Phantoms Defeat Albany & Norfork in Preseason Play

By Al Cohen
Philadelphia Phantoms Correspondent

The Phantoms improved their preseason record to 2-1 last week with a pair of shutout wins. On Thursday afternoon at the Continental Airlines Arena, defenseman David Harlock scored twice in a 4-0 victory over the Albany River Rats. Jeff Smith and Peter Vandermeer each added a goal, while goaltenders Antero Niittymaki and Dave Stathos combined to stop all 16 shots they faced. The win avenged a 5-4 loss to the River Rats on Sept. 21.

On Sunday, Niittymaki made 25 saves to lead Philadelphia to a 3-0 triumph against the Norfolk Admirals at the Polonia Bank Flyers Skate Zone. Mike Siklenka, Jack Baker and Ian Forbes all scored in the game, while defenseman Brad Tiley contributed two assists.

Following back-to-back shutout wins, the Phantoms are riding a scoreless streak of 138 minutes and 29 seconds since last allowing a preseason goal to Albany's Michael Rupp early in the third period of Philadelphia's preseason opener on Sept. 21.

The Phantoms will play their fourth and final preseason game this Sunday, Oct. 6 at 4:00 p.m. against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The game will take place at the Milford (Ct.) Ice Pavilion. The Sound Tigers captured the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy in 2001-02 for totaling the most points in the AHL during the regular season. They went on to represent the Eastern Conference in the Calder Cup Finals before losing to the Chicago Wolves in five games.

Philadelphia's seventh season in the AHL begins on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 7:05 p.m., when the Rochester Americans visit the First Union Spectrum. The Phantoms went 4-0-2 against Rochester during the regular season last year before sweeping the Amerks in the best-of-three Western Conference Qualifying Round. Rochester holds a 13-15-4 lead in the all-time series, but Philadelphia is 7-7-2 when hosting the Americans.

The 2002-03 Flyers/Phantoms Coaching Symposium will take place this Thursday, Oct. 3 from 7:00-10:00 p.m. at the Sovereign Bank Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, N.J. The featured speakers are Phantoms head coach John Stevens, assistant coach Kjell Samuelsson, Flyers head coach Ken Hitchcock and Flyers assistants Wayne Fleming and Craig Hartsburg. All USA Hockey-registered coaches should call 215-952-5999 to RSVP.

The popular "Email the Phantoms" feature on www.phantomshockey.com has returned! Check out the link on the homepage throughout the season to ask Phantoms players anything on your mind. Questions for the first subject - defenseman Brad Tiley - are due by Oct. 7.

American Hockey League President/CEO Dave Andrews will be visiting www.theahl.com to answer questions about the league, its teams and players, and the upcoming 2002-03 campaign. Fans are invited to visit theahl.com and submit their questions by Oct. 7. Mr. Andrews' answers will be posted on Wednesday, Oct. 9 - the eve of the AHL's 67th season of play.

Phantoms players will be signing autographs and meeting the public at each of the Flyers Skate Zone anniversary parties this fall. Wade Skolney, Ian Forbes and Matt Zultek appeared at the first event on Sept. 28 at the Polonia Bank Flyers Skate Zone in Northeast Philadelphia. The Sovereign Bank Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, N.J. will hold its party on Sunday, Oct. 20, while the Sovereign Bank Flyers Skate Zone in Pennsauken, N.J. party is set for Sunday, Nov. 3. The anniversary parties also include games, prizes, face painting, public skating and much more.

The Phantoms are proud to announce that CN8, The Comcast Network, will be televising 11 games during the 2002-03 season. CN8, a regional news, sports and entertainment network, reaches four million cable homes in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. CN8's 11-game package begins on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7:00 p.m., when the Phantoms host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the First Union Spectrum. The CN8 broadcast team will once again feature Tim Saunders, Orest Kindrachuk and Mick Moninghoff.

Tickets prices for Phantoms home games are $18, $17 and $13 for adults, and $8 for children 14 and under. The team also offers group rates, Game Plans, attractive premium area seating, birthday party and youth hockey packages, and the popular Family Value Pack. Please call the Phantoms sales office at 215-465-4522 for information, or log on to www.phantomshockey.com.

Comcast-Spectacor (www.comcast-spectacor.com) is the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment firm which owns the Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia Phantoms, Flyers Skate Zone, Comcast SportsNet, and the Bowie Baysox, Delmarva Shorebirds and Frederick Keys baseball teams, all affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles. Comcast-Spectacor is also the principal owner of Global-Spectrum, which manages public assembly facilities and events worldwide.