Posted at: 10/16/2009 11:51 PM
By: Adirondack Phantoms

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Phantoms Skate Past Hershey 2-1

GLENS FALLS, NY – Rookie defenseman Kevin Marshall’s first career professional goal was the game-winner as the Adirondack Phantoms took out the Hershey Bears 2-1 Friday night at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

The teams faced each other twelve times during the 2008-09 regular season and four more in the first round of the 2009 Calder Cup Playoffs, and last year’s Phantoms captain Boyd Kane was now in the Bears’ colors.  With so few secrets between the squads there was no surprise that the first period turned out to be a tightly contested matchup.  Both lineups created a couple of scoring chances in the opening twenty minutes, but Adirondack goaltender Johan Backlund and Hershey starter Michal Neuvirth looked sharp and kept a scoreless game sheet.

It was the Phantoms who drew first blood in the second period as they wasted little time cashing in on their first power play.  Patrick Maroon scored his second goal of the season as he stuffed a short side shot between Neuvirth’s pad and the post at 3:24, assisted by Jon Matsumoto and Randy Jones; the goal was the first power play strike allowed by Hershey this season, ending the Bears 17-for-17 penalty kill streak.  But Hershey leveled the score with just 94 seconds remaining in the period.  During a four-on-four situation, defenseman Patrick McNeil found himself open on a two-on-one opportunity down low and sent a perfect cross-crease pass over to Jay Beagle for an unstoppable back-door goal at 18:26.

It appeared as though one break in the action might be the difference in the game and that proved to be true.  Six minutes into the third period Jason Ward raced in on a two-on-one rush and fired a backhander toward the net, which Neuvirth comfortably turned aside.  However, the speed of the play sent Ward and two Hershey defenders crashing into the left corner and left a big gap in the middle of the zone.  Captain Jared Ross knocked the loose puck out into the slot and rookie Kevin Marshall jumped on the chance, as he sped in from the point and blasted his shot into the net for the first goal, and first point, of his pro career at 6:20.  Hershey pushed back, out-shooting the Phantoms 10-3 in the third period, but Backlund was outstanding, making several dazzling saves off rebounds as he continually frustrated the Bears.  Neuvirth was pulled for the extra attacker with just over a minute left in regulation, but the Phantoms defense held strong to secure the 2-1 win.

Johan Backlund completed an excellent performance to earn his second win of the season, stopping 26-of-27 shots and being named the game’s first star as he helped Adirondack improve to 2-2-0-0 on the season.  Michal Neuvirth had a solid night in goal for Hershey, making 13 saves on 15 shots as the Bears dropped to 3-2-0-0.  Hershey out-shot the Phantoms 27-15 in the game and went 0-for-5 on the power play; Adirondack was 1-for-1 on the man-advantage.

The Phantoms are home again on Saturday, October 17^th as they begin their Time Warner Cable Cup series with the Albany River Rats; face off is scheduled for 7:00 pm in Glens Falls.  Sunday Adirondack will travel to Bridgeport for a 4:00 pm game against the Sound Tigers at the Arena at Harbor Yard.