The Lehigh Valley Phantoms wrapped up another home-and-home series against the Hartford Wolf Pack Saturday night from the PPL Center. The Phantoms were coming off a 4-0 loss to the Wolf Pack Friday night and looking to end the Wolf Pack’s five-game winning streak.
With the heartbreaking news of former Phantoms player Oskar Lindblom, who was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma yesterday. The Phantoms were looking to win one for Lindblom.
The Phantoms came out on fire as the first period started and quickly got on the board one minute and twenty-two seconds into the first period on a goal by Chris Bigras (2) with assists from Kurtis Gabriel (2) and Nate Prosser (2) to put the Phantoms up 1-0. The Phantoms were playing with a lot of heart out on the ice. The Phantoms would extend their lead 2-0 as Nicolas Aube-Kubel (5) scored with German Rubtsov (6), and Tyler Wotherspoon (10) assisted Aube-Kubel’s goal.
The Wolf Pack had numerous opportunities to score as they were on the power play four times, but the Phantoms defense came through to stop any momentum the Wolf Pack had. The Phantoms led 2-0 at the end of the first period.
The action slowed down a bit in the second period. The Phantoms were on the power play a couple of times but couldn’t add to their lead. Neither team scored, and the Phantoms remained in the lead 2-0.
The action picked back up again in the third period as the Wolf Pack were able to cut the Phantoms lead in half 2-1 two minutes and twenty-two seconds into the third period as Ryan Gropp (1) scored with Tim Gettinger (5) and Boo Nieves (10) assisting Gropp’s goal. The Wolf Pack were starting to get momentum on their side, however the Phantoms quickly put a stop to it as Gerry Fitzgerald (2) scored to put the Phantoms back up by two goals 3-1 with assists from Reece Willcox (4) and T.J. Brennan (7).
The Wolf Pack were going on the power play as Phantoms defenseman Nate Prosser was called for hooking. The Wolf Pack would capitalize on the man advantage as Vinni Lettieri (10) scored to once again, cut the Phantoms lead to one 3-2. Danny O’ Regan (13) and Joey Keane (13) assisted Lettieri’s goal.
With time running out, the Phantoms were ready for the Wolf Pack to pull their goalie for an extra attacker, and the Phantoms made sure the Wolf Pack could not come back this time. Maksim Sushko (4) would put the game away on an empty-net goal to extend the Phantoms lead to two-goal 4-2 with Tyler Wotherspoon (11) and Jean Francois-Berube (1) assisting Sushko’s goal.
The Wolf Pack made one last push to get back into the game, but the Phantoms defense stood their ground and secured a 4-2 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack.
The Phantoms won the shots on goal total with thirty-three to the Wolf Pack’s twenty-eight. The Phantoms were unable to capitalize on the power play going zero for four while the Wolf Pack were one for five. Phantoms goalie Jean Francois-Berube made twenty-six of twenty-eight saves allowing two goals and Wolf Pack goalie Adam Huska made twenty-nine of thirty-three saves, allowing three goals.
The three stars of the game were Phantoms goalie Jean Francois-Berube with twenty-six saves and an assist, Phantoms right-winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel with one goal, and Phantoms defenseman Chris Bigras with one goal.
The Phantoms will wrap up the weekend tomorrow afternoon as they head to the Giant Center to take on the Hershey Bears at 5 pm.
(players stats for the year)
