The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (31-22-6) continued their five-game homestand on Wednesday night against the Hershey Bears (35-16-7) for the eleventh time. The Phantoms were 2-7-1 against Hershey coming into this game.
Since the Phantoms’ last game, the Philadelphia Flyers recalled Tyson Foerster and Sam Ersson on emergency conditions. Ersson (19-12-2, 2.69 GAA, .905 SV%) returned to the Phantoms and started in goal but Foerster remains up with the Flyers. Nolan Maier was Ersson’s backup.
There were some lineup changes before the game. Elliott Desnoyers (illness) and Kevin Connauton (injury) were out for the game. They joined Troy Grosenick, Ryan Fitzgerald, and Will Zmolek.
The positive news for the Phantoms was Artem Anisimov returned to the lineup after missing Sunday’s game. He played on the first line. In addition, Jackson Cates and Wyatte Wylie also returned to the lineup. Cates played on the fourth line and Wylie was on the third line for defense. There was one milestone tonight as Max Willman played his 200th career AHL game.
A minute and fifty-four seconds into the first period, Hershey took the lead. They played with desperation after losing three straight games. Hershey rushed toward the Phantoms’ zone as Garrett Pilon (14) passed the puck to Jake Massie (8). Massie fired the puck but it tipped off Connor McMichael (13) before hitting the post. McMichael rebounded the puck and jammed it through the five-hole. It was 1-0 Hershey with 18:07 left.
Hershey generated several rushing chances but Ersson stopped 11 of their 12 shots. The Phantoms’ defense struggled against Hershey throughout this game. They were scattered on the ice, and the coverage was not good at all. Hershey kept finding ways to penetrate the Phantoms’ defense and came close several times to extending their lead.
Six minutes and five seconds later, the Phantoms tied the game. Cooper Marody (20) won the faceoff inside the Phantoms’ zone. The puck went to Adam Ginning (14) and he fired it off the end boards but Garrett Wilson (13) was there for the rebound and whisked it through the five-hole and into the net. The game was tied 1-1 with 12:02 left.
Lehigh Valley had ten shots on goal in the first period. Hershey made several more attempts to retake the lead but Ersson continued to make the saves. There were no penalties in the first period and the game remained tied 1-1.
Four minutes and fourteen seconds into the second period, the Phantoms went on their first power play after Hershey got caught with too many men. Unfortunately, the Phantoms could not score. Three minutes and fourteen seconds later, the Phantoms took the lead.
Cooper Marody (21) skated with the puck behind the goal net and found Garrett Wilson (14) and he pelted the puck over Fucale’s glove and into the net. It was 2-1 Phantoms with 12:32 left and Louie Belpedio (17) picked up the secondary assist. The Phantoms had nine shots on goal in the second period.
Five minutes and thirty-seven seconds later, Hershey tied the game when Beck Malenstyn (2) made a cross-ice pass in front of traffic to former Phantom Matt Strome (1) and he rifled the puck through the five-hole. The game was now tied 2-2 with 7:59 left.
Thirty-six seconds later, Hershey took the lead after Shane Gersich (11) bounced the puck off the side and into the direction of Julian Napravnik (2). Napravnik dangled around Wyatte Wylie before zipping the puck through the five-hole and into the net. It was now 3-2 Hershey with 7:37 left and Henrik Rybinski (10) earned the second assist.
The third goal by Hershey was the turning point of the game. Late in the second period, Shane Gersich went to put a move on Wyatte Wylie and the two collided and Wylie lost his glove. Afterward, Gersich went up to Wylie while he was down and roughed him up, leading Adam Ginning to get involved. The two players went to the penalty box and there were 50 seconds left of four-on-four as the second period ended. Hershey led 3-2.
Five minutes and thirty-eight seconds into the third period, Hershey extended their lead to 4-2. Bobby Nardella (16) stole the puck from Adam Ginning and found Shane Gersich (5) who buried it through the five-hole and into the net.
Four minutes and seven seconds later, Cooper Marody (22) made a terrific spinning pass to Garrett Wilson (15) and Wilson scored with a backhand shot over Zach Fucale’s left pad and into the net to complete the hat trick. Wilson is the first Phantom to score two hat tricks at the PPL Center and the third player to score two hat tricks behind Danick Martel and Nick Cousins. It was now 4-3 with 10:29 left.
From there, it was all Hershey. The Phantoms’ blown coverages led to the next Hershey goal. Henrik Rybinski (11) found Julian Napravnik (3) all alone and passed the puck to him and Napravnik scored for a 5-3 lead with 9:02.
Then, with 3:12 left, Sam Ersson was pulled but the Bears put the game away on an empty net goal by Bobby Nardella (5). Nardella shot the puck from way inside their zone. The Phantoms’ five-game winning came to an end with a 6-3 loss to Hershey.
Lehigh Valley only had two shots in the third period. Furthermore, Hershey snapped a three-game losing streak. As coach Ian Laperriere said after the game, “It was ugly on both sides.”
The Phantoms finished the night with 21 shots, 0-2 on the power play, and Sam Ersson made 24 saves. On the other side, Hershey had 29 shots, 0-3 on the power play, and Zach Fucale made 18 saves.
The two teams will meet again on Friday at 7:05 pm. Tickets for the game are available on StubHub.
