Phantoms Lineup

Ryan Fitzgerald – Cal O’Reilly – Zayde Wisdom

Isaac Ratcliffe – Chris Mueller – Tyson Foerster

Garrett Wilson – Tanner Laczynski – Pascal Laberge

Brennan Saulnier – David Kase – Ralph Cuddemi

Egor Zamula – Linus Hogberg

Samuel Morin – Wyatte Wylie

Mason Millman – Derrick Pouliot

Zane McIntyre – Felix Sandstrom

Matthew Strome, Eamon McAdam, Tanner MacMaster, 

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

Game Report

Game Report written by Amy Johnson

Saturday’s matinee outing in Hershey didn’t go very well for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but they had a quick turnaround to get back at for an early evening matchup against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Monday night.

Zane McIntyre got his first start in four games, while Pascal Laberge made a return to the lineup. Last week’s CCM/AHL Star of the Week, Max Willman, was out tonight with an injury, as well as Linus Sandin.

First Period

The opening 20 minutes went by pretty quickly and mostly uneventfully. Well, unless you count the first AHL goal scored by Brennan Saulnier of course! David Kase set the play up beautifully when he drew goaltender Shane Starrett‘s focus to the slot then dished the puck over to Saulnier who was waiting to put it into the back of the net.

A slight scare in the final few seconds of the period when Isaac Ratcliffe collided with a teammate and looked to hold his rib area in pain. Thankfully he returned in the next frame and looked no worse for wear.

Second Period

Within a few minutes of the start to the second period, the Phantoms extended their lead when Garrett Wilson potted his first goal of the year. Again, it was the setup man that really made a difference here, when Samuel Morin muscled the puck down low in coverage and dished back out to Wilson in the slot who fired it home.

But then the Penguins found their footing and scored two of their own goals to even the score at 2-2. A scramble for a loose puck in the crease led to the first goal, by Tim Schaller, which drew the ire of McIntyre and Scott Gordon. Later, on a delayed penalty against the Phantoms, the Penguins struck again.

The activity in the crease, particularly after McIntyre would cover a puck, continued to increase and as it did, so did the group gatherings after whistles.

Third Period

Laberge made his mark in the third period when he gave the Phantoms the go-ahead goal by picking up a rebound and burying it in the Penguins’ net. It put Lehigh Valley in a good position to win the game, but the Phantoms uncharacteristically gave up a power play goal against and the game was tied again. 

Coming into the game, the Phantoms led the league on the penalty kill, having only allowed one goal against while shorthanded. This one sent the game to overtime, making it the sixth time this season Lehigh Valley went to extra minutes. Ryan Fitzgerald rung a shot off the post and in to put the Phantoms firmly in the win column.

What’s Next?

Plus / Minus

▲  Tanner Laczynski, Garrett Wilson, Samuel Morin, Wyatte Wylie

▼  Chris Mueller