ICECAPS
St. John’s

1-5

PHANTOMS
Lehigh Valley

Lineup

Forward lines and defense pairings: 

[one_half]Carr – McCarron – Thomas
Andrighetto – Hudon – Holloway
De la Rose – Dumont – Eisenschmid
Crisp – MacMillan – Gregoire[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Barberio – Ellis
Hanley – Dietz
Bennett – Lernout[/one_half_last]

Goaltenders:

Tokarski
Fucale

Scratches: Josiah Didier, Dalton Thrower, Ryan Johnston (hernia), Nikita Scherbak (undisclosed), Brandon McNally (undisclosed), Eric Neilson, Tim Bozon (shoulder)
Injured reserve:

Game Report

After a six game home stand, the IceCaps embarked on six game road tour of Pennsylvania. Up first were the Lehigh Valley Phantoms entering the game with a record of 2-4-0-0. The Phantoms were coming off a 3-1 loss to the Toronto Marlies, with the Flyers affiliate looking slow and out of sync in most aspects of their game.

In Wednesday night’s game the Phantoms came out strong and didn’t let up putting the IceCaps on their heels for the entire first period.  In a bout early in the period, Connor Crisp was taken down by a stiff right to the face from Derek Mathers. After 20 minutes the shots on goal were 14-3 for the home team.

Thanks to a Sven Andrighetto power-play goal and some fine goaltending from Dustin Tokarski, the IceCaps were fortunate to be tied 1-1 after the first frame.

While the shots were far more even in the second (10-8 for the Phantoms) three Lehigh Valley goals would sink the IceCaps. St. John’s was passive in this game and found themselves having difficulty negotiating the neutral zone. Turnovers were also an issue throughout the game.

It was the highest goal output for the Phantoms all season. The IceCaps simply couldn’t get their speed game out of the box. One wonders if the visitors underestimated their hosts.

Former Hab Aaron Palushaj had two assists for the Phantoms playing on the top line with Tim Brent and Taylor Leier. Another alumn from the Canadiens organization, Davis Drewiske had one shot on goal for Lehigh Valley.

It was the first game for Mark MacMillan recently called up from the Brampton Beast. MacMillan was filling in for an injured Nikita Scherbak.

According to coach Lefebvre, the IceCaps will be better prepared on Friday when they return to the PPL Center.

▲     Sven Andrighetto

▼

1. Nick Cousins  LV
2. Taylor Leier  LV
3. Shayne Gostibehere  LV

• “The scoreboard tells you about the game and how it went. I thought that the first period we just weren’t there. We’re just coming off six games in nine nights in St. John’s. We were travelling (on Tuesday.) So, not to make excuses, but it looks like our team was flat in the first period and they had some jump. I know that we’re going to be better on Friday.“
• “I don’t think that they’re a team that… in the standings, it doesn’t really reflect what kind of team that they have. Their defense stabilizes their play and the goaltending. They have two or three lines that, they have speed so they…”
• “We didn’t know them at all, they didn’t know us at all either but we wanted to make a better first impression. But I know we’re going to be better on Friday.”
• “Well obviously (the goal on Friday is) to bring more energy. We need to come out… our starts have been really good in St. John’s so now we need to do the same thing on the road. If we do that we’re going to be fine.”
• “What I’ve been impressed with is the balance that we’ve had throughout the lineup and also in our transitional game. We want to play a fast game and we have some forwards that can make some plays. We want to give them the puck and be able to do their work.”
• “Tonight we couldn’t get through the neutral zone and get pucks in. We had too many turnovers and we looked not very sharp mentally and it cost us.”
• “We’re a team that is good with the puck. We try to have it and not give it away but sometimes… I got to give [the Phantoms] credit tonight. They played really well and they were in our face. We didn’t have much time and space to work with. Adding to that, we weren’t very sharp mentally and physically. It doesn’t make for a good recipe.”
• “[Our goaltending] has been good. It hasn’t been the problem.”
• “[Nikita Scherbak was out of the lineup due to] injury. He’s going to be (out) maybe a week or so.”

• Audio from an interview with IceCaps coach Sylvain Lefebvre conducted by Amy Johnson for IceCaps Hockey Report following the game.

Phantoms coach Scott Gordon

• “Even though they got the goal, you have to recognize what the situation was in the game at that point. We were going pretty good. You can’t control that puck going in the net, in a sense, but it’s how you respond to it, and we responded well.” (speaking to The Morning Call)

Quotes and audio courtesy of Rocket Sports Media

Nikita Scherbak watching his teammates intently from the press box. Looks like he would rather be out on the ice. #allhabs #GoIceCapsGO

— AHL Report (@TheAHLReport) October 28, 2015

It's been a long road, but @NHLFlyers prospect @S_Ghost14 has his first professional goal #STJvsLV pic.twitter.com/KUS9J8ieMj

— AHL (@TheAHL) October 29, 2015

The @LVPhantoms r all over the IceCaps with 6-0 edge in SOG, but no goals. STJ goalie Dustin Tokarskilooks stronger than his 2-1-2 record.

— Gary R. Blockus (@gblockus) October 28, 2015

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