Phantoms vs. Hamilton Bulldogs 12-18-09: Postgame

There were a lot of instances of the number 4 in this game. Hamilton went into the game with a league-leading four shutouts, and incremented that total by blanking the Phantoms 4-0. It was the fourth time this season that the Phantoms have been shut out.

This game marked John Grahame's debut with the Phantoms. He gave up a goal that he'd probably like to have back on the first shot of the game. Then, near the end of the period, Hamilton scored shorthanded on an odd-man rush that Grahame had no chance on whatsoever. The score remained 2-0 until late in the third period. Unfortunately, my flipping video stream went kaput at the start of the third period, so I saw nothing of the final frame, and eventually reverted to listening to the radio stream. So I never saw the third or fourth goals against; I do know, from the play-by-play, however, that the final goal deflected in off one of our defenders, so that sounds like another one that the netminder had no opportunity to stop.

I can't believe how much trouble this team has had scoring this season. I watched several of the guys who were on the team last season score goals in bunches -- now those same guys are, by and large, wringing sawdust (or composite dust, I guess) out of their sticks trying to find the back of the net. Maybe what some of them should do is look at videos of their goals from last season. If doing that gives them even a few small hints as to what they were doing when scoring wasn't at a premium, then it will be time well-spent.

Anyway... here are the relevant links for the game.

HERE is the box score on the AHL site.

HERE and HERE are the entries on the Post-Star Phantoms blog.

HERE is the Post-Star's coverage of the game.

HERE is the Phantoms site's game article.

Tonight, the Phantoms play in Worcester. It will be our second and final time meeting the Sharks this season; our first time was the heartbreaker of a last-minute loss at the Phantoms' home opener. Freaking Worcester scored with 11 seconds left to win that game. Time for some REVENGE. Go Phantoms!