The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (25-28-7-4) were at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza for a crucial game against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (31-27-4-4) Wednesday night.
They were looking to continue their momentum after last weekend’s sweep, including the Penguins last Friday. The Phantoms trailed the Penguins by seven points for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. This was the eleventh meeting between these two teams, with the Penguins leading the season series 6-4.
The Phantoms were without Wade Allison, who was injured last Sunday. Meanwhile, defenseman Egor Zamula returned to the lineup after sitting out Sunday’s game. Hayden Hodgson also returned to the Phantoms after spending time with the Philadelphia Flyers.
The rest of the scratched players were Adam Karashik, Garrett McFadden, Linus Hogberg, Ryan Fitzgerald, Maksim Sushko, Jackson Cates, Linus Sandin, Will Riedell, Sam Ersson, Darion Hanson, and Kirill Ustimenko.
Felix Sandstrom (14-16-3, 3.04 GAA, .899 SV%) started in goal for the Phantoms against Louis Domingue (9-7-2, 2.53 GAA, .921 SV%) of the Penguins. Finally, Garrett Wilson played his 500th career AHL game.
Forty-one seconds into the first period, Phantoms forward Max Willman was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Penguins defenseman Will Reilly was called for roughing. The penalties were offset for a four-on-four play for two minutes. Neither team came away with a goal.
There was a lot of back-and-forth action. Felix Sandstrom made a couple of nice saves, including a diving save off his left pad to stop Kyle Olsen’s shot. Then, with 1:49 left, the Penguins charged toward the Phantom’s zone.
Felix Robert (17) took a shot from inside the Phantoms right circle. Felix Sandstrom blocked the shot with his left pad. However, Sam Poulin (16) rebounded the puck and shot it past Sandstrom’s left skate and into the net for a 1-0 lead. Filip Hallander (14) earned the secondary assist.
Late in the first period, Michael Chaput slashed Max Willman, putting the Phantoms on the power play. The Phantoms had a minute and nine seconds left as the first period ended. The Penguins led 1-0, and the shots 11-9.
The Phantoms could not capitalize on the power play early in the second period. Not long after the power-play expired, the Phantoms went on another power-play after Cooper Zech was kneed in the stomach by Jamie Devane, putting the Phantoms on their second power-play. But, once again, the Phantoms couldn’t capitalize.
With 13:02 left, Cal O’Reilly was tripped by Will Reilly, putting the Phantoms on their third power-play. During the power play, the Penguins got the puck for a two-on-one play. Drew O’Connor (15) had the puck and quickly passed it to Jonathan Gruden (9). Gruden’s shot went over the left pad of Sandstrom and into the net for a shorthand goal. The Penguin’s lead was now 2-0.
Matt Bartkowski (11) earned the secondary assist. Once again, the Phantoms could not capitalize and were now 0/3 on the power-play. Meanwhile, the Phantoms offense could not get anything going. Penguins’ goalie Louis Domingue was stopping every shot the Phantoms took. The Penguins led 2-0 after two periods, and the shots were in the Phantom’s favor, 21-20.
Felix Sandstrom made two more nice saves in the third period that kept the game 2-0. Throughout the game, the Penguins were winning the battle for puck possession off the faceoff and, as a result, created shot opportunities.
The Phantoms were getting shot opportunities but still could not get the puck past Penguins goalie Louis Domingue. Domingue was having a good game.
Finally, with 5:31 left, Max Willman (5) had the puck and passed it to Hayden Hodgson (19). Hodgson, from the center point, sniped the puck past the left glove of Domingue and into the net, cutting the Penguins lead 2-1. Cal O’Reilly (27) earned the secondary assist.
With 2:07 left, Phantoms coach Ian Laperriere pulled Sandstrom. The Phantoms have panicked under these situations this season. Laperriere has failed to be patient and let the game unfold. Goalies typically don’t get pulled until less than a minute left in the game.
The Penguins ended the game with 1:02 left when Jonathan Gruden (10) scored an empty-net goal for a 3-1 win. It was Gruden’s second goal of the game. Matt Bartkowski (12) assisted Gruden’s second goal.
The Phantoms finished the night with 31 shots, 0/4 on the power-play, and Felix Sandstrom made 20 of 22 saves. The Phantoms now trail the Penguins by nine points for the final playoff spot.
On Friday, the Phantoms return home to the PPL Center against the Hershey Bears at 7:05 pm. Tickets for the game can be purchased courtesy of our friends at StubHub.
