 |
| Power
Play |
23RD
- 14.6 |
| Penalty
Killing |
20TH
- 82.3 |
| FORWARDS |
| JAMIE
JOHNSON |
21-37-58
(+9) |
| BRANDON
NOLAN |
22-26-48
(+8) |
| JAKUB
PETRUZALEK |
14-31-45
(+7) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| BRETT
CARSON |
2-22-24
(-12) |
| MARK
FLOOD |
10-12-22
(+9) |
| CASEY
BORER |
6-13-19
(+19) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| MICHAEL
LEIGHTON |
28-25-4
(7 SO)
2.10 GA
.931 PCT |
|
| JUSTIN
PETERS |
7-3-0
(0 SO)
2.70 GA
.904 PCT |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Albany
vs Philadelphia |
|
|
SCHEDULE |
| 1 |
APR.
16 |
PHILADELPHIA
0 - ALBANY 4 |
SEED
3 |
2 |
APR.
18 |
ALBANY
0 - PHILDELPHIA 3 |
SEED
2 |
43-30-3-4
(93) |
3 |
APR.
20 |
ALBANY
4 - PHILDELPHIA
1 |
46-27-4-3
(99) |
| |
4 |
APR.
22 |
PHILADELPHIA
2 - ALBANY 1 |
|
| |
5 |
APR.
24 |
PHILADELPHIA
3 - ALBANY 2 (5OT) |
|
| |
6 |
TBA |
ALBANY
1 - PHILDELPHIA
0 (OT) |
|
| |
7 |
TBA |
ALBANY
0 - PHILDELPHIA 2 |
|
| Philadelphia
Wins Series 4-3 |
|
SERIES
PREVIEW
|
| by
Brian Jennings - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Philadelphia,
PA - While Pennsylvania’s two other teams battle
it out, the Keystone State's other team, the Philadelphia
Phantoms prepare to do battle with the Albany River Rats.
Series overview
The Phantoms won the season series 5-3. The Phantoms will
have the home ice advantage for the series. Philly finished
the regular season in second place after holding first
place for the most part of the season with a record of
46-27-4-3 (99 points). Philadelphia Phantoms finished
the season in a slight slump due to call-ups to the Phantoms
parent club, the Philadelphia Flyers, but could get a
couple of players back for the Phantoms run. Philly went
5-4-1-0 in their last 10 games of the season.
Albany finished the season in third, only one point ahead
of Hershey. The Rats had the same record over their past
10 games that the Phantoms did so neither team will go
into the playoffs on a roll.
The Phantoms scored 236 goals but allowed 212, while Albany
scored 213 and allowed 198.
Philly had the league’s 4th best power play, while Albany
finished 23rd overall. Neither team had a player in the
Top 20 in scoring, but both teams had a goaltender in
the top 20.
One special teams Philly was the league’s 10th rated penalty
killing unit, while Albany finished 20th overall.
Albany – This will make the second straight season
Albany will have made the AHL playoffs after having missed
the playoffs for six straight seasons prior. The River
Rats won the Calder Cup in 1994-95, their second season
in the league behind Head Coach Robbie Ftorek.
Jamie Johnson led the Rats in points with 58 (21goals
and 37 assists), while Brandon Nolan lead the team in
goals with 22. In fact, only 3 Albany players have over
20 goals. Jerome Samson was the other. Samson was 19th
in points of all rookies in the AHL. Defenseman Mark Flood
led all Rats blueliners with 10 goals.
Albany is set in net with Michael Leighton who ranked
second in the league in goals against average (2.10) and
was first overall in save percentage (.931). Rookie Justin
Peters, who is one of the Carolina Hurricanes top prospects
had a respectable season with a goals against average
of 2.70 and a save percentage of .904.
Philadelphia – The Phantoms return to the playoffs
after having missed the past two seasons. The last time
Philly made the playoffs they won the Calder Cup in 2004-05
behind current Flyers Head Coach John Stevens, their second
in team history. The Phantoms also won in 1997-98 behind
NHL Hall-of-Famer Bill Barber. The Phantoms have only
missed the playoffs three times in the teams 12 year history.
The Phantoms were balanced on offense. Jared Ross led
the team with 62 points (23 goals and 39 assists). Eight
players had 10 or more goals, and five players had 20
or more. Rookie Kyle Greentree led the team in goals with
24. The most goals any Phantoms defenseman had during
the season was four (Nate Guenin).
Goaltender Scott Munroe was consistently in the top five
in both in goals against and save percentage but eventually
fell to ninth and eighth respectively.
Prediction: Phantoms in 7. Despite the slump at
the end of the season, the Phantoms are still loaded on
offense and do a great job on special teams. The key is
getting to Leighton. If the Phantoms are to lose it will
be due to not having an answer for him. Both teams are
fairly even in most categories, but the special teams
will most likely be the deciding factor in the series.
Leighton will most likely be the reason the series goes
the full seven games.
Contact the author at BJennings@prohockeynews.com
|
|
| Game
1 |
Philadelphia
0 - Albany 4 |
|
by
Brian Jennings - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Albany
Leads Series 1-0 |
Albany,
NY - Michael Leighton, who played five games last
season as a member of the Philadelphia Phantoms, gave
them a reason to feel a bit envious by stealing the show
in Game One by going perfect on the night making 39 saves
as the Albany River Rats down the Phantoms 4-0 and took
a 1-0 series lead.
Not only did Leighton have a hand in downing the Phantoms,
but the power play had a major factor in the decision
as well. Philly had the league’s 4th best power play during
the regular season, while Albany finished 23rd overall.
On this night, it was Albany who got the upper hand on
Philly as the River Rats went 2 for 6 on the night, while
Philly went 0 for 6.
After Jakub Petruzalek's goal in the first period gave
Albany a 1-0 lead in the first period, Jerome Samson got
the first of Albany’s power play goals at 17:06 in the
second period. Bryan Rodney made it 3-0 almost two minutes
later and the Phantoms, who were being outshot 10-5 in
the period, had to scramble to get back into the game
in the third.
Philly, just as they did in the first period, dominated
play throwing everything at Leighton, but it was not meant
to be on this night. Marc Cavosie, who began the season
in the ECHL with the Columbia Inferno and the Reading
Royals, put the final nail in the Phantoms coffin with
Albany’s second power play goal.
The shutout was Leighton’s eighth of the season, Philadelphia
did not suffer a shutout loss all season. Games two and
three will be in Philadelphia and will be played at the
Wachovia Center, the same arena the Philadelphia Flyers,
the Phantoms parent club, play in. Normally Phantoms games
are played in the Wachovia Spectrum where the Flyers use
to play before the Wachovia Center opened.
Contact the author at BJennings@prohockeynews.com
|
|
| Game
2 |
Albany
0 - Philadelphia 2 |
|
by
Brian Jennings - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Series
Tied 1-1 |
Philadelphia,
PA - If it is true that revenge is a dish best
served cold, than whoever said it must have been a hockey
fan, or at least a hockey God.
In Game 1 between Albany and Philadelphia, it was River
Rats goaltender Michael Leighton who shut out the Phantoms
4-0. In Game Two, Philly goaltender Scott Munroe made
18 saves for the 3-0 shutout win to tied the series at
1-1.
Jared Ross, Pete Zingoni, and Boyd Kane scored for the
Phantoms in a game that Philly dominated from start to
finish. The Phantoms outshot the Rats in every period,
and 40-18 overall. Both teams had four power play opportunities,
but Ross’s had the games only power play goal, the first
goal of the game at 13:27 to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead
in the second period.
Zingoni would finish the period scoring with just 13 seconds
left in the period to put the River Rats in a 2-0 hole.
Kane’s goal came with Leighton pulled for an extra attacker
to seal Game Two.
The Phantoms shut out the River Rats twice during the
regular season, once by former Phantom and current San
Jose Shark Brian Boucher, the other by Munroe.
Game 3 will also be at the Wachovia Center Sunday evening
at 5:00 pm Est.
Contact the author at BJennings@prohockeynews.com
|
|
| Game
3 |
Albany
4 - Philadelphia 1 |
|
by
Brian Jennings - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Albany
Leads Series 2-1 |
Philadelphia,
PA - Well, it wasn’t a shutout, but for Michael
Leighton and the Albany River Rats, who had to face an
onslaught of shots from the Philadelphia Phantoms, but
another great start propelled the Rats to a 4-1 victory,
and gave them a 2-1 series lead.
Leighton faced 39 shots on the night only allowing Pete
Zingoni’s power play goal in the third period. Bryan Rodney
was the star of the game with a two goal performance.
Brett Carson and Joe Jenson also scored for the Rats.
The series now heads back to Albany for Games 4 and 5.
If the 'Rats can close out the series it will be the first
time that Albany will get past the first round of the
playoffs since 1998. In fact, the 'Rats have only gotten
past the first round of the playoffs three times in the
team’s 15 year history. In 1995, the Rats won the Calder
Cup.
Contact the author at BJennings@prohockeynews.com
|
|
| Game
4 |
Philadelphia
2 - Albany 1 |
|
by
Brian Jennings - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Series
Tied 2-2 |
Albany, NY - Jonathan Matsumoto and Kyle Greentree picked a good time to score their first goals of the playoffs as the
Philadelphia Phantoms came from behind to defeat the Albany River Rats 2-1 to even the series at 2-2. Game 5 of the
best-of-five series will be Thursday night.
Albany got the first goal of the game on the power play as Jakub Petruzalek got his second goal of the playoffs to give the
Rats a 1-0 led. It wouldn’t last long as Matsumoto banged home a rebound 20 seconds later to tied the game at one.
Greentree got the game winner on the only other goal of the night on the power play as Denis Gauthier took a shot from the
blueline and Greentree put home the rebound and the Phantoms had the lead for the night. The Phantoms had a solid second
period, but the third period was all River Rats out-shooting the Phantoms 15-3 in the third period, 31-26 overall. Scott
Munroe and the Phantoms penalty killers had to stop the Rats pressure on three power play opportunities. Munroe was the
player of the game for the Phantoms.
Game 5 is Thursday night in Albany, while Game 6 returns to Philadelphia on Saturday night.
Contact the author at BJennings@prohockeynews.com |
|
| Game
5 |
Philadelphia
3 - Albany 2 (5 OT) |
|
by
Brian Jennings - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Philadelphia
Leads Series 3-2 |
Albany, NY
- After 60 minutes of regulation play, and another 60
minutes of three overtimes, Ryan Potulny did something
on the Phantoms record 101 shots on the night that no
one else did earlier in the game: He scored the game winner.
Potulny ended the night at 12:39 am, 2:58 into the fifth overtime, and gave the Phantoms a 3-2 win, and a 3-2 series lead. The game was the longest in the AHL’s history. The game ended five hours and 38 minutes after the game began. Albany goaltender Micheal Leighton’s 98 saves is also an AHL record. Phantoms goaltender Scott Munroe made 65 saves on the night.
Keil Mcleod scored both goals for Albany in the second period to give the Rats a 2-1 lead, but Jared Ross put the game into overtime with his second goal of the game at 15:13 of the third period.
Defenseman Micheal Ratchuk carried the puck across the Albany blue line and dropped a pass into the slot. Potulny picked up the puck and snapped his shot past Leighton’s stick side that set off a wild celebration.
The previous record was set between the Hamilton Bulldogs and the Houston Aeros back on May 30, 2003 that went 74:56 with Hamilton winning 2-1.
Contact the author at BJennings@prohockeynews.com |
|
| Game
6 |
Albany
1 - Philadelphia 0 (OT) |
|
by
Brian Jennings - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Series
Tied 3-3 |
Philadelphia,
PA - The Albany River Rats made sure that if they were to lose Game 6 it would not be in five overtimes the way Game 5 did. Kirk MacDonald made sure of that scoring his first goal 10:38 of overtime to give Albany a 1-0 win avoiding elimination and forcing a Game 7 back in Philadelphia.
After a turnover in the neutral zone, MacDonald pulled up and shot stick side, top shelf to beat Scott Munroe to end Munroe's 176 minute 22 second scoreless streak. Munroe and Albany goaltender Michael Leighton each made 40 saves in the game. Both teams went 0 for 5 on the power play.
Game 7 will be played Tuesday night at the Wachovia Center. The winner will move on to play the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Contact the
author at BJennings@prohockeynews.com
|
|
| Game
7 |
Albany
0 - Philadelphia 2 |
|
by
Brian Jennings - PROHOCKEYNEWS.COM |
Philadelphia
Wins Series 4-3 |
Philadelphia,
PA - In a series that had some brilliant goaltending performances from the Albany River Rats Michael Leighton and the Philadelphia Phantoms Scott Munroe, there was room for two more from both goaltenders as Munroe got the better of Leighton one more time in a 2-0 that clinched the series for the Phantoms. The shutout was the fourth in the series. Each goaltender had two in the series.
On this night however, it took only 22 seconds for the Phantoms to get to Leighton. Stefan Ruzicka, who had been shut down all series, picked a good time for his first goal of the series on assists from Jared Ross and Boyd Kane to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead.
The score would stay that way as the Phantoms carried the play throughout the game. The Phantoms outshot Albany 30-21, and outshot the Rats in the first and third periods. Than, the hero of Game 5, Ryan Potulny, scored with only 1:27 left in the third period unassisted to especially put the game out of reach. Both teams were a combined 0 for 7 on the power play.
With the win, the Phantoms get past the first round of the playoffs since the last time the team made the playoffs back in 2005, the same year the team won their second Calder Cup. The Phantoms now move on to play the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins who defeated the Hershey Bears in five games.
Contact the
author at BJennings@prohockeynews.com
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Power
Play |
4TH
- 20.8 |
| Penalty
Killing |
10TH
- 84.0 |
| FORWARDS |
| JARED
ROSS |
23-39-62
(+6) |
| STEFAN
RUZICKA |
19-31-50
(-6) |
| KYLE
GREENTREE |
24-24-48
(-7) |
| DEFENSEMEN |
| OSKARS
BARTULIS |
1-20-21
(+10) |
| LARS
JONSSON |
5-13-18
(-12) |
| DENIS
GAUTHIER |
3-15-18
(+16) |
| GOALTENDERS |
| SCOTT
MUNROE |
18-8-2
(4 SO)
2.29 GA
.918 PCT |
|
| MARTIN
HOULE |
2-2-0
(0 SO)
2.85 GA
.892 PCT |
|
|
|
