Phantoms Lineup

Ryan Fitzgerald – Cal O’Reilly – Zayde Wisdom

Max Willman – Chris Mueller – Tyson Foerster

Garrett Wilson – Tanner Laczynski – Linus Sandin

Isaac Ratcliffe – David Kase – Tanner MacMaster

Egor Zamula – Linus Hogberg

Samuel Morin – Wyatte Wylie

Derrick Pouliot – Mason Millman

Felix Sandstrom – Zane McIntyre

Matthew Strome, Eamon McAdam, Brennan Saulnier, Ralph Cuddemi

Kirill Ustimenko (hip surgery), Maksim Sushko (DTD), Pascal Laberge (DTD), Chris Bigras (DTD), Tyler Wotherspoon (DTD), Logan Day (DTD)

Game Report

Game Report written by Amy Johnson

After dropping their last two games, and finally getting their first regulation loss, last weekend against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Phantoms were back on home ice tonight to take on a familiar foe: the Hershey Bears.

Tonight, Felix Sandstrom got his second consecutive start in net, but the more interesting roster news came in the forward group as Tyson Foerster and Isaac Ratcliffe both returned to the lineup from injury. Then Samuel Morin, sent down from the NHL taxi squad earlier this week, wasn’t placed on the wing as he’s been playing for the Flyers. Instead, with the Phantoms down defensemen due to injury, Morin found himself on the left side of Wyatte Wylie on the back end.

First Period

The opening 20 minutes of play flew by in what seemed like an instant. About 15 minutes had passed before the first media timeout happened. Both teams spent most of the period in a tennis match back and forth down the ice, with neither side being able to set up any real sustained pressure in the offensive zone.

Then, about halfway through the period, the Phantoms broke through and got a puck past Phoenix Copley. Tanner Laczynski skated the puck below the goal line, around a sprawling defender, and dished the puck back in front to Linus Sandin who put it in the back of the net.

Only one penalty was called in the period, and it was on Rob O’Gara for holding with just 15 seconds left in the frame. The Phantoms had a couple of quick scoring chances on the power play before the intermission.

Second Period

However, the Phantoms didn’t do much with the 1:45 of power play time left over from the first period. In fact, they gave up a shorthanded goal to Martin Ferhervary on a two-on-one rush.

Then, two minutes later, Lehigh Valley restored their lead when Ratcliffe teed up a shot from the right circle and Tanner MacMaster deflected it into the Hershey net.

This was a much more loosely played period, and it suited the Bears quite well. It took more than 17 minutes in this frame for the Phantoms to muster more than two shots on goal. Turnovers were aplenty in the neutral zone, one of which led to a second shorthanded goal against. Coming into tonight’s game, the Phantoms led the league in the penalty kill, having only given up one shorthanded goal all season.

Finally, Hershey also added an even-strength goal to their tally when Shane Gersich went top shelf on Sandstrom.

Third Period

What’s Next?

With another win in their pocket, the Phantoms will have a couple of days to get back to practice before they travel to Hershey to take on the Bears for a Saturday matinee game.

Be sure to scroll down for full post-game audio with Ratcliffe, Foerster, and Scott Gordon.

Plus / Minus

▲  Isaac Ratcliffe, Tyson Foerster, Linus Sandin, Garrett Wilson

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