GLENS FALLS -- The last two times the Adirondack Phantoms played the Albany River Rats, things played out pretty similarly: Albany converts on an Adirondack defensive lapse to get a late goal and pull out an exciting victory.
The Phantoms get a chance to reverse the tide on Saturday night as the two meet in the third of their 12 game series.
The teams come in headed in different directions recently. The Phantoms have won two in a row and are 6-4 in their last 10 games to move into second place in the East Division heading into the weekend. Albany, meanwhile, has lost six of their last eight. The Rats broke a four-game losing streak with a win on Friday
The key to the Phantoms' better play lately has been the offense. Since being shut out in Toronto last Friday, the Phantoms have scored 10 goals in their last two games.
On Sunday, they got goals from five different players.
"That's the way it needs to be every night," Phantoms coach Greg Gilbert said after the win over Syracuse. "We can't rely on one line or one guy to produce."
One guy has been on a roll, however. Jon Matsumoto has 10 points in his last six games and five in his last two. He's done that despite playing without longtime line mate David Laliberte, who was called up to the Philadelphia Flyers last week and has two goals with the big club.
Stefan Legein has stepped into Laliberte's place and the line has continued to be the Phantoms' best.
Laliberte is not the only player to have moved on since the last meeting with Albany. Both teams have different looks.
The Phantoms' Lukas Kaspar, who saw time on the first line this season, left the team last weekend to play in Europe. Forward Krys Kolanos and defenseman Sean Curry have missed the last two games with injuries. Rookie defenseman David Sloane was called up from the ECHL to take Curry's place.
On the River Rats side, the Carolina Hurricanes recalled forward Zach Boychuk, who had four goals and nine points in 12 games. Boychuk was the Hurricanes first round pick in 2008.
The Rats are also without Adirondack nemesis Jacob Micflikier, who is back with Florida in the ECHL. In the team's last meeting at Albany, Micflikier scored despite arriving so late he missed warmups.
Loose pucks: The Phantoms have yet to win on a Saturday night this season ... Albany has just one power play goal in its last nine games.
Posted in Sports, Hockey on Saturday, November 7, 2009 12:20 am | Tags: Phantoms, Ahl, River Rats
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