Twenty-four hours after a double overtime loss, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms returned to the Bojangles Coliseum on Friday night against the Charlotte Checkers in game three of the Calder Cup playoffs.
Before the game, the Phantoms made a couple of minor lineup changes. Cal O’Reilly and Louie Belpedio were out with injuries and Jackson Cates and Will Zmolek were inserted into the lineup. Cates played on the first line and Zmolek was paired with Wyatte Wylie on defense.
In addition to O’Reilly and Belpedio, Troy Grosenick, Adam Karashik, Egor Zamula, Ryan Fitzgerald, Hayden Hodgson, and Matt Brown were out for the game. Sam Ersson was in goal with Nolan Maier backing him up.
In the first period, the Phantoms had eight shots on goal. Lehigh Valley went on the power play two minutes and thirty-seven seconds in but could not score. There was a lot of contact and calls that could’ve been made but the refs let them play. Sam Ersson stopped all seven of Charlotte’s shots as the game remained scoreless after one period.
In the second period, Lehigh Valley’s defense went up with the offense to try and score a goal against former Phantom Jean-Francois Berube. However, it cost them when Charlotte scored three goals in the first seven minutes of the period by Patrick Giles (1), Riley Nash (2), and Dominic Franco (1).
Lehigh Valley had 13 shots on goal but they still could not put one behind Berube. Later, Charlotte scored two more goals from Henry Bowlby (1) and Cameron Morrison (1) on the power play. Sam Ersson was out of gas. Charlotte led 5-0 after two periods but the Phantoms led the shots 22-18.
In the third period, Nolan Maier was in goal. Seven minutes and thirty-four seconds into the period, Riley Nash boarded Tyson Foerster and he was down for a bit before getting back up and skating back to the bench. During the power play, former Phantom Connor Bunnaman scored a breakaway goal for a 6-0 lead with 11:13 left.
The Phantoms were unable to put the puck into the net as their season came to a brutal end with the final score of 6-0 to the Charlotte Checkers. It was the first time Lehigh Valley had been shut out all season long. The Checkers will play the Hershey Bears in the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs.
Lehigh Valley finished the game with 31 shots, 0-4 on the power play, and goalies Sam Ersson and Nolan Maier combined with 20 saves. On the other side, Charlotte had 26 shots, 1-4 on the power play, and Jean-Francois Berube made all 31 saves.
While another season of Phantoms hockey is now in the books. There is a lot of optimism for next season. Emil Andrae, Brendan Furry, and Will Zmolek are guys to keep an eye on next season. Meanwhile, the tuff part about this season ending is we will have to say goodbye to several players who are either retiring, moving to another team, or will head up to the Flyers.
Tyson Foerster and Sam Ersson are likely playing for the Flyers next season, while Artem Anisimov and Cal O’Reilly will likely not be with the Phantoms next season. Some guys will return like Cooper Marody who will help the team next season.
Finally, we’ll see if guys like Jordy Bellerive and Troy Grosenick return next season. I think the Phantoms will sign a new goalie to back up Nolan Maier. To those who are departing the Phantoms. Thank you for making memories and we wish you nothing but the best in your next endeavors.
