GLENS FALLS -- Lost in the discussion about the Adirondack Phantoms' struggle to score goals this season is the fact that they haven't allowed very many themselves.

After Wednesday night's 2-0 win over the Toronto Marlies in front of a crowd of 2,823 at the Civic Center, only five American Hockey League teams have surrendered fewer.

With a couple of momentary exceptions, the Phantoms have received stellar goaltending from the tandem of Johan Backlund and Nic Riopel. They got it again Wednesday with Backlund, the regular starter, back between the pipes after a one-game absence.

The AHL rookie from Sweden made 25 saves to earn his second career shutout. Some of his best came in the final minutes as Toronto had four of its nine power plays in the third. He was more than good enough to make goals from Jon Matsumoto and Matt Clackson stand up.

"(Backlund) played an outstanding third period," Phantoms coach Greg Gilbert said. "We kind of sat there, and obviously, being in the penalty box, he came up with some big saves for us."

Backlund improved to 6-4 with a goals-against average of 2.40.

"I'm happy we still have him," Clackson said. "He's good enough to be up there (the NHL)."

In 15 games, the Phantoms have allowed 37 goals, an average of less than 2.5 per game. If you throw out the two lopsided losses against Syracuse and Binghamton when they gave up 11 combined, they've allowed just two per night for the other 13 games.

The Phantoms have done that despite a defense that has experienced plenty of turnover. Three of the seven defensemen that dressed opening night are gone. Oskars Bartulis is in Philadelphia with the Flyers. Randy Jones is playing for the Los Angeles Kings after a trade. And Mike Ratchuk, also traded, is in Syracuse.

That's left a young crew, including three 20-year-old AHL rookies: Kevin Marshall, Marc-Andre Bourdon and Joonas Lehtivuori.

"The young guys are really stepping up, getting a good grasp of the game," Gilbert said. "They're really starting to understand how the game is played. They're gaining their confidence night in and night out because they're getting an opportunity to play. They're doing a great job for us back there and they're only going to get better."

The penalty kill that has been solid all year was stellar again on Wednesday. The Phantoms came in ranked 13th on the penalty kill and staved off nine Toronto opportunities, including two different Toronto two-man advantages, and a later power play where the Marlies pulled their goalie to create a six-on-four.

Of course, Gilbert would have rather not needed the strong play of Backlund and the penalty kill in the third. The Phantoms had just three shots in the period.

"We had opportunities to bury them," Gilbert said. "Our work ethic wasn't there, that killer instinct is something we have to build in. It was a nice win, but there are some things we have to work on."

The goals came from a likely and an unlikely source.

Matsumoto scored his team-leading seventh of the season on the power play to put the Phantoms ahead less than three minutes into the game.

Clackson, better known as a pugilist, added his first of the season in the second period to make it a two-goal cushion. Ryan Dingle led a three-on-two break and put a hard shot on the goalie. Garrett Klotz drove in and tipped it back to the hard-charging Clackson who swept it in backhanded.

"(Klotz) is a big body going in there, so I figured I'd clean up behind him," Clackson said.

That's the kind of hustle-goal the Phantoms have lacked during their scoring woes.

"That's textbook hockey," Gilbert said. "You drive hard to the puck, it distracts the goalie because the goalie has to focus not only on the shot but the guy coming at the top of his crease."

The win came in Gilbert's 900th career game as a coach at the NHL, AHL and OHL levels, a milestone he wasn't aware of until someone told him before the game. Despite it coming against the team he coached the last three seasons, Gilbert was reticent to say it meant anything more.

"It's nice to win, period," he said.

Loose pucks: Gord Dineen, son of legendary Adirondack coach Bill Dineen, is an assistant with Toronto. His brother Pete was there scouting for Columbus and Bill himself took in the game from the catwalk above the Phantoms' goal ... Christian Hanson, son of former Red Wing and Slapshot hero Dave Hanson, plays for Toronto. He picked up a double-minor for spearing ... Phantoms right winger Jason Ward did not dress for the third straight game. He's battling some bumps and bruises, but Gilbert called it a coach's decision.

Toronto (6-6-1-1) 0 0 0 - 0

Adirondack (8-6-1-0) 1 1 0 - 2

First Period - 1, Adirondack, Matsumoto (Maroon, Lehtivuori), 2:28 (pp). Penalties - Toronto, Deveaux (tripping); 1:42; Adirondack, Stephenson (hooking), 2:57; Adirondack, Dingle (holding), 6:28; Toronto, Rosehill (roughing), 9:50; Adirondack, Clackson (roughing), 9:50; Toronto, Ondrus (roughing), 16:09; Adirondack, Ross (roughing), 16:09; Toronto, Perry (instigating, fighting, misconduct), 17:34; Adirondack, Maroon (boarding, fighting), 17:34.

Second Period - 2, Adirondack, Clackson (Klotz, Dingle), 15:54. Penalties - Toronto, Boyce (tripping), 2:00; Toronto, Hanson (diving), 2:25; Adirondack, Mormina (tripping), 2:25; Adirondack, Clackson (interference), 5:09; Adirondack, Curry (slashing), 6:38; Toronto, Hanson (double minor - spearing), 7:39; Adirondack, Curry (interference), 12:34.

Third Period - none. Penalties - Toronto, Rosehill (interference), 2:31; Adirondack, Bourdon (boarding), 8:25; Adirondack, Legein (tripping), 8:59; Toronto, Boyce (kneeing), 12:54; Adirondack, Nodl (hooking), 14:00; Adirondack, Marshall (hooking), 16:22.

Shots on Goal - Toronto 6-9-10-25. Adirondack 10-8-3-21.

Power Play Opportunities - Toronto 0 of 9; Adirondack 1 of 5.

Goalies - Toronto, MacDonald (21 shots - 19 saves). Adirondack, Backlund (25 shots - 25 saves).

Referee - Mark Lemelin.

A - 2,823.