MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - PHILADELPHIA, PA - The Phantoms are 15-4-1 for 31 points through 20 games, which completes the first quarter of the 2007-08 regular season. They start the week with a nine-point lead in the East Division, a two-point lead in the Eastern Conference and a tie with Chicago for the overall league lead.
Last year the Phantoms did not reach 31 points until January 10 and did not win their 15th game until January 17. The Phantoms are three points behind the pace of the 2004-05 Calder Cup team, which was 17-3 for 34 points after 20 games, and are four points ahead of the pace of the 1997-98 Calder Cup team, which was 11-4-1-4 for 27 points after 20 games.
BLACK FRIDAY DOUBLEHEADER - A RECAP
The Phantoms welcomed a season-high 11,556 fans to the Wachovia Center on Friday night, the largest home crowd since October 8, 2005 when 11,584 came out for Opening Night of the 2005-06 season. It’s the largest crowd to see a Phantoms game, home or away, since Philadelphia beat the Chicago Wolves 6-1 before 11,804 at Allstate Arena on Feb. 11, 2006.
Additionally, the Phantoms combined with the Flyers to bring 31,283 fans to the Wachovia Center on Black Friday. The Flyers welcomed a sellout crowd of 19,727 to their matinee with Washington that day.
DOWNIE POSTS FIRST PRO GOAL
Steve Downie scored his first professional goal on Wednesday against Norfolk and posted three assists on the week for a total of four points in three games. Downie now has a goal and 10 assists for 11 points in 10 games.
PICARD MINDING HIS MANNERS
Alexandre Picard has played in 19 games for the Phantoms this season and has recorded just two minor penalties for four minutes - a boarding penalty on Oct. 28 vs. Norfolk and a roughing penalty on November 10 at Binghamton. That pace puts him on target for just 16 PIM this season. In his rookie season of 2005-06, Picard appeared in 75 games and recorded 82 PIM. He spent most of 2006-07 with the Flyers.
ROSS NOMINATED FOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK
The Phantoms nominated center Jared Ross for Rbk/AHL Player of the Week consideration this week. Ross posted two two-point games this week, scoring a goal and adding an assist in the 7-3 loss vs. Norfolk on Wednesday and doing the same in the 6-0 win at Hershey on Saturday. Ross has seven goals and 10 assists on the season and joins what is now a four-way tie for the team lead in scoring along with Jonathan Matsumoto, Kyle Greentree and Alexandre Picard. Ross was also +2 on the week and currently leads the team in plus-minus with a +6 rating on the season.
HONORABLE MENTION - D Alexandre Picard: 3G, +3 in three games; RW Steve Downie: 1G, 3A in three games
PHANTOMS NOTABLES
The 6-0 shutout of Hershey on Saturday night was the second most lopsided shutout in Phantoms history. Philadelphia blanked Syracuse 8-0 on March 24, 1999 at the Spectrum. Brian Boucher was the Phantoms goaltender in both games… Saturday’s game completed a run of eight consecutive games against divisional opponents. The Phantoms posted a record of 5-3 during that stretch… The Phantoms are spreading their scoring around. Four players currently share the team lead in scoring, and the club has 11 players with 10 or more points on the season - more than any other team in the league. Three other teams - Chicago, Rockford and San Antonio - start the week with 10 players that have 10 or more points… Kyle Wanvig’s penalty shot against the Phantoms on Wednesday in Norfolk was the second the team has faced this season but just the 12th penalty shot against in team history. It was the first successful penalty shot against the Phantoms since April 6, 2005 when Pavel Vorobiev, coincidentally also of Norfolk, scored at Scope against Antero Niittymaki.
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