For the first time, this season, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (15-17-6-2) were shut out Tuesday night at PPL Center against the Belleville Senators (18-18).
This game was a makeup game from December 15th. Sam Ersson started in goal. This was the start of a six-game homestand for the Phantoms.
The Phantoms came right out of the gate with several chances to score, twice by Hayden Hodgson. Both teams went back and forth with possession of the puck but could not find a way to get the puck into the net.
Late in the first period, the Phantoms committed two penalties by Garrett Wilson (high-sticking) and Adam Clendening (cross-checking). The Senators had 35-seconds of a five-on-three power play still scoreless. The shots were even at nine apiece.
In the second period, the Phantoms had difficulty stopping the Senators. With 11:18 left, former Flyer Michael Del Zotto (11) took a shot that bounced off Ersson before Zac Leslie (2) finished the play from the top left corner to take a 1-0 lead. Roby Jarventie (14) earned the secondary assists.
At 9:33, Charlie Gerard got caught holding that sent him to the penalty box, giving the Senators their power-play of the game. The good news was the Phantoms killed the power-play. But the bad news was they allowed another shortly after the power-play.
With 8:21 left, Michael Del Zotto (12) took another shot at Sam Ersson with Andrew Agozzino (11) poking the puck in the net for a 2-0 lead. Maxence Guenette (9) was credited with the secondary assist.
At one point, the Phantoms had one shot for most of the second period. The Phantoms did generate a rush late in the second period but could not find the net. The Senators led 2-0 after two periods, with Belleville leading the shots 20-15.
In the third period, Matthew Wedman (3) set up a screen for Maxence Guenette’s (3) shot from the right-center point that extended the Senators lead 3-0 with 17:57 left. Shortly after, the Senators added another goal with 14:49 left after Egor Sokolov (16) found Roby Jarventie (6) for a shot that went off the glove of Ersson 4-0. Jonathan Aspirot (8) earned the secondary assists.
Then, Felix Sandstrom came in for Sam Ersson. No reason was given at the time. However, according to head coach Ian Laperriere, InsideAHLHockey’s Tony Androckitis confirmed that Ersson was injured.
At 11:17, Adam Clendening went to the penalty box for the second time on a roughing call. Then, Michael Del Zotto (6) scored from the left point for a 5-0 lead. Logan Shaw (5) and Andrew Agozzino (6) assisted the goal.
Late in the game, the Phantoms were aggressively trying to end the shut-out but could not get the puck into the net. As a result, the Phantoms were shut out 5-0.
The Phantoms finished the night with 21 shots, 0/3 on the power-play, and Sam Ersson made 21 of 24 saves. Felix Sandstrom made four of five saves.
On Friday, the Phantoms continue the homestand against the Hershey Bears at 7:05 pm.
