The Lehigh Valley Phantoms finished their weekend visit at the Bojangles’ Coliseum Sunday afternoon looking for the weekend sweep against the Charlotte Checkers. The Phantoms had defeated the Checkers 3-2 Saturday night.
From the moment the puck dropped to start the first period, both of these teams picked up where they left off. The Phantoms struck first five minutes and thirty-five seconds in the first period as Carsen Twarynski found Tyler Wotherspoon (2), who ripped a shot and scored to put the Phantoms up 1-0 with Carsen Twarynski (2) and Nate Prosser (3) assisting Wotherspoon’s goal.
The Phantoms made an error when an Interference call against Maksim Sushko put the Checkers on the power play. The Phantoms’ defense stood its ground and prevented the Checkers from scoring. The Phantoms remained in the lead 1-0 as the first period ended.
The second period was a different story; the Checkers came out with determination. The Checkers took control of the second period as they tied the game 1-1 on a goal by Gustav Forsling (3) with an assist from Chase Priskie (12) and Spencer Smallman (3).
However, the Checkers committed two penalties but the Phantoms could not capitalize on either one. With under two minutes to play in the second period, the Checkers took their first lead of the game on a goal by Roland McKeown (3) with an assist from Steve Lorentz (6). The Checkers led 2-1 at the end of the second period.
Down by a goal at the start of the third period, the Phantoms had work to do. The Phantoms tied the game 2-2 in eight minutes and forty seconds on a goal by Greg Carey (9). The Checkers responded a minute later with another goal by Chase Priskie (5) with assists from Janne Kuokkanen (13) and David Gust (10) to take back the lead 3-2.
The Phantoms tried to tie the game by pulling Jean Francois-Berube for an extra attacker; however, the Checkers put the game away 4-2 with fifty-seven seconds left of the game on an empty-net goal by Steve Lorentz (8) with an assist from Clark Bishop (6). The Charlotte Checkers defeated the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 4-2 to split the weekend series as they head to Christmas break.
The Checkers won the shots on goal total with thirty to the Phantoms’ twenty-eight. Both teams went zero for two on the power play. Phantoms goalie Jean Francois-Berube made twenty-six of twenty-nine saves, allowing three goals while Checkers goalie Anton Forsberg made twenty-six of twenty-eight saves allowing two goals.
The Phantoms return to the ice next Friday against the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins from Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza at 7:05 pm.
(player stats for the year)
