Bulldogs Chase Phantoms, 3-1

By Patrick Williams
SJSports Special Correspondent

PHILADELPHIA – Undisciplined hockey is en vogue these days at the First Union Spectrum. Those penalties added up to a 3-1 win for the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs over the Phantoms last night at the First Union Spectrum. The hosts surrendered 11 power plays in the loss. Hamilton’s two power play goals were the difference. Ty Conklin had 25 saves in the Hamilton net. Fernando Pisani contributed a goal and an assist for the Bulldogs. For the Phantoms, meanwhile, Mark Greig’s four minors and Chris McAllister’s trio of minors summed up their night.

“Obviously, we’re going to have to clean up the penalties,” said coach John Stevens. “You can’t spend 30 to 40 minutes a night on special teams.”

The speedy Bulldogs lured Philadelphia into penalty trouble.

“Any good skating team has an advantage,” Hamilton head coach Claude Julien said of his team. “We have good speed and good stamina.”

The Phantoms had their chances early. John Slaney’s shot from the top of the slot beat Conklin but caught the right post midway through the opening period. Backchecking winger Marcel Hossa later broke up a McAllister-Greig two-on-one opportunity.

Hamilton, the league’s least-penalized club (17.2 minutes per game), yielded the contest’s first four power plays to Philadelphia. The Phantoms’ 14th-ranked power play struggled to generate pressure on Conklin. Hamilton’s penalty killers added to Philadelphia’s woes, pressuring Phantoms point men Brad Tiley and John Slaney at will.

The Bulldogs got on the board first when Pisani snapped a shot over Neil Little’s glove four minutes into the second.

A steady stream of Phantoms to the penalty box slowed the middle portion of the game, which saw Greig whistled for three minors.

Greig’s third minor of the game, coupled with a Brad Tiley minor, put the Bulldogs up two men early in the third period.

Hamilton’s power play quickly capitalized. Jason Ward took a pass from Mike Komisarek, waited for Little to commit and flicked the puck over Little to give the Bulldogs a two-goal cushion.

Later in the period, Greig’s fourth minor of the game produced another five-on-three advantage for Hamilton. The visitors sealed the victory when Benoit Gratton poked a rebound past Little to make it 3-0.

Greig halted Conklin’s shutout bid with three minutes left to play.

***SOUTH JERSEY SPORTS INSIDE THE GAME***

SCRATCHES

Hamilton: D Benjamin Carpentier, C Nate DiCasmirro, LW Tomas Plekanec, LW Matt O’Dette, D Francois Beauchemin and RW Michael Ryder

PHANTOMS: D Ian Forbes, D Dan Peters (concussion), LW Matt Zultek, D David Harlock (ribs)

THREE STARS

1. HAM – Pisani (1 goal, 1 assist)
2. HAM – Ty Conklin (25 saves)
3. HAM – Mike Ribeiro

ON TAP

Bridgeport visits the First Union Spectrum on Friday evening at 7:05 p.m.