ALBANY, NY – Justin Peters made 32 saves and recorded his second consecutive shutout as he led the Albany River Rats to a 2-0 win over the Philadelphia Phantoms Sunday night at the Times Union Center and then raised over $20,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities with their post-game jersey auction.

 

The River Rats scored the game’s first goal at 10:50 of the opening frame when Dominic D’Amour, in his third game with Albany since a March 20^th call-up from the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, sent a high slap shot over the glove of Philadelphia goaltender Scott Munroe. Fellow River Rats newcomers Tomas Pospisil and Cory Quirk assisted on the defenseman’s first AHL goal of the year.  Albany out-shot the Phantoms 12-5 through the first 20 minutes of play and, despite close calls at both ends of the ice, the score remained 1-0 through one period.

 

Albany’s Yannick Tifu doubled his teams lead early in the second period, burying a loose puck at the side of net to cap-off an extended span of River Rats pressure in the Phantoms zone.  Albany goalie Justin Peters remained strong in goal, helping the River Rats kill two penalties and stopping all ten shots faced in the frame to take a clean-sheet into the third.

 

Albany was on its heels through much of the third period and was out-shot 17-3, but Peters refused to budge, keeping his team ahead until the end.  The Phantoms pulled Munroe for the extra attacker with a little over 90 seconds remaining, but the best scoring chance of the final minute came at the stick of Albany’s goalie. With forty five seconds left on the clock, Peters also scored a goal himself on the Phantoms’ vacated net. He caught a shot with his glove, dropped the puck to his paddle and fired a long shot that slid just inches wide of the left post.

 

Goaltender Justin Peters made 32 saves for his second shutout of the weekend, his fourth of the year, and his 16^th win as Albany improved to 31-32-3-3 on the season. Philadelphia starter Scott Munroe stopped 23-of-25 shots and took the loss as the Phantoms fell to 35-28-2-4. Philly out-shot the Rats 32-25 in the game, but their fifth-ranked power play was held scoreless in six opportunities by Albany’s penalty-killers; the River Rats were 0-for-5 in the game with the man-advantage.

Following the game the River Rats hosted their third-annual Jersey Auction, selling their game-worn specialty jerseys with all of the proceeds donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.  The auction raised $20,060, topping the $20,000 mark for the second consecutive year and right wing Jakub Petruzalek, the Rats leader in points this season, saw his jersey go for the highest single amount at $1,600.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region, Inc. provides comfort, support and respite for families of seriously ill children in a compassionate and home-like environment through the operation of the Ronald McDonald House and the Ronald McDonald House Family Room in the Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center.  In addition, Ronald McDonald House Charities operates The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile in partnership with St. Peter's Health Care Services and also awards grants to programs in the community that enhance the lives of children.  The Ronald McDonald regional chapter supports a house on Lake Avenue in Albany, just blocks from the Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center.
 

Next up for Albany is a Wednesday, March 25^th trip to Western New York as they will battle the Rochester Americans in a 7:05 pm face off at Blue Cross Arena. The River Rats next home game is set for Friday, March 27^th at 7:00 pm against the Hartford Wolf Pack at the Times Union Center.

 

River Rats flex ticket packages and individual game tickets are on sale now at the River Rats office and the Times Union Center Box Office. For more information please contact the Albany River Rats at (518) 487-2244 or online at www.albanyriverrats.com.