On Friday night, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (22-27-7-3) continued their six-game road trip in Laval, Canada, against the Laval Rocket (29-21-3-1). This is the second meeting between these two teams, with the Phantoms leading the season series 1-0.
Heading into the game, the Phantoms trailed the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins by eight points for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Joining the Phantoms on the roster was Brennan Menell, who was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this week. Meanwhile, it was a special night as Cal O’Reilly played his 1,000 career AHL game.
Felix Sandstrom (12-15-3-1) started in goal for the Phantoms with Pat Nagle as the backup. Meanwhile, Kevin Poulin (1-6-1, 2.39) started in goal for the Rocket.
The scratches for the game were Egor Zamula, Linus Hogberg, Jackson Cates, Nick Lappin, Ryan MacKinnon, Sam Ersson, and Kirill Ustimenko.
Two minutes into the first period, Adam Johnson was on the rush before getting hooked by Laval’s Xavier Ouellet, and no call was made. It was one of several missed calls by the referees that led the Phantoms players to retaliate when calls were not made.
The Phantoms didn’t register their first shot until midway through the first period. With 9:44 off the faceoff, the Rockets created traffic in front of Felix Sandstrom, with Olivier Galipeau (2) taking a shot from the right side.
The puck bounced off the wall, hit Sandstrom’s right stake, before Cedric Paquette (3), on his knees, pushed the puck into the net with Cal O’Reilly on him, putting Laval up 1-0.
After the goal, the Phantoms started to put pressure in Laval’s zone. The pressure led to the Phantoms going on their second power-play after Jean-Christophe Beaudin held Wade Allison.
With 2:55 left, the Phantoms crowded the Rocket’s zone. Adam Johnson (10) took a shot that bounced off the chest of Kevin Poulin. Garrett Wilson (12) was right there to retrieve the puck and scored past Poulin’s left side that tied the game 1-1.
Just as the first period ended, Adam Clendening was called for roughing Cedric Paquette. Head coach Ian Laperriere went to the referees after the period ended. The game remained tied 1-1, with Laval leading the shots 8-6.
Thirty-two seconds into the second period, Cedric Paquette (1) got the puck past a diving Wyatte Wylie from the left side that went in the direction of Jean-Sébastien Dea (18).
Dea’s shot went over the right glove of Sandstrom and into the net for a power-play goal. The Rocket’s led 2-1, and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard (20) got the secondary assist.
With 15:55 left, Garrett McFadden was tripped by Cedric Paquette, and no call was made. With 7:30 left, the Rockets created a traffic jam in front of Felix Sandstrom. Justin Ducharme took a shot that hit the left pad of Sandstrom.
He rebounded his shot and scored. However, the whistle blew just before Ducharme scored. After several minutes, the referees waved the goal off.
Two minutes later, Laval was back in the Phantoms’ zone. Laval’s Louie Belpedio (15) found Danick Martel (11). Martel picked his shot and fired the puck to the top right side over Sandstrom’s right shoulder and into the net for a 4-1 lead.
Late in the second period, Isaac Ratcliffe pushed Gabriel Bourque and was called for roughing. Once again, another bad call by the referees.
The Phantoms killed the power-play and were able to generate a rush just before the second period ended. After two periods, Laval led 3-1 and in the shots 19-16.
Four minutes and forty-five seconds into the third period, the Rocket were in the Phantoms zone. Xavier Ouellet (22) made a long pass that hit the stick of Cooper Zech before Cedric Paquette (4) redirected the puck past Sandstrom’s right side into the net for a 4-1 lead. Jesse Ylönen (16) earned the secondary assist.
With 13:47 left, Danick Martel hooked Adam Clendening, putting the Phantoms on the power-play. However, the Phantoms turned the puck over several times in their zone, giving Laval plenty of chances to score. Unfortunately, the Phantoms were unable to capitalize and were 0/4.
Then with 4:52 left, Laval returned to Lehigh Valley’s zone. Felix Sandstrom tried to find the puck. Meanwhile, Wade Allison smacked the puck away from Martel.
The puck went in the direction of Jean-Christophe Beaudin (2), who got control of the puck and shot it past Sandstrom’s right side into the net for a 5-1 lead.
Late in the game, newcomer Brennan Menell tripped Justin Ducharme, leading to a fight between the two. Menell was issued a five-minute major for cross-checking and tripping, taking him out of the game.
The Phantoms had a late rush in the final minute but could not score, and Laval defeated the Phantoms 5-1.
This game felt like the Phantoms were in a handicap match. The referees were calling many penalties on the Phantoms, while Laval got away with several that should’ve been called.
Because of this, the Phantoms players took matters into their own hands. After the game, head coach Ian Laperriere wanted to speak with the officials, but they avoided him.
Meanwhile, Laperriere’s new line combination didn’t help. The Phantoms needed players to step up. While some did like Wade Allison, the presence of Hayden Hodgson and Connor Bunnaman are sorely missed.
The Phantoms finished the night with 32 shots, 1/5 on the power-play, and Felix Sandstrom made 30 of 35 saves. Wade Allison’s seven-point streak came to an end.
The Phantoms wrap up the six-game road trip tonight in Belleville against the Senators at 7 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased courtesy of our friends at StubHub.
