The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (25-19-5) returned to the PPL Center for a quick two-game homestand on Saturday night. They took on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (21-20-7) for the seventh time this year.
Since the Phantoms’ last game, a couple of days ago. More players came down with the flu. The latest players to get the bug were Ryan Fitzgerald, Adams Brooks, and Cooper Marody. Meanwhile, Cal O’Reilly, Wyatte Wylie, and Jordy Bellerive were out for the game.
The good news for the Phantoms was that Isaac Ratcliffe, Elliot Desnoyers, Adam Ginning, and Hayden Hodgson all returned from either the flu or injury. In addition, the Phantoms called up forward Jacob Gaucher from Reading and sent defenseman Mason Millman back to the Royals.
This year, Gaucher has 14 goals and 17 assists (31 points) in 46 games for the Royals. Gaucher did not play tonight. Troy Grosenick (3-2, 3.53 GAA, .886 SV%) was in goal for Lehigh Valley with Pat Nagle as the backup.
In the first period. The Phantoms made too many bad passes that almost resulted in goals. Troy Grosenick made three terrific saves to keep the game scoreless. Both teams were sloppy with puck possession and neither team generated a chance unless it came from turnovers. Lehigh Valley had to kill off a penalty after Hayden Hodgson hooked Sam Houde. The Phantoms had nine shots on goal in the first period, and the game remained scoreless.
Twenty seconds into the second period. The Phantoms went on their first power play when Louie Belpedio was slashed by Drake Caggiula. Unfortunately, the Phantoms could not score. Hayden Hodgson went into the penalty box for the second time for slashing. Luckily, the Phantoms killed the power play.
It took five minutes and 21 seconds for the game’s first goal by the Penguins. Tyler Sikura (16) took a shot from near the Phantoms’ blue line and the puck bounced off Grosenick’s glove. Furthermore, Drake Caggiula (11) rebounded it and chipped it into the net with a backhand shot. It was 1-0 Penguins with 14:39 left.
The next Penguins goal came ten minutes and one second later. They were on their third power play of the game. As the Penguins were setting up a shot opportunity inside the Phantoms’ zone Ty Smith (11) passed the puck to Valtteri Puustinen (20). Puustinen ripped the shot that went off the left pad of Grosenick. Then, Alexander Nylander (20) retrieved it and flipped the puck over Grosenick’s left pad and into the net for a power play goal. It was now 2-0 Penguins.
The Phantoms had nine shots in the second period. At times, they were having difficulty getting into the Penguins’ zone of the chances, they did have. A couple of them came close to resulting in goals by Tyson Foerster and Elliot Desnoyers. The Phantoms trailed 2-0 after two periods.
In the third period. The Phantoms turned it around. It started a minute and one second in when Adam Karashik was tripped. It was the Phantoms’ second power play of the game. Four seconds after the power play expired. The Phantoms got on the board.
Garrett Wilson (14) passed the puck to Artem Anisimov (10) before he found Egor Zamula (1). Zamula pelted the puck with velocity and it went over the left pad of Taylor Gauthier and into the net. It was now 2-1 Penguins with 16:55 left.
Sixteen seconds later, the Phantoms tied the game. Adam Karashik (2) took a shot that unfortunately hit Ty Smith’s mouth. Hayden Hodgson (4) scrambled to get the puck into the net with a Penguins player on him before Alex Kile (1) took it and shot through the five-hole and into the net. The game was tied at 2-2. The Phantoms players and the home crowd were fired up.
On the downside, the Phantoms committed three penalties in the third period. One of them resulted in a penalty shot, and the other resulted in a goal. After winning the faceoff inside the Phantoms’ zone. Mitch Reinke (19) found Alexander Nylander (22). Then, Nylander passed the puck to Valtteri Puustinen (20) and he made a one-time shot over Grosenick’s right pad and into the net. The Penguins took a 3-2 lead with 13:45 left.
The Phantoms fought back and found a way to tie the game again. Adam Ginning (12) had the puck before sending it to Ronnie Attard (14). Attard took a shot that went off the glove of Taylor Gauthier. Once again, Alex Kile (2) was there to finish the play and quickly shot the puck into the net. The game was tied again 3-3.
The Phantoms dominated the third period with 19 shots on goal. They pushed hard to try and win the game with Max Willman taking a couple of shots. After 60 minutes of play. The game headed to overtime.
Neither team could find a way to end the game and it went to a shootout. Bobby Brink was up first for the Phantoms and scored. After two saves by Troy Grosenick. Tyson Foerster had a chance to end the game but could not control the puck. Sam Houde was up next for the Penguins but Troy Grosenick denied his shot and the Phantoms won the game by the final score of 4-3.
After the game, head coach Ian Laperriere said he was proud of how his guys responded in the third period. They showed a lot of guts, battling all night long, and pushing to make plays. It was a great team effort and now the Phantoms will have to do it again on Sunday.
The Phantoms finished the night with 38 shots, 0/4 on the power play, and Troy Grosenick made 25 saves. On the other side, the Penguins had 28 shots, 2/4 on the power play, and Taylor Gauthier made 34 saves.
The Phantoms host the Hartford Wolf Pack on Sunday at 5:05 pm on AHL.TV. The game will air on NHL Network. Tickets for the game can be purchased on StubHub.
