Via sportslogos.net

Remember when the Flyers’ AHL affiliate played right next door at the Spectrum? It was a good time to be a hockey fan in the city of Philadelphia, since we essentially had two teams to root for. Then we were more interested in our rookies because we had watched them while they were playing in the AHL.

Unfortunately the Spectrum is now the Xfinity Live Center, and the Phantoms are no longer that Philadelphia Phantoms. When I started on as the AHL contributor on Broad Street Buzz, I found myself accidentally keep typing the Philadelphia Phantoms instead of the Adirondack Phantoms. And on a site note why is Adirondack the hardest word to pronounce? So it’s weird to have them no longer in Philly, but they returned on Friday night to play the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins at the Wells Fargo Center during the Flyers’ night off.

The Phantoms got off to a good start in the first when Marcel Noebels scored on the power play half way in. Phantoms goalie Cal Heeter managed to keep the Baby Pens out of his net up until the very last period. Bobby Farnham saved the game for the Pens by scoring late in the third to tie the game. With a few minutes left all the Phantoms needed to do was hold on until an OT or score to seal the deal, but unfortunately they could do neither.

Brian Gibbons scored to give the Pens the lead which they kept despite there being at least five more minutes left in the game. The Pens took the game, as the Phantoms continue to drop in the rankings this season.

The game was a pretty good one for the Phantoms. Maybe up-state New York just isn’t where they need to be to do well. Wearing their retro jerseys and playing in their old city, just looked right for the Phantoms. Will they play as well when they change to electric blue and orange when they move to Allentown, PA in a few seasons?

Via sportslogos.net

The only thing the Phantoms were good at doing in their last game, was fighting and letting too many goals into their net. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Phantoms straight up destroyed the Adirondack Phantoms shutting them out 3-0.

It took a little time, but halfway into the first period, the Penguins got their lead with a goal from Warren Peters.  PIMs were pretty even for the team’s but in the second period it began to get a bit rough.

Both teams had trouble getting to the net, most likely due to all the roughing they were doing. Near the end of the period,  a fight broke out, between Phantoms’ Cullen Eddy and Penguins’ Adam Payerl. The fight seemed to bring more momentum to the Penguins as Alex Grant scored a late period goal against Cal Heeter to increase the Penguins lead to two goals.

The third period was just as rough with another fight breaking out between Oliver Lauridsen and Zach Sill. Sill also got two minutes for instigating the fight in addition to a 10 minutes misconduct due to it. Despite getting the two man advantage for instigation, the Phantoms didn’t bank on it.

Late in the last period, Peters sealed the Penguins win with another goal to lead them 3-0.

The Phantoms biggest problem has always been that they take too many penalties. With the NHL back they also have had to adjust their lines and call up players from the Trenton Titans, so they are just not adjusting to losing some key players.

This may also be why the Flyers are struggling. The rookies are bringing mistakes that should stay in the AHL into the NHL and it is really affecting the Flyers chances at a playoff run.

Via sportslogos.net

Like their NHL Affiliate, the Phantoms do not like the Wikes-Barre Scranton Penguins. The Phantoms fell 2-1 to the Penguins in their game last Saturday, increasing their bad record this season.

Scranton got on the board first early on with a goal from Thompson while on the power play from a Phantoms tripping penalty. This was the only scoring in the first as the Phantoms took more penalties than scoring opportunities.

New recruit Noebels tried to help the Phantoms redeem themselves by scoring the first Phantoms goal 8 minutes in. Unfortunately for the Phantoms, the Penguins where right behind them. Dumoulin scored late in the period to give the Penguins the lead once again.

Neither team was able to score in the third period, so the Penguins took the win by defeating the Phantoms 2-1.

The Phantoms are back on the ice Friday night in a game against the Albany Devils.