The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (0-2) came up on the short end Sunday afternoon at the Giant Center against the Hershey Bears (2-0). The scratches for the game were 15 Maksim Sushko, 16 Matt Strome, 27 Samu Tuomaala, 40 Ryan MacKinnon, and 55 Nick Seeler. Samuel Ersson started in goal.
Early in the first period, Phantoms center Gerry Mayhew was slow to get up after blocking a shot. Luckily, he returned to the game a short time later.
The Bears struck first with 12:55 left in the first period when defensemen Tobias Geisser’s shot hit the pad of Ersson before former Phantom Mike Vecchione (1) rebounded the puck and scored with a backhand shot for a 1-0 lead.
The score remained 1-0 after the first period, with the shots even at eleven apiece. Tobias Geisser (1) and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (1) assisted Vecchione’s goal.
The Phantoms initially tied the game in the second period when Jackson Cates deflected logan Day’s shot for the goal. However, Cates’s stick was high, and the goal was waved off.
With 10:33 left in the second period, the Bears added another goal 2-0 when defenseman Cody Franson’s shot hit the board before Axel Jonsson-Fjallby’s backhand under the legs of Ersson for the goal. Brett Leason (1) and Cody Franson (1) assisted Fjallby’s goal.
Just as time expired in the second period, Bears right-winger Brett Leason initially scored to make it 3-0. However, after video review, the puck did not cross the line in time, and the score remained 2-0 Bears. The shots were 7-6 Phantoms. The Phantoms played a good two periods; they were taking shots and less passing the puck around.
In the third period, Phantoms right-winger Linus Sandin was cross-checked in the back while getting hit in the face with a puck. Sandin immediately got up and rushed to the bench. Crews were cleaning the blood off the ice. Sandin did not return to the game.
Finally, with 2:30 left in the third period, the Phantoms cut the Bears lead 2-1 when Cam York (2) made some nifty moves before sending the puck to Gerry Mayhew (1), who had an opening and scored.
What hurt the Phantoms late in the game was after Bears right-winger Garrett Pilon (interference) and Tobias Geisser (delay of game) set them up for a six-on-three power play with 1:15 left in the game. Unfortunately, the Phantoms could not muster any offense to take advantage. They would lose to the Bears 2-1. The shots were even at six apiece.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms goaltender Samuel Ersson made 21 of 23 saves, and the Phantoms were 0-8 on the power play.
The Phantoms will have their home opener at the PPL Center next Saturday, October 23rd, against the Hartford Wolf Pack at 7:05 pm.
