SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2005
HNA TIER 5 FALL/WINTER LEAGUE
PHANTOMS vs. MUTINY
Phantoms 2 -- Mutiny 3
[Editor's Note: Vanadilok reporting while Rolnick is on IR]
WILMETTE, IL – Entering the contest the Phantoms and Mutiny
were tied for first place atop Tier 5. Now only the Mutiny can
claim themselves as being undefeated in the eight-team division
as they handed the Phantoms their first loss of the season in
a close 3-2 matchup.
Although the Mutiny dominated the game offensively with their
passing and forechecking, the Phantoms defense had just enough
to neutralize most of their scoring chances. The Mutiny got
on the scoreboard early with a successful stuff attempt one
minute into the game. As Brandt tried to smother an attack in
the crease, a Mutiny forward forced the puck into the net before
the Phantoms defense could rub him out.
Halfway through the opening period, the Phantoms tied the game
up at 1 when Boyd snapped home a wrist shot after Cullis' initial
shot bounced off the Mutiny tender. Then the Mutiny thought
they had taken the lead shortly after only to have the goal
waved off due to an illegal hand-pass in the neutral zone by
a Mutiny player that sent a teammate on a breakaway.
In the middle frame, the Phantoms scored the only goal to take
the lead at 2-1. Thirsk made an end-to-end rush down the right
wing deking around several Mutiny skaters and sliding the puck
under the goalie and into the net.
The third period saw the Phantoms fall a little flat offensively
and defensively. Unable to pad their lead, the Phantoms gave
up the lead within a span of a minute-and-a-half midway through
the final stanza.
The Mutiny knotted the score up at 2 after the Mutiny took advantage
of a bad line change by the Phantoms. As the Phantoms were changing
and rushing down ice, the Mutiny had a 2-on-1 break that eventually
became 2-on-2 as Vanadilok got off the bench to aid Brandt.
But the help was a little too late as the Mutiny executed on
the initial attack.
Then 90 seconds later, the Mutiny struck again with a blazing
right-wing breakaway that put the Phantoms down a goal.
Although the Phantoms pulled Brandt for Cochran in the final
minute of the game, the Phantom offense was unable to muster
much of anything as the Mutiny kept them scrambling in the neutral
zone.
GAME NOTES: Boyd picked up 2 points (1-1) and has 5 points in
2 games; Thirsk has 4 goals in 4 games; Despite the loss, Brandt
and the Phantoms defense are still sporting a sub-2.00 GAA. |