GLENS FALLS -- Bad starts have become an uncomfortable habit for the Adirondack Phantoms. In six of their first nine, including Friday's 3-0 loss to Toronto, the Phantoms have allowed the game's first goal.
For the second straight game, coach Greg Gilbert wasn't pleased with the opening period intensity. Toronto led 2-0 after one and outshot the Phantoms 14-4.
"We came out and we didn't want to play a hard game. You're not going to win hockey games when you don't want to play hard," Gilbert said. "You have to be ready from the drop of the first puck. It's about the battle mentality and doing what has to be done to succeed. We were soft."
The Phantoms were missing two big offensive weapons. Jared Ross was not with the team, tending to the birth of his child. Jon Kalinski had the flu. Both are possibilities for Sunday's game against Syracuse, a team the Phantoms trail by one point for fourth place in the East Division.
The team, which didn't make it back until the wee hours on Saturday, held a practice Saturday afternoon to address some of the ailments that have cropped up on this two-game losing streak.
One of those areas of concern is the offense. After Friday's shutout, the Phantoms have scored just 19 goals, the lowest total in the American Hockey League. They mustered 19 shots.
Gilbert wants to see more pucks put out front and more skaters crashing the net.
"We hit the blue line and we stop our feet. We've got no depth and penetration on our attacks," Gilbert said. "Everybody stands and watches. Nobody throws the puck to the net, so why would you bother going there? We've got to change that mentality."
Stefan Legein replaced the recalled David Laliberte on the right wing of the top line with Pat Maroon and Jon Matsumoto. The line had a tough night in Toronto, with each player finishing a minus 3.
Gilbert said changes to the lineup are likely.
"I've got to shift things around. I can't let things like that happen every night," Gilbert said.
Goalie Johan Backlund, who did not make the trip to Toronto because of illness, practiced on Saturday for the first time in several days. He's a possibility for Sunday.
Posted in Sports, Hockey on Sunday, November 1, 2009 12:00 am | Tags: Tim Mcmanus, Phantoms
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