Phantoms Lineup

Ryan Fitzgerald – Cal O’Reilly – Zayde Wisdom

Maksim Sushko – Tanner Laczynski – Wade Allison

Isaac Ratcliffe – Chris Mueller – Linus Sandin

Garrett Wilson – Max Willman – Tyson Foerster

Tyler Wotherspoon – Logan Day

Linus Hogberg – Chris Bigras

Derrick Pouliot – Wyatte Wylie

Zane McIntyre – Eamon McAdam

Felix Sandstrom, Tanner MacMaster, Mason Millman, Ralph Cuddemi, Brennan Saulnier, Pascal Laberge

Kirill Ustimenko (hip surgery), David Kase (DTD), Egor Zamula (DTD)

Game Report

Game Report written by Amy Johnson

The PPL Center had on its Sunday best, but on a Wednesday, when the puck dropped for tonight’s game, as the NHL Network picked up the local Service Electric television broadcast to air nationally. 

New dad Zane McIntyre got the start in net, and Maksim Sushko returned to the lineup after spending some time as a healthy scratch. Max Willman moved to center the fourth line in the absence of David Kase due to injury.

First Period

There was no doubt the Phantoms impressed their fans and the national audience with the opening 20 minutes of play. But first, there was a bit of controversy.

With Paul LaDue in the box for delay of game, the Phantoms power play units went to work. Hershey goaltender Zach Fucale tried to cover up a loose puck, but didn’t quite get it frozen, but the official was watching from a bad angle and blew the whistle too early. Zayde Wisdom had retrieved the loose puck and put it into the net, but it was too late: the whistle had already blown.

After about five minutes of tentative, back-and-forth hockey where neither team could set up much of a presence in the offensive zone, Tyson Foerster was the first to light the lamp when he teed up a precise snap shot from the left circle.

Just 21 seconds later, Derrick Pouliot fired a shot on net that deflected off a Hershey body, up and over Fucale, and into the net to make it 2-0 Phantoms.

Curt Schilling found himself in the box for tripping, and the Lehigh Valley man advantage came up big when Foerster potted his second goal of the night off a rebound.

Second Period

Defensive play was the name of the game in the middle frame, with the Bears getting some pressure on Lehigh Valley. The penalty kill also came up big for the home team when they were tested twice in the period. 

Lehigh Valley’s penalty kill is currently ranked first in the league, at 90.4%.

Third Period

Plus / Minus

▲  Tyson Foerster, Zane McIntyre, Derrick Pouliot

▼  Chris Mueller, Maksim Sushko