Fast Start Vaults Phantoms Past Checkers in Game 3 (LV leads series 2-1)
CHARLOTTE - It's becoming more and more clear what the Lehigh Valley Phantoms need to do in order to be successful against the Charlotte Checkers, especially after a big 5-1 win on the road in Game Three Tuesday night.
While the Checkers are potent offensively and quick in transition, the Phantoms controlled large portions of play tonight and in the first two games in Allentown when the two teams were at full strength, five-on-five.
Three even-strength goals led the Phantoms past Charlotte tonight, while they also got a crucial power play goal late in the 2nd period to really seal the deal. The Checkers fired 19 shots on Alex Lyon in the third period alone, and the bend but not break style of protecting the lead didn't come back to haunt the Phantoms who now lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.
With Phil Varone still out of the lineup and Nicolas Aube-Kubel suspended three games, the remaining forwards picked up their game. Oskar Lindblom tallied the final two Phantoms' goals on the night after even strength tallies from Mike Vecchione and Danick Martel 1:24 apart in the first period and Chris Conner's tally in the middle frame.
Phantoms' Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)
Oskar Lindblom - Corban Knight - Chris ConnerGreg Carey - Mike Vecchione - Tyrell Goulbourne Danick Martel - Mikhail Vorobyev - Radel Fazleev Alex Krushelnyski - Cole Bardreau - Colin McDonald
T.J. Brennan - Mark Friedman Sam Morin - Phil Myers Reece Willcox - Max Lamarche
Alex Lyon - Dustin Tokarski
Scratches: John Muse, Anthony Stolarz, Travis Sanheim, Will O'Neill, Steven Swavely, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Carsen Twarynski, Phil Varone, Pascal Laberge, David Drake, James de Haas and Isaac Ratcliffe
POST-GAME REACTION
GAME RECAP
The Phantoms looked overmatched and on their heels a bit in the opening few shifts Tuesday. A failed pinch in the offensive zone led to a 2-on-1 the other way, and it seemed like Charlotte was dominating in terms of zone time and puck possession. Alex Lyon came up with a big stop on the 2-on-1, and momentum quickly shifted in Lehigh Valley's favor soon after.
Mike Vecchione got a pass from T.J. Brennan in transition, and Vecchione's pass to the left for Chris Conner was broken up - leaving the loose puck sitting at the center point. Vecchione picked it up and attempted a shot on net, but that was also blocked. Vecchione's persistence on following up the play paid off as he got to his own broken up shot and fired one past Checkers' goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead 3:16 into the contest.
Lehigh Valley wasn't done there either, as they added to their lead 1:24 after Vecchione's game-opening goal. Danick Martel got a pass from Mikhail Vorobyev and came down the wing before cutting to the middle and being hooked to the ice, but not before he did his best Bobby Orr impression - flinging one on net while in mid-fall that eluded Nedeljkovic and extended their lead to 2-0 under five minutes into the contest.
Lyon was tested often in the opening period, including several net-front scrums and high-traffic situations, but stood tall and kept Lehigh Valley ahead 2-0 heading into the middle frame.
The penalty trouble that proved costly for the Phantoms in Saturday's 6-0 loss in Game 2 appeared to resurface early in the middle frame in Game 3.
Alex Krushelnyski was whistled for closing his hand on the puck, and the Checkers tallied on the power play 10 seconds later to cut the Phantoms' lead in half a 2-1 just 3:40 into the 2nd frame.
While it looked like Charlotte gained some momentum off their goal - a Valentin Zykov rebound at the net-front - the Phantoms went to work and flat out dominated the rest of the period while it was played 5-on-5.
Less than two minutes after Zykov's goal, the Phantoms took the two-goal lead back after Conner opted to shoot on a late developing 2-on-1 with Vecchione - beating Nedeljkovic to the far side post for his third of the postseason.
After successfully killing off a Checkers' power play, Lehigh Valley got a man advantage of their own for the first time on the night. They made it count, too, and just in time.
The Phantoms got it set up in the tail end of the power play, and Oskar Lindblom was first to a loose puck in the crease to tap one in to make it a 4-1 Phantoms' lead heading to the third period.
The Checkers threw everything they had at Lyon in the third period, out shooting the Phantoms 19-2. Some penalties gave the Checkers continued offensive pressure throughout the period but the goalie stood tall and the team closed out the win.
GAME SUMMARY
1st Period
3:16: LV - Vecchione (3) - Carey, Brennan 4:40: LV - Martel (3) - Vorobyev, Fazleev
2nd Period
3:30: LV - (PP) Krushelnyski, minor (closing hand on puck) 3:40: CHA - PPG Zykov (4) - Wallmark, Carrick 5:37: LV - Conner (3) - Vecchione 7:57: LV - (PP) Carey, minor (slashing) 10:56: CHA - bench minor, too many men (served by Saarela) 12:52: LV - PPG Lindblom (3) - Lamarche, McDonald
3rd Period
5:31: LV - (PP) Martel, minor (slashing) 14:26: LV - (PP) Carey, minor (cross-checking) 16:38: LV - ENG Lindblom (4) - Carey 18:27: CHA - (PP) Fleury, minor (cross-checking)
BOXSCORE
Lehigh Valley 2 - 2 - 1 = 5 Charlotte 0 - 1 - 0 = 1
Shots
Lehigh Valley 8 - 10 - 2 = 20 Charlotte 13 - 3 - 19 = 35
Goalies
LV - Alex Lyon (17 saves - 23 shots) CHA - Alex Nedeljkovic (11 saves - 15 shots in 32:52) and Jeremy Smith (4 saves - 4 shots in 25:39)
Power Play
LV: 1-for-2 CHA: 1-for-4
Penalty Kill
LV: 3-for-4 CHA: 1-for-2
Attendance: 4,822
