Phantoms To Honor Scouts This Weekend

Phantoms Weekly Release #8

FRIDAY, DEC. 5 – PHANTOMS VS. HARTFORD, 7:05 PM – Wachovia Spectrum
The Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers) make their only trip to Philadelphia for the last regular season meeting between the two teams this season. Although the Wolf Pack are currently in last place in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division with a record of 9-9-1-2 for 21 points, they are just three points behind third place Worcester. Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau leads the Wolf Pack with 21 points on 10 goals and 11 assists. In the last meeting between the two teams up in Hartford on October 24, Camden native Bobby Sanguinetti scored the go-ahead goal 5:43 into the third period to defeat the Phantoms 2-1.

SATURDAY, DEC. 6 – PHANTOMS VS. BINGHAMTON, 7:05 PM – Wachovia Spectrum
The Binghamton Senators (Ottawa Senators) come to town for the second time this season for the third of eight total match-ups between the two teams. The last time the two teams met, Binghamton roared back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the score in the third period before Claude Giroux scored late in overtime to give the Phantoms a 4-3 win. The Senators currently have 26 points with a record of 11-8-2-2 which puts them in third place in the Eastern Conference’s East Division, just two points ahead of Philadelphia. Center Ilya Zubov has anchored the Senators offense, tallying 22 points on the season with nine goals and 13 assists.

SUNDAY, DEC. 7 – PHANTOMS AT WILKES-BARRE, 5:05 PM – Wachovia Arena
The Phantoms and Wilkes-Barre Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins) square off for the third of ten total contests this season. This past Wednesday, the Phantoms jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and never looked back in a decisive 5-1 victory in Wilkes-Barre. The Penguins sit in a tie with the Phantoms for fourth place in the East Division with 24 points. Chris Minard is tied for second in the AHL in points with 16 goals and 13 assists for 29 points.

PHANTOMS CELEBRATE SCOUT WEEKEND
The Phantoms will be honoring the world of Scouting during their games on December 5th vs. Hartford and December 6th vs. Binghamton. Troops and packs from the world of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and their affiliated organizations are invited to come to the games as a group and participate in an on-ice parade during the intermissions at each game. For more information, troops can contact the Phantoms at 215-465-4522.

The Phantoms are home for two games this weekend. The Hartford Wolf Pack visit on Friday night, and then on Saturday it’s the Binghamton Senators coming to town. Both games start at 7:05. For tickets, call 1-800-298-4200 or visit Phantomshockey.com.

PHANTOMS TO OFFER HELPING HANDS
This Wednesday, the Phantoms and selected Philadelphia Flyers players will take part in their annual creation of Helping Hands handprint cards to be auctioned off in support of the Children’s Miracle Network at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Following the teams’ practices this Wednesday, Dec. 3, Danny Briere, Martin Biron, Kimmo Timonen, former Phantoms Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Riley Cote, and Phantoms callups Josh Gratton, Andreas Nodl and Jonathon Kalinski are all scheduled to join the current Phantoms roster in using paint to make handprints on 11 x 17 cards. Media are invited to cover the event and can contact Brian Smith at 215-952-5780 for details.

SANTA SACKS GOING FAST
It’s that time of the year again to give the gift of Phantoms hockey with the Phantoms Santa Sack! The packages include Phantoms tickets as well as other options, such as Flyers tickets or a unique autographed gift. Supplies are limited, so get yours today! For more information and to order, visit Phantomshockey.com.

GET YOUR PHLEX PACK!
If you’re looking for a great stocking stuffer for the holiday season, don’t look any further than a Phantoms Phlex Pack! For just $29, you get a stuffed Phlex doll and two Phantoms tickets. Visit Phantomshockey.com for more information and to order.

NEWS AND NOTES
With the passing of November goes the busiest month of the Phantoms season, both in terms of games and travel. The Phantoms played 15 games in November, 10 of which were played on the road. After an 11-game month of December, the Phantoms will play their second-busiest month in January, with a 14-game slate that includes a nine-day road trip.

The Phantoms have now played Hershey seven times, six of which came in November. Philadelphia won’t see the Bears again until mid-January. In December, their attention turns to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, whom the Phantoms will play four times in December. Including the win there last Wednesday, the Phantoms will see the Penguins five times in exactly one month (Nov. 26 – Dec. 26).

The Phantoms have lost the services of a total of 11 forwards for at least one game either due to call-up, injuries or trades. Andreas Nodl, Jared Ross, Darroll Powe, Josh Gratton, Nate Raduns, Boyd Kane, and Jonathon Kalinski have all spent at least one game with the Flyers. Kane, Kalinski, Rob Bellamy and Josh Beaulieu have also missed time with injuries this season. In addition, Steve Downie was back-and-forth before he was traded to Tampa Bay in the Matt Carle deal. Already this year, the Phantoms have lost 101 man-games due to injuries and call-ups among their forwards alone.

NOMINATIONS
The Phantoms nominated LW Claude Giroux for both Reebok Edge/AHL Rookie of the Month and CCM/AHL Player of the Month consideration. Giroux led the Phantoms in scoring in the month of November with seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in the team’s 15 games last month. Giroux posted a seven-game point scoring streak from Nov. 8-22, scoring six goals and adding four assists for ten points during that period. He had a two-goal game against Albany on Nov. 19 and four other multi-point nights.

The Phantoms nominated Scott Munroe for Reebok/X-Pulse AHL Goalie of the Month consideration. Munroe went 5-4 in November with a 2.82 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage in nine appearances. The month included two shutouts – a 46-save blanking of Providence on November 9 and a 31-save shutout of Albany on Nov. 19.

For Reebok/AHL Player of the Week consideration, the Phantoms nominated Darroll Powe, who returned from a long stay with the Flyers to record two goals and two assists for four points in his first three games back with the Phantoms. Powe had two goals against Springfield on Friday – a shorthanded marker and an empty-netter – to help the Phantoms to a 4-1 win. He also finished the week with a plus-two rating.

PHANTOMS HOCKEY ON THE INTERNET
The Phantoms have joined with the rest of the American Hockey League in forming AHL Live, a brand-new way to catch Phantoms hockey on the Internet. Once again this year, all Phantoms games, home and away, can be viewed online at www.ahllive.com. The video broadcasts are $6 per game, and a full-season pass can be purchased for $140. Also once again this year, fans can listen to just the audio portion of all games free of charge at Phantomshockey.com.

TICKET INFORMATION
It’s not too late to secure a great Phantoms ticket package for the 2008-09 season! Packages are available that range from six games to a full, pro-rated season ticket for all remaining Phantoms home games. Phantoms ticket packages get you a great list of benefits, including discounted seats, special perks and guaranteed access to tickets for the final regular season game at the Wachovia Spectrum on April 12, 2009. Call the Phantoms at 215-465-4522 for more details!

All kids tickets for all Phantoms games are just $10. To purchase, go to phantomshockey.com or call 1-800-298-4200.

TOYOTA CUP STANDINGS
Through 23 games, Scott Munroe leads the annual race for the Toyota Cup. Players are awarded points each time they are chosen as a star of the game, with five points given for a first star, three points for a second star and one point for a third star. The player with the most points at the end of the season will win a monetary donation to the charity of his choice courtesy of Toyota.

Monday, December 01, 2008