Late shifts: Phantoms win AHL playoff in 5 OTs
ALBANY, N.Y. - It took five overtimes, more than five hours, and a combined 168 shots on goal before the Philadelphia Phantoms won the longest American Hockey League game.
The Phantoms' 3-2 win over the Albany River Rats, which started Thursday night and ended early yesterday morning, covered 142 minutes 58 seconds of game time. It took 5 hours 38 minutes to play.
Philadelphia put 101 shots on goal, including Ryan Potulny's winner 2:58 into the fifth overtime.
The Phantoms have a 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
"Most guys are tired after one game," Albany goaltender Mike Leighton told the Times Union of Albany. "We just played almost three. It's definitely a tough loss for us. Everyone's tired, but we're going to have a day off and travel to Philly and try to get some wins there." Game 6 is today at 1:05.
The previous AHL record for the longest game was 114 minutes 56 seconds May 30, 2003, when Hamilton beat Houston, 2-1.
The longest NHL game, March 24, 1936, ended after 176 minutes 30 seconds, when Mud Bruneteau's goal gave Detroit the win over the Montreal Maroons.
