The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (3-2) returned home to the PPL Center on Sunday afternoon in a rematch against the Springfield Thunderbirds (1-4). The two teams played each other this past Friday in Springfield. Click here to read the recap.
Lehigh Valley made some lineup changes before today’s game. Brendan Furry played the first line replacing Alexis Gendron with Tanner Laczynski and Cooper Marody. Zayde Wisdom replaced Wade Allison on the third line with Garrett Wilson and Rhett Gardner. J.R. Avon and Wade Allison joined Jordy Bellerive on the third line.
On defense, Ethan Samson replaced Adam Karashik on the third line pairing up with Helge Grans. Parker Gahagen (1-0, 2.00 GAA, .933 SV%) started in goal for the Phantoms. The scratches for the game were Alexis Gendron, Adam Karashik, Evan Polei, Matthew Brown, and Jacob Gaucher.
In the first period, the Phantoms did not get their first shot off until 3:03 by Louie Belpedio. The Phantoms played better offensively in this game taking lots of shots, winning the one-on-one battles, winning puck possessions, and creating turnovers.
On defense, the Phantoms did a good job all game along not allowing Springfield to get set up for shots. This was an improvement from yesterday’s game.
At 12:54, the Phantoms struck first. They were setting up a shot opportunity inside the Thunderbirds’ zone. Ronnie Attard (2) made a pass to Adam Ginning (1), who fired the puck before Elliot Desnoyers (1) tipped it in through the five-hole and into the net. It was 1-0 Phantoms with 7:05 left to play in the first period.
Late in the first period, the Phantoms went on their second power play of the game on a holding call against Calle Rosen. The Phantoms were unable to score on both power plays. Lehigh Valley led 1-0 after the first period. They had seven shots on goal.
Two minutes into the second period, J.R. Avon went to the penalty box for goaltender interference. It was one of six penalties given up by the Phantoms in the game. However, the power play would not last long when Matthew Peca went to the penalty box for hooking.
Later in the second period, Springfield’s Matthew Peca (2) led the attack into the Phantoms’ zone. He passed the puck to Calle Rosen (2), who then passed it to Dylan Coghlan (1). Coghlan sniped the puck over Gahagen’s right pad and into the net. The game was tied 1-1 with 6:07 left.
Late in the second period, the Phantoms won the faceoff inside the Thunderbirds’ zone. Tanner Laczynski (6) got the puck to Adam Ginning (2), who then made a cross-ice to pass to Ronnie Attard (1). Attard took a shot that bounced off Malcolm Subban’s right shoulder and went up in the air before bouncing off the back of his jersey and into the net for a 2-1 lead with 2:47 left of the second period. The Phantoms led 2-1 with one period left to play. The total shots on goal was 12-10 Phantoms.
At 8:39 in the third period, the Phantoms went on the power play after Zach Dean tripped Rhett Gardner. A minute later, Samu Tuomaala (3) led the charge into the Thunderbirds’ zone. He passed the puck to Cooper Marody (3) looking for a shot.
Instead, he found Olle Lycksell (5) cutting inside the zone and passed the puck to him. Lycksell shot the puck over Subban’s right pad and into the net. It was now 3-1 Phantoms. For Lycksell, this was his fifth goal in three games. What a weekend for him.
Late in the third period, Ronnie Attard went to the penalty box for a double minor high-sticking. It was a bad call by the refs, who have not been good to start the season. The penalty would lead to a power play goal by Adam Gaudette (5) on the breakaway with 25 seconds left. It was now 3-2 Phantoms. Mathias Laferriere (1) and Matthew Peca (3) assisted with his goal.
The Phantoms defeated the Thunderbirds by the final score of 3-2. They close out the weekend with a 2-1 record. Lehigh Valley had 31 shots on goal, went 1 for 7 on the power play, and Parker Gahagen made 21 saves off 23 shots.
The Phantoms visit the Hershey Bears next Saturday at 7 pm on AHL.TV. Purchase Phantoms tickets today on StubHub and Viagogo.
