friday the 13th was two weeks ago, so we should be well out of Mishap Mode. AAAAnyway... 4-1, Sound Tigers.
Guenin blocked a shot. I knew I'd get to type that before the game was out. ;) Unfortunately, it's the last minute of play, so we haven't got a lot of time left to make up this deficit.There goes the final horn. Sound Tigers 28, Phantoms 16. Matt Clackson was the third star of the game.
Phantoms vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2-27-09: Second Period
The second period got off to an odd start. One of the Sound Tigers, who I believe wears #37, took a strange fall as his team crossed our blueline. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary, as it happened so fast, but it sounded odd when he landed. THAT made me take a closer look. Sure enough, he was having trouble getting up, and the ref blew the whistle. His trainer and a teammate helped him off the ice, favoring one leg.
Raduns, Bellamy, and Szwez (a partial line change, as Bellamy is on a different line) gave us our best chance so far, with five minutes gone in the period. Their shot on goal wound up in the slot, where only a diving play by the goalie kept it from gong in.
Two shifts later unfortunately, Bridgeport succeeded in burying another puck on us. 2-0 Bad Guys. SOG Sound Tigers 11, Phantoms 5.
We have been having a real challenge during this period sustaining any offense. We get a little something going in the Sound Tigers end, but we only have two shots to show for it in this frame. Bridgeport keeps on taking the puck and rushing it down to OUR end.
Maybe now we'll have a chance to get something started, as we are on the PP. YES! Laliberte scores from the left faceoff circle! Assists to Matsumoto and Curry, and the Phantoms are on the board! 2-1! SOG Sound Tigers 13, Phantoms 7.
Nuts... The dratted Sound Tigers get it back almost right away. 3-1. SOG Sound Tigers 15, Phantoms 7. We have got to find ways to keep them out of our zone -- we are spending too much time in front of Munroe, and nowehere near enough time in front of Mannino. Nice hit Kane... Speaking of being in front of Mannino, that's where we were when Kane buried a guy behind the Sound Tigers net.
FIGHT. Clackson vs. Rechlicz (sp). It was a LONG bout, whose momentum seemed to swing back and forth repeatedly (a few punches from one, a few from the other, repeat several times over). I'd score it a draw, as there was no clearcut edge to either player for any length of time, but I will note that Rechlicz got the takedown.
NOW we're doing some good stuff and getting in front of Mannino. Maroon's shot missed the net, unfortunately. Kalinski and someone are now having it out in the corner to Mannino's left. I can't see who the other guy is... Ah. Gleed. The flipping popcorn guy keeps walking between me an the action so it's hard to describe the proceedings. Hah... Looks like there were no penalties called on that shoving match. (THAT'S interesting... I'm used to refs who call infractions when guys gare at one another too much.) Fine by me if the officials Let Them Play; I wish it would happen a bit more often.
There has been a lot of back-and-forth in this period. I'm not overly happy when we start playing river hockey, because that's not a style of game that this team is built to thrive in. The other difference is, when the Sound Tigers get in front of Munroe, they have tended to get the puck on net. When we have been on the attack, we have ony gotten three shots in the whole period so far (we have six and a half inutes left in the frame). One of those went in, but STILL. Not good.
Here's an interesting call. Two guys, one from each team, were assessed two mintues for "delay of the game". Hmm. That's the first time I have ever seen coincidental minors for THAT. So we are at 4 on 4 for the time being. Our guy in the Sin Bin is Szwez.
To make a long story less long, the 4 on 4 ended without goals for either team. Now we have 3:35 left n the period. SOG Sound Tigers 19, Phantoms 8.
Nice save, Munroe, on a point blank attempt from the slot. Boy, it's like the ice is tilted the wrong way tonight, the way play keeps migrating to our zone. We have a mintue and a half left in the period, so I hope the coaches offer some feedback during the second intermission that will help us actually sustain some offensive pressure.
AAAH, we just clanged one off the dagnab pipe! Sheesh, we get the darn biscuit on net and the ang thing has a magnet in it.
Ah, now we're up to something. Szwez shoves Gleed to the ice (no call) and Gleed gets up and slashes him (also no call). We respond with two more fantastic shots on goal. Unfortunately, time is not our friend and the period ends while we are on the attack. SOG at the end of the frame: Sound Tigers 21, Phantoms 10. The score is 3-1, Bridgeport.
Raduns, Bellamy, and Szwez (a partial line change, as Bellamy is on a different line) gave us our best chance so far, with five minutes gone in the period. Their shot on goal wound up in the slot, where only a diving play by the goalie kept it from gong in.
Two shifts later unfortunately, Bridgeport succeeded in burying another puck on us. 2-0 Bad Guys. SOG Sound Tigers 11, Phantoms 5.
We have been having a real challenge during this period sustaining any offense. We get a little something going in the Sound Tigers end, but we only have two shots to show for it in this frame. Bridgeport keeps on taking the puck and rushing it down to OUR end.
Maybe now we'll have a chance to get something started, as we are on the PP. YES! Laliberte scores from the left faceoff circle! Assists to Matsumoto and Curry, and the Phantoms are on the board! 2-1! SOG Sound Tigers 13, Phantoms 7.
Nuts... The dratted Sound Tigers get it back almost right away. 3-1. SOG Sound Tigers 15, Phantoms 7. We have got to find ways to keep them out of our zone -- we are spending too much time in front of Munroe, and nowehere near enough time in front of Mannino. Nice hit Kane... Speaking of being in front of Mannino, that's where we were when Kane buried a guy behind the Sound Tigers net.
FIGHT. Clackson vs. Rechlicz (sp). It was a LONG bout, whose momentum seemed to swing back and forth repeatedly (a few punches from one, a few from the other, repeat several times over). I'd score it a draw, as there was no clearcut edge to either player for any length of time, but I will note that Rechlicz got the takedown.
NOW we're doing some good stuff and getting in front of Mannino. Maroon's shot missed the net, unfortunately. Kalinski and someone are now having it out in the corner to Mannino's left. I can't see who the other guy is... Ah. Gleed. The flipping popcorn guy keeps walking between me an the action so it's hard to describe the proceedings. Hah... Looks like there were no penalties called on that shoving match. (THAT'S interesting... I'm used to refs who call infractions when guys gare at one another too much.) Fine by me if the officials Let Them Play; I wish it would happen a bit more often.
There has been a lot of back-and-forth in this period. I'm not overly happy when we start playing river hockey, because that's not a style of game that this team is built to thrive in. The other difference is, when the Sound Tigers get in front of Munroe, they have tended to get the puck on net. When we have been on the attack, we have ony gotten three shots in the whole period so far (we have six and a half inutes left in the frame). One of those went in, but STILL. Not good.
Here's an interesting call. Two guys, one from each team, were assessed two mintues for "delay of the game". Hmm. That's the first time I have ever seen coincidental minors for THAT. So we are at 4 on 4 for the time being. Our guy in the Sin Bin is Szwez.
To make a long story less long, the 4 on 4 ended without goals for either team. Now we have 3:35 left n the period. SOG Sound Tigers 19, Phantoms 8.
Nice save, Munroe, on a point blank attempt from the slot. Boy, it's like the ice is tilted the wrong way tonight, the way play keeps migrating to our zone. We have a mintue and a half left in the period, so I hope the coaches offer some feedback during the second intermission that will help us actually sustain some offensive pressure.
AAAH, we just clanged one off the dagnab pipe! Sheesh, we get the darn biscuit on net and the ang thing has a magnet in it.
Ah, now we're up to something. Szwez shoves Gleed to the ice (no call) and Gleed gets up and slashes him (also no call). We respond with two more fantastic shots on goal. Unfortunately, time is not our friend and the period ends while we are on the attack. SOG at the end of the frame: Sound Tigers 21, Phantoms 10. The score is 3-1, Bridgeport.
Phantoms vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2-27-09: First Period
Scratches: Klotz, Gratton, Ross
Starting Lineup: Munroe, Guenin, Syvret, Matsumoto, Laliberte, Maroon
Boy, we started the game on a hair-raising note. We got hung up in our own slot and the Tigers gort a couple of good opportunities before we finally cleared the darn puck. I'm surprised to see only one shoton goal credited to Bridgeport, as they had at least three slarming-lookng attempts before we got the puck out of harm's way.
Kalinski is centering a line with Nodl and Kane. Bartulis and DeSantis are our second D pair. Our third line is Radunsm Clackson, and Szwez. Curry nd Ratchuk are our last D pair. Ratchuk nearly got a clean SOG from the slot, but the puck looks like it might have rolled on him or something because the shot kind of drifted off to the left.
Bellamy, Sirianni, and Beaulieu are our fourth line.
Four minutes into the period, that one shot on goal by the Sound tTgers remains the only time that a puck was credited with reaching the net.
Paddock seems to be just rolling the lines in order early on.
NICE keep-in, Oskars! Ditto for a nice move by Curry to bat a puck away from our net, a shift later. I ike to see our D doing good things. Maybe having a dose of Kukkonen helped everyone turn it up a notch... if not from having the chance to play alongside someone with a lot of experience, then because of the knowledge that they will have to make the top six D or sit out. Oh, NICE hit by Beaulieu in the Bridgeport end. He buried someone down at the half-boards.
Crud. With 12:11 left and the SOG 1-1, Bridgeport scores on their second shot on goal. And of course I have a group of eight Sound Tigers fans behind me when it happens, arrrgh. But said group was kind of in the wrong row, so during the ensuing stoppage of play they shifted over to their actual group of seats. 1-0, Bridgeport.
Ah, a Flyers update. They're playing across the street right now, and we ony get updates when things are going well for the Orange and Black. Lupul scored to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead over Montreal.
The Phantoms get the first PP of the game, for the first time in a while. Matsumoto's line is out with Curry and Syvret. The SOG at the time of the infraction was 2-2. Maroon is stationed at the crease's edge, but his attempt to cash in a rebound didn't quite work.
Next up is Kalinski's line, with Ratchuk and DeSantis (four of our five skaters are rookies). After them, Matsumoto's line and Curry/Cyvret came back out. We're trying, but we aren't creating a lot of opportunites this time around. At the endof the PP, SOG were 3-3.
Matsumto and Maroon get a 2-on1. Matsumoto's shot goes of the glass. Drat. Next shift, Beaulieu and Sirianni get the two-on-1 and crash the net. But we didn't get the puck ON net. In fact, with under four minutes remaining in the period, the SOG are still 3-3, the same as they were when our PP ended. That's a good five minutes since anyone gave one of the goaltenders something to do.
Curry gets hold of the puck at the top of the slot, and his attempted shot on goal is causing a scramble down in front of the Sound Tigers crease. Fans down at that end of the ice gave a big AWWWW, so one fo the several attempts must have JUST missed its mark.
With 2:39 left in the period, SOG are 4-4 now. So there's been a wee bit of activity in the offense department. We also have a PK right now, with Clackson sitting. Matsumoto, Laliberte, Guenin, and Syvret are out for us. Halfway through the infraction, we successfully clear the puck and change lines: Raduns, Kane, Bartulis, and Curry. Next up, Nodl, Kalinski, Guenin, Syvret.
The penalty is over, and SOG are Sound Tigers 7, Phantoms 4. There's less than one minute remaining in the period.
At the end of the period, SOG are Sound TIgers 8, Phantoms 4. Ths core is 1-0, Bridgeport.
Starting Lineup: Munroe, Guenin, Syvret, Matsumoto, Laliberte, Maroon
Boy, we started the game on a hair-raising note. We got hung up in our own slot and the Tigers gort a couple of good opportunities before we finally cleared the darn puck. I'm surprised to see only one shoton goal credited to Bridgeport, as they had at least three slarming-lookng attempts before we got the puck out of harm's way.
Kalinski is centering a line with Nodl and Kane. Bartulis and DeSantis are our second D pair. Our third line is Radunsm Clackson, and Szwez. Curry nd Ratchuk are our last D pair. Ratchuk nearly got a clean SOG from the slot, but the puck looks like it might have rolled on him or something because the shot kind of drifted off to the left.
Bellamy, Sirianni, and Beaulieu are our fourth line.
Four minutes into the period, that one shot on goal by the Sound tTgers remains the only time that a puck was credited with reaching the net.
Paddock seems to be just rolling the lines in order early on.
NICE keep-in, Oskars! Ditto for a nice move by Curry to bat a puck away from our net, a shift later. I ike to see our D doing good things. Maybe having a dose of Kukkonen helped everyone turn it up a notch... if not from having the chance to play alongside someone with a lot of experience, then because of the knowledge that they will have to make the top six D or sit out. Oh, NICE hit by Beaulieu in the Bridgeport end. He buried someone down at the half-boards.
Crud. With 12:11 left and the SOG 1-1, Bridgeport scores on their second shot on goal. And of course I have a group of eight Sound Tigers fans behind me when it happens, arrrgh. But said group was kind of in the wrong row, so during the ensuing stoppage of play they shifted over to their actual group of seats. 1-0, Bridgeport.
Ah, a Flyers update. They're playing across the street right now, and we ony get updates when things are going well for the Orange and Black. Lupul scored to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead over Montreal.
The Phantoms get the first PP of the game, for the first time in a while. Matsumoto's line is out with Curry and Syvret. The SOG at the time of the infraction was 2-2. Maroon is stationed at the crease's edge, but his attempt to cash in a rebound didn't quite work.
Next up is Kalinski's line, with Ratchuk and DeSantis (four of our five skaters are rookies). After them, Matsumoto's line and Curry/Cyvret came back out. We're trying, but we aren't creating a lot of opportunites this time around. At the endof the PP, SOG were 3-3.
Matsumto and Maroon get a 2-on1. Matsumoto's shot goes of the glass. Drat. Next shift, Beaulieu and Sirianni get the two-on-1 and crash the net. But we didn't get the puck ON net. In fact, with under four minutes remaining in the period, the SOG are still 3-3, the same as they were when our PP ended. That's a good five minutes since anyone gave one of the goaltenders something to do.
Curry gets hold of the puck at the top of the slot, and his attempted shot on goal is causing a scramble down in front of the Sound Tigers crease. Fans down at that end of the ice gave a big AWWWW, so one fo the several attempts must have JUST missed its mark.
With 2:39 left in the period, SOG are 4-4 now. So there's been a wee bit of activity in the offense department. We also have a PK right now, with Clackson sitting. Matsumoto, Laliberte, Guenin, and Syvret are out for us. Halfway through the infraction, we successfully clear the puck and change lines: Raduns, Kane, Bartulis, and Curry. Next up, Nodl, Kalinski, Guenin, Syvret.
The penalty is over, and SOG are Sound Tigers 7, Phantoms 4. There's less than one minute remaining in the period.
At the end of the period, SOG are Sound TIgers 8, Phantoms 4. Ths core is 1-0, Bridgeport.
Phantoms vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2-27-09: Pregame Comments
The good news: Josh Gratton and Jonathon Kalinski are healthy enough to resume playing, and both of them have been assigned to the Phantoms.
The bad news: Glen Metropolit and Ossi Vaananen, who were being waived for the purpose of being sent to the Phantoms, were claimed this morning by Montreal and Vancouver, respectively. So that's a pair of boosts to our roster that were cancelled out before they even happened. Phooey.
Jared Ross is called up to the Flyers, as Daniel Briere is not quite game-ready. (Either that, or our salary cap situation is not quite league-ready. Take your pick.) Lasse Kukkonen has also returned to the Flyers, as his original assignment to us was a 14-day conditioning stint. The Flyers might waive him again in order to assign him to the Phantoms for real, but that isn't going to happen until Timonen returns to the lineup; he's currently battling the flu.
So that's the state of our callups and send-downs as I know it. We need a scorecard to keep track of the scorecard, the way things have been going lately.
I can see that Munroe will be our starter, as he just led the team out of the tunnel for the pregame warmup. The team is wearing special Spectrum-themed third jerseys, which wil be auctioned off in April.
I didn't see Gratton warm up with the team before the game. Jonathon Kalinski, however, was on the ice during the warmup. So was Jason DeSantis, who's been the odd man out on the blueline during the games when Kukkonen was in our lineup.
The bad news: Glen Metropolit and Ossi Vaananen, who were being waived for the purpose of being sent to the Phantoms, were claimed this morning by Montreal and Vancouver, respectively. So that's a pair of boosts to our roster that were cancelled out before they even happened. Phooey.
Jared Ross is called up to the Flyers, as Daniel Briere is not quite game-ready. (Either that, or our salary cap situation is not quite league-ready. Take your pick.) Lasse Kukkonen has also returned to the Flyers, as his original assignment to us was a 14-day conditioning stint. The Flyers might waive him again in order to assign him to the Phantoms for real, but that isn't going to happen until Timonen returns to the lineup; he's currently battling the flu.
So that's the state of our callups and send-downs as I know it. We need a scorecard to keep track of the scorecard, the way things have been going lately.
I can see that Munroe will be our starter, as he just led the team out of the tunnel for the pregame warmup. The team is wearing special Spectrum-themed third jerseys, which wil be auctioned off in April.
I didn't see Gratton warm up with the team before the game. Jonathon Kalinski, however, was on the ice during the warmup. So was Jason DeSantis, who's been the odd man out on the blueline during the games when Kukkonen was in our lineup.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
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.
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.
Phantoms at Hershey Bears 2-21-09: Second Period
As I sit here looking at tonight's box score, I realize that we have had Terry Koharski as the referee two nights in a row. Hmm...
Depending on how he does tonight, we can always offer him a seat in the Dunk Tank at tomorrow's Flyers Wives Carnival. :D
Darn it, The Wrong Giroux just tied the score 1-1.Actually, maybe he needn't be referred to by that name tonight, as the Phantoms' Giroux is up with the Flyers. But in any event, I really wish Washington would just call Giroux the heck up and KEEP him there. Pain in the tail Phantoms killer. ;)
WTG MATSUMOTO, he steals the puck and gets it to Laliberte to get the one-goal lead back! 2-1 Phantoms!
SZWEZ promptly scores less than 30 seconds later, and Hershey's coach is switching goalies. We are only 2:45 into a rather eventful period. This goal was unassisted. 3-1 Phantoms.
Matsumoto just did precisely what a forward is supposed to do when his defenseman breaks his stick: he gave Sean Curry his own twig. This could have made life rather interesting for Curry, as Matsumoto is a good six inches shorter than he is, plus one shoots left and the other hoots right. Also, per Brian Smith, Matsumoto has "the strangest tape job I've ever seen". LOL But Curry does manage to clear the puck without incident. :)
Speaking of Curry, it's now a few shifts later and he is about to go to the sin bin. Raduns manages to pilfer the puck from The Wrong Giroux and get a shorthanded scoring chance, but nothing comes of that. Besides some time chewed off the penalty kill, that is. Kane also managed to haul the puck up the ice shortly thereafter. Now we are back at even strength, so we dodged the PK bullet.
MUNROE -- terrific save! Gotta love him! :)
It's now the Bears' turn to kill a penalty. And it appears to be OUR turn to fend off a Bears rush. OK, guys, let's go down to the other end and bug Hershey's goalie for a while. BLAST. Freaking Bears. The moment we returned to even strength, Hershey scored on a double deflection. 3-2 Phantoms.
What? Hershey is getting ready to go to the penalty box again -- one of our guys got high-sticked right after the faceoff. Joudry has earned a double minor, so we have got to make good on this chance. Ross, Nodl, Kane, Curry, and Syvret are out. These guys stayed out long enough to be gassed by the end of the shift. Next up, Matsumoto, Maroon, Laliberte, Ratchuk, Kukkonen, SCOOOOORE! Maroon buries one stick side during the second half of the double minor! 4-2 Phantoms! Nodl must have just come back out, because he and Ratchuk got the assists. That was Maroon's 20th goal of the season. NICE!
Rats. Kane now goes off for four minutes, having high-sticked Osala. Ouch. We will be starting the third period on the PK. At the end of the second period, the score is 4-2 Phantoms. SOG: Phantoms 19, Bears 17.
Depending on how he does tonight, we can always offer him a seat in the Dunk Tank at tomorrow's Flyers Wives Carnival. :D
Darn it, The Wrong Giroux just tied the score 1-1.Actually, maybe he needn't be referred to by that name tonight, as the Phantoms' Giroux is up with the Flyers. But in any event, I really wish Washington would just call Giroux the heck up and KEEP him there. Pain in the tail Phantoms killer. ;)
WTG MATSUMOTO, he steals the puck and gets it to Laliberte to get the one-goal lead back! 2-1 Phantoms!
SZWEZ promptly scores less than 30 seconds later, and Hershey's coach is switching goalies. We are only 2:45 into a rather eventful period. This goal was unassisted. 3-1 Phantoms.
Matsumoto just did precisely what a forward is supposed to do when his defenseman breaks his stick: he gave Sean Curry his own twig. This could have made life rather interesting for Curry, as Matsumoto is a good six inches shorter than he is, plus one shoots left and the other hoots right. Also, per Brian Smith, Matsumoto has "the strangest tape job I've ever seen". LOL But Curry does manage to clear the puck without incident. :)
Speaking of Curry, it's now a few shifts later and he is about to go to the sin bin. Raduns manages to pilfer the puck from The Wrong Giroux and get a shorthanded scoring chance, but nothing comes of that. Besides some time chewed off the penalty kill, that is. Kane also managed to haul the puck up the ice shortly thereafter. Now we are back at even strength, so we dodged the PK bullet.
MUNROE -- terrific save! Gotta love him! :)
It's now the Bears' turn to kill a penalty. And it appears to be OUR turn to fend off a Bears rush. OK, guys, let's go down to the other end and bug Hershey's goalie for a while. BLAST. Freaking Bears. The moment we returned to even strength, Hershey scored on a double deflection. 3-2 Phantoms.
What? Hershey is getting ready to go to the penalty box again -- one of our guys got high-sticked right after the faceoff. Joudry has earned a double minor, so we have got to make good on this chance. Ross, Nodl, Kane, Curry, and Syvret are out. These guys stayed out long enough to be gassed by the end of the shift. Next up, Matsumoto, Maroon, Laliberte, Ratchuk, Kukkonen, SCOOOOORE! Maroon buries one stick side during the second half of the double minor! 4-2 Phantoms! Nodl must have just come back out, because he and Ratchuk got the assists. That was Maroon's 20th goal of the season. NICE!
Rats. Kane now goes off for four minutes, having high-sticked Osala. Ouch. We will be starting the third period on the PK. At the end of the second period, the score is 4-2 Phantoms. SOG: Phantoms 19, Bears 17.
Phantoms at Hershey Bears 2-21-09: First Period
The Phantoms have dressed the same roster tonight as they did last night. Our two scratches then were DeSantis and Klotz. The Bears have been bitten by the injury bug, so we really have to do everything possible to capitalize on that.
Clackson and Grant MacNeill have an early fight. Edge to Clackson, given the number of lefts he landed to MacNeill's head/face. Once the two of them settled down and started wrestling, Clackson eventually got the takedown.
As was the case last night, the first opportunity to kill a penalty will go to the Phantoms. Once we returned to even strength, Ross takes a fantastic SOG that finds the back of the net, just as he was falling to the ice. 1-0 Phantoms with 4:57 remaining in the period. Assist goes to Nodl.
There goes the horn to end the period. The Phantoms lead 1-0, and the SOG are Phantoms 11, Beard 9.
Clackson and Grant MacNeill have an early fight. Edge to Clackson, given the number of lefts he landed to MacNeill's head/face. Once the two of them settled down and started wrestling, Clackson eventually got the takedown.
As was the case last night, the first opportunity to kill a penalty will go to the Phantoms. Once we returned to even strength, Ross takes a fantastic SOG that finds the back of the net, just as he was falling to the ice. 1-0 Phantoms with 4:57 remaining in the period. Assist goes to Nodl.
There goes the horn to end the period. The Phantoms lead 1-0, and the SOG are Phantoms 11, Beard 9.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Phantoms vs. Hamilton Bulldogs 2-16-09: Recap and Box Score
Here is the link to the recap on the Phantoms site.
Here is the link to the box score.
How frustrating it was to lose this game based on one darn shot at the start of the third period. But these things happen. The GOOD news is that we did get the goal back shortly afterward. If we can stay away from two-man disadvantages, which cost us game-winning goals on Friday and on Monday, we have otherwise been playing well enough to avoid digging ourselves into holes. That's a good sign, as we keep battling to get into that last playoff berth.
Our next game is on Friday, at home. Our REAL home: The Spectrum.
Go Phantoms!
Here is the link to the box score.
How frustrating it was to lose this game based on one darn shot at the start of the third period. But these things happen. The GOOD news is that we did get the goal back shortly afterward. If we can stay away from two-man disadvantages, which cost us game-winning goals on Friday and on Monday, we have otherwise been playing well enough to avoid digging ourselves into holes. That's a good sign, as we keep battling to get into that last playoff berth.
Our next game is on Friday, at home. Our REAL home: The Spectrum.
Go Phantoms!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Phantoms vs. Hamilton Bulldogs 2-16-09: Third Period
ARGH. Hamilton's first shot of the period, at 18 seconds, just barely squeaks past Munroe and in. 3-1, Bad Guys. Steve Gainey needs to be nicer to his former team than that! :sulk sulk sulk:
The Phantoms retaliate by scoring on OUR first shot if the period, however. :) Raduns does the honors, with an assist from Bartulis. 3-2, Bad Guys.
The Phantoms' PK soon afterward, when Clackson got sent off for elbowing, was truncated when Laliberte early got a shorthanded breakaway. Hamilton's defender got called for holding, resulting in some 4-on-4 play. We will have a 35-second PP in a few seconds.
Aaaaaaa, and Maroon's position at the crease nearly allowed him to tie the game. We got a nice little flurry going before Hamilton cleared it. Eventually, we wound up at even strength with SOG of Hamilton 24, Phantoms 20. Coach seems to be tweawith about eight and a half minutes left in the period. Coach looks like he's tweaking the lines a little bit here and there. Sirianni Bellamy and Raduns are out right now. They swap for Ross, Nodl, and Kane, and we end up with a lot of end-to-end movement on this shift. None of the action involves a puck reaching either net, however.
Crowd volume ramps up noticeably when Matsumoto goes charging up the middle, with Laliberte and Maroon in tow. Everyone knows that line is dangerous. :) They get us an offensive-zone faceoff.
SOG are 25-25. Come on, guys. We can tie this.
With 6:44 left, Hamilton called their timeout. We had another offensive zone draw. Meanwhile, someone in my row is a season-ticket-holder who was awarded a game-worn jersey. Hmm. Yoo-hoo, I've been a STH since the first year, just not with the same name from the beginning. I shared another person's multi-seat subscription for the first two years, then had my own subscription under my maiden name for a whie before marrying and using my current name from then on. But I digress. ;)
With 4:53, our alumnus Steve Gainey heads to the sin bin an we get the PECOOOOOO POWER PLAY. This time it's Syvret who keeps heading to the top of the umbrella. Kukkonen is out with him, as are Laliberte, Maroooooon :) and Matsumoto. Freaking Hamilton keeps finding ways to clear the puck. Kane, Ross, Nodl, Ratchuk, and Curry take over. Curry blasts one from the point into the goalie's bread basket. Faceoff time. Ross takes the point an Curry pinches waaay in. THis PP is making me nervous, as we keep having two guys behind the Hamilton goal line and no one at the crease. That's not a PP formation that we've had success with, let's just say that. PP over, 2:23 left, SOG Hamilton 28, Phantoms 27. And so much for even strength -- Kane just got called for slashing. Arrrrrrrgh, so we will end up killing a freaking penalty for nearly all the rest of regulation time. Farg. OK, guys, shorty time. Matsumoto and Laliberte get it down to the Bulldogs' end. Looks like Hamilton is getting called for icing. The forwards are replaced with Ross and Raduns, and the D Syvret and Guenin remain out.
22.4 seconds left. PK over. Phantoms call timeout. We have a faceoff in our end, so Munroe remains in goal. Matsumoto, Laliberte, Kane, Kukkonen, and Syvret are out. As we break out, Munroe gets halfway to the bench before having to stop. Finally he gets off, Ross comes on, and OH we come sooooo close to burying one before the freaking horn sounds. Final score, Hamilton 3, Phantoms 2. SOG 29-29. Stars: 3 Raduns, #2 Denis (Hamilton), #1 Gainey (Hamilton).
The Phantoms retaliate by scoring on OUR first shot if the period, however. :) Raduns does the honors, with an assist from Bartulis. 3-2, Bad Guys.
The Phantoms' PK soon afterward, when Clackson got sent off for elbowing, was truncated when Laliberte early got a shorthanded breakaway. Hamilton's defender got called for holding, resulting in some 4-on-4 play. We will have a 35-second PP in a few seconds.
Aaaaaaa, and Maroon's position at the crease nearly allowed him to tie the game. We got a nice little flurry going before Hamilton cleared it. Eventually, we wound up at even strength with SOG of Hamilton 24, Phantoms 20. Coach seems to be tweawith about eight and a half minutes left in the period. Coach looks like he's tweaking the lines a little bit here and there. Sirianni Bellamy and Raduns are out right now. They swap for Ross, Nodl, and Kane, and we end up with a lot of end-to-end movement on this shift. None of the action involves a puck reaching either net, however.
Crowd volume ramps up noticeably when Matsumoto goes charging up the middle, with Laliberte and Maroon in tow. Everyone knows that line is dangerous. :) They get us an offensive-zone faceoff.
SOG are 25-25. Come on, guys. We can tie this.
With 6:44 left, Hamilton called their timeout. We had another offensive zone draw. Meanwhile, someone in my row is a season-ticket-holder who was awarded a game-worn jersey. Hmm. Yoo-hoo, I've been a STH since the first year, just not with the same name from the beginning. I shared another person's multi-seat subscription for the first two years, then had my own subscription under my maiden name for a whie before marrying and using my current name from then on. But I digress. ;)
With 4:53, our alumnus Steve Gainey heads to the sin bin an we get the PECOOOOOO POWER PLAY. This time it's Syvret who keeps heading to the top of the umbrella. Kukkonen is out with him, as are Laliberte, Maroooooon :) and Matsumoto. Freaking Hamilton keeps finding ways to clear the puck. Kane, Ross, Nodl, Ratchuk, and Curry take over. Curry blasts one from the point into the goalie's bread basket. Faceoff time. Ross takes the point an Curry pinches waaay in. THis PP is making me nervous, as we keep having two guys behind the Hamilton goal line and no one at the crease. That's not a PP formation that we've had success with, let's just say that. PP over, 2:23 left, SOG Hamilton 28, Phantoms 27. And so much for even strength -- Kane just got called for slashing. Arrrrrrrgh, so we will end up killing a freaking penalty for nearly all the rest of regulation time. Farg. OK, guys, shorty time. Matsumoto and Laliberte get it down to the Bulldogs' end. Looks like Hamilton is getting called for icing. The forwards are replaced with Ross and Raduns, and the D Syvret and Guenin remain out.
22.4 seconds left. PK over. Phantoms call timeout. We have a faceoff in our end, so Munroe remains in goal. Matsumoto, Laliberte, Kane, Kukkonen, and Syvret are out. As we break out, Munroe gets halfway to the bench before having to stop. Finally he gets off, Ross comes on, and OH we come sooooo close to burying one before the freaking horn sounds. Final score, Hamilton 3, Phantoms 2. SOG 29-29. Stars: 3 Raduns, #2 Denis (Hamilton), #1 Gainey (Hamilton).
Phantoms vs. Hamilton Bulldogs 2-16-09: Second Period
Our PP unit is Kane, Nodl, Ross, Syvret, and Kukkonen. We're cycling, but the one direction we need to get the puck is on net, and that hasn't happened yet. Rats. PP over and the SOG are still 6-5, in favor of Hamiton. Gaaah, now the bulldog comes out of the sin bin and Munroe has to be quick to keep the puck out.
The faceoff is in our zone, and suddenly Hamilton is playing with a LOT of jump in their step. They get several consecutive scoring chances, the last of which lands in our net. Beans. They only got credit for one SOG in that sequence, but the end result is Hamilton 1, Phantoms 0. Darn that we didn't do more to get the puck on Denis when we were on the PP.
BTW... Neither Hersley nor Ryan are listed on our roster. When I have a chance, I wil have to see if there is a transaction listed online for Ryan, as I don't see anything in the Phantoms Game Night program. Hersley is with ECHL REading.
PP: and SCOOOORE just as I was typing the letters "PP", LMHO! Syvret blasts a BOMB from the point that appeared to get nothin' but net. Assists to Nodl and Kane. 1-1 and the crowd suddenly has gotten nice and loud, just the way we like it. :D SOG are 9-9.
We wasted no time cashing in on the PP, which was triggered during a flurry of shots on Hamilton's net. Four of their five skaters had planted themselves between the Phantoms and Denis, but we got the puck on net anyway, and drew that penalty into the bargain.
Bartulis slams Stewart into the boards, and throws him to the ice into the bargain. Stewart takes exception and goes after him, earning the Bettman 17 (2 for instigation and a ten-minute misconduct on top of the 5 for fighting). Bartulis gets 5 minutes for fighting, so we're back on the PECOOOO POWER PLAY.
Ross, Nodl, Kane, Syvret, and Kukkonen are out. Ross wins the faceoff. Kukkonen is at the top of the umbrella and blasts one on goal from the top of the slot. Denis makes the save, which loudly makes contact with his equipment. IT's interesting, when we face off, we have our two D covering the point, but then we shift into the umbrella formation. Kane gets a rebound, but Dens stops it as well as the original shot. It's Kane who is stationed at the crease this time around. Boy, those guys had a long shift: 1:15. Next up: Matsumoto, Maroon, Laliberte, Curry, and Ratchuk.
Wth ten minutes remaining in the second period, the score is 1-1 and the SOG are 12-12. We are exactly halfway through regulation time.
Our As for this game are Guenin and Syvret. To my surprise, I don't see an A on Ross's jersey today.
Boooo, we get two quick penalties to Laliberte and Kukkonen, resulting in a 5-on-3 PK. Guenin blocks a shot. However, just as we get our first guy back, freaking Hamilton scores. At least it was right AFTER the first penalty ended, so we can go back to even strength. SOG: Hamilton 16, Phantoms 12. Took 'em a few moments to realize that they had to clear Kukkonen's infraction off the board, though, so we were treated to the odd sight of a penalty timer winding down while the teams skated at 5 on 5. Ah, there we go, someone realized what was wrong and fixed the clock. 2-1, Bad Guys.
On consecutive shifts, Ross and Maroon had point-blank opportunities to cash in rebounds, but Denis was up to the challenge. We need to keep it up, though, beause if he keeps giving up rebounds, we're going to eventually put one in if we keep getting to the puck first.With two minutes left in the period, the SOG are 16-16. Oh, now it was Szwez's turn, in the final minute, to nearly deflect one in. He was standing right at the crease's edge, and unfortunately the deflection went a bit wide.
At the end of the second period, the score is 2-1, Hamilton, and the SOG totals are Hamilton 17, Phantoms 16.
The faceoff is in our zone, and suddenly Hamilton is playing with a LOT of jump in their step. They get several consecutive scoring chances, the last of which lands in our net. Beans. They only got credit for one SOG in that sequence, but the end result is Hamilton 1, Phantoms 0. Darn that we didn't do more to get the puck on Denis when we were on the PP.
BTW... Neither Hersley nor Ryan are listed on our roster. When I have a chance, I wil have to see if there is a transaction listed online for Ryan, as I don't see anything in the Phantoms Game Night program. Hersley is with ECHL REading.
PP: and SCOOOORE just as I was typing the letters "PP", LMHO! Syvret blasts a BOMB from the point that appeared to get nothin' but net. Assists to Nodl and Kane. 1-1 and the crowd suddenly has gotten nice and loud, just the way we like it. :D SOG are 9-9.
We wasted no time cashing in on the PP, which was triggered during a flurry of shots on Hamilton's net. Four of their five skaters had planted themselves between the Phantoms and Denis, but we got the puck on net anyway, and drew that penalty into the bargain.
Bartulis slams Stewart into the boards, and throws him to the ice into the bargain. Stewart takes exception and goes after him, earning the Bettman 17 (2 for instigation and a ten-minute misconduct on top of the 5 for fighting). Bartulis gets 5 minutes for fighting, so we're back on the PECOOOO POWER PLAY.
Ross, Nodl, Kane, Syvret, and Kukkonen are out. Ross wins the faceoff. Kukkonen is at the top of the umbrella and blasts one on goal from the top of the slot. Denis makes the save, which loudly makes contact with his equipment. IT's interesting, when we face off, we have our two D covering the point, but then we shift into the umbrella formation. Kane gets a rebound, but Dens stops it as well as the original shot. It's Kane who is stationed at the crease this time around. Boy, those guys had a long shift: 1:15. Next up: Matsumoto, Maroon, Laliberte, Curry, and Ratchuk.
Wth ten minutes remaining in the second period, the score is 1-1 and the SOG are 12-12. We are exactly halfway through regulation time.
Our As for this game are Guenin and Syvret. To my surprise, I don't see an A on Ross's jersey today.
Boooo, we get two quick penalties to Laliberte and Kukkonen, resulting in a 5-on-3 PK. Guenin blocks a shot. However, just as we get our first guy back, freaking Hamilton scores. At least it was right AFTER the first penalty ended, so we can go back to even strength. SOG: Hamilton 16, Phantoms 12. Took 'em a few moments to realize that they had to clear Kukkonen's infraction off the board, though, so we were treated to the odd sight of a penalty timer winding down while the teams skated at 5 on 5. Ah, there we go, someone realized what was wrong and fixed the clock. 2-1, Bad Guys.
On consecutive shifts, Ross and Maroon had point-blank opportunities to cash in rebounds, but Denis was up to the challenge. We need to keep it up, though, beause if he keeps giving up rebounds, we're going to eventually put one in if we keep getting to the puck first.With two minutes left in the period, the SOG are 16-16. Oh, now it was Szwez's turn, in the final minute, to nearly deflect one in. He was standing right at the crease's edge, and unfortunately the deflection went a bit wide.
At the end of the second period, the score is 2-1, Hamilton, and the SOG totals are Hamilton 17, Phantoms 16.
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