Here's an illogical stat: the Adirondack Phantoms have more wins (2-2) when they allow 35 or more shots than they do when they take 35 or more shots (1-4). That trend held up in Friday night's 3-1 loss. They peppered Rochester rookie goalie Connor Knapp with 42 shots -- including 25 in the second period -- but lost their fourth straight. They've had 40-plus shots in each of their past three.

Speaking to the team before they left, they didn't seem too concerned about their inability to score on the shots. They had four in the Binghamton game, which should have been enough to win. Keith Kinkaid played out of his head for Albany. Brayden Schenn said there's no need to worry as long as the shots are coming. If they stop coming, then it might be time to start to get concerned.

I wasn't with the team tonight, so I don't know if that thought has changed. I don't see why it would, but there was a stretch in the second period I doubt coach Terry Murray could have been happy with.

The Phantoms spent 7:09 of an 8-minute, 43-second span on the power play, but didn't score and allowed Kevin Porter to score his second goal of the night shorthanded. That's your ballgame.

Adirondack's power play has gone 3-for-25, or 12 percent, during this losing streak. In the three-game win streak that proceeded it, they were operating at a 26.6 percent clip (4-for-15). Big difference.

Somewhat unbelievably, this was Knapp's first professional win. He also hadn't played a game since Nov. 16, when he allowed three goals on 21 shots in a loss to Abbotsford. His statline before Friday's game included a woebegone 3.57 goals-against average and a .873 saves percentage. With 41 saves tonight, he's improved that percentage to .918 and dropped the goals-against average to 2.70.

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle caught up with him after the game. Cal Heeter made 18 saves for the Phantoms.

Birthday boy Sean Couturier scored for Adirondack and rookie Matt Konan got an assist in his AHL debut. Jeff Dimmen returned to the lineup after injuring himself in mid-November. Oliver Lauridsen did not play, but we'll see if he's in the lineup when Dimmen's old teammates are in town tomorrow.

Prescout: Syracuse also took 42 shots tonight. Five of them went in and they beat Hamilton 5-2. Around the AHL, Brothers Dar. and Dav. Dziurzynski and Ma. and Mi. Stone squared off as Binghamton picked up its ninth straight win, 6-1 over Portland. Cam Atkinson had four points to lead Springfield, the only other Northeast Division team in action, to a 5-1 win at St. John's. Former Phantom Kevin Marshall, now with Hershey, contributed to another odd statistic in Wilkes-Barre.

Matt Mangene had an assist in his Trenton debut.

I'll be back before the Syracuse game with more lines and links.

Until next time,
MC