20 Thoughts from the Phantoms vs IceCaps Game

So last night was a big night for Good Night, Good Hockey. It was the first time that we were in the press box for a game.

As always, you need to get into a pattern when you try something new. So, every time we go to a game, we will write 20 thoughts down that we think of while watching it. These thoughts, let me tell ya, are the best.

1. 1. Momentum might not be able to be measured exactly, but you can try by showing how many decibels the crowd makes. Right after the Phantoms had a goal overturned, the crowd measured at around 65dB.  After getting some goal-scoring opportunities, it hit 80dB and fluctuated around 75dB. Obviously, the Phantoms gained momentum.
   2. The Flyers have talent up and down their farm system. Chris McCarthy, a recent call-up from the Royals, almost immediately provided an impact in the first period, with his goal being waved off.
   3. TJ Brennan is good. We knew that, but seeing one of the best AHL defensemen do his thing is fantastic to watch. 38 points in 46 games is an awesome number to have. From his stints in the NHL, however, it appears that he will remain an AHLer for life, but that is not a bad thing.
   4. AHL ads are quite funny. In the trapezoid, the number 99 is imprinted on the ice. But the number is succeeded by the word ‘bottles’. 99 bottles of beer on the ice would for sure cause an ice hockey game become something else.
   5. A quote from my friend: “The warm-up music is some of the worst I’ve ever heard.” I agree. Give me some Rocky music, and we will be all good.
   6. Charles Hudon can sure fire the puck. 24 seconds into the 2nd, he sniped one over the glove of Anthony Stolarz. That was his 25th point in his 29th game of the year.
   7. Samuel Morin has a lot of potential. He needs to currently work on his positioning. He was beat a few times. Stolarz bailed him out those times.
   8. Travis Sanheim looks like a complete product. He can skate well, handle the puck well, and he is very sound positionally. I’d say he is the top order of the Flyers defensive prospects.
   9. The Phantoms have an advertisement for the penalty kill. That must be a very cheap advertising spot to purchase. No one wants to hear it at all.
   10. Adding on to that, the Phantoms penalty kill came into this game at a 82.5% mark, good for 12th in the league. The IceCaps came into it with a 77.5% mark, 28th in the league.
   11. teve Carell’s character of ‘Brick’ from Anchorman yelling “loud noises” was played before the Phantoms powerplay. I like it. They scored on it as well.
   12. Before that goal, the IceCaps were doing a fine job at blocking any passing lanes. If they want to keep the Marlies from overtaking them for the 4th spot in the North Division, they need to get better on the penalty kill.
   13. The IceCaps are very familiar to being tied after the second period. This is their 15th game in that scenario. This is the 10th time for the Phantoms.
   14. Travis Sanheim continues to impress. He almost went end-to-end on the 3rd powerplay of the evening. I would place money on him being with the Flyers next year.
   15. Lindgren is a really underrated AHL goaltender. He has a .913 save percentage coming into this game, and he certainly has worked hard for every save tonight.
   16. The fan cam is a fun thing. The kiss cam is a very awkward thing sometimes. Ask GNGHockey writer Andrew Ostrosky about his experience on it. Or I can tell you! He has a friend that is a girl and she went to a game with him. He was booed 3 times because of the kiss cam.
   17. The Phantoms got off to a poor start. How do they change that? Mark Alt: “Just our preparation coming into that game. We know what they were doing tonight, we just weren’t executing the way we wanted to going into the first period.”
   18. Chris McCarthy played his first regular season game with the Phantoms tonight. Coach Scott Gordon on his play: “He played well. In training camp, I was impressed with his performance in both games. I knew him from Hartford, obviously, as far as his work effort and what he brought to the team….. I thought that if we were going to call up someone, he would be the guy.”
   19. Chris McCarthy on the difference between the ECHL and the AHL: “Down there, you obviously only have 3 lines, so you’re playing a bit more. I just think the speed of the overall game is faster over here. I don’t think there’s that much of a difference to it… I felt good out there.”
   20. Sanheim, as you’ve read, is a beauty. Gordon on his impact: “I think he’s doing a really good job of using his vision to find people. He’s playing with a lot of confidence with the puck whether he is carrying it up or having it in the offensive zone where he is feeding the puck… He’s doing a very good job of just playing a great overall game.

Originally published on GNGHockey.com