The Phantoms found a way to get it done Sunday afternoon in Bridgeport.

Game 30 Recap: Phantoms Survive Sound Tigers

Tony Androckitis

Dec 17, 2017 — 4 min read

BRIDGEPORT - It wasn't pretty, but the Lehigh Valley Phantoms found a way to earn two points in Bridgeport Sunday with a 3-2 overtime decision thanks to Corban Knight's seventh of the season in the opening minute of the three-on-three extra period.

The Phantoms were caught clinging to a 2-1 lead in the third period thanks to 2nd period goals from Steven Swavely (1st) and Danick Martel (17th) - assisted by Knight - but were out-shot 17-2 in the third before surrendering the game-tying goal with 4:00 left in regulation.

Still, the Phantoms got the job done and finished their busy four-game week with six out of a possible eight points - helping keep them towards the top of the ever-challenging Atlantic Division standings heading into the final week before a brief break for the holidays.

Looking Ahead: Just two games for Lehigh Valley next week before a brief hiatus for the holidays, as the Phantoms host Hartford Wednesday night and travel up the Pennslvania Turnpike to Wilkes-Barre to battle the Penguins on Saturday.

Phantoms' Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)

Greg Carey - Phil Varone - Chris Conner Nicolas Aube-Kubel - Corban Knight - Danick MartelOskar Lindblom - Radel Fazleev - Matt Read Tyrell Goulbourne - Radel Fazleev - Alex Krushelnyski

T.J. Brennan - Reece WillcoxWill O'Neill - Mark Friedman Adam Comrie - James de Haas

John Muse - Dustin Tokarski

Scratches: Sam Morin, Phil Myers, Cole Bardreau, Colin McDonald, Mikhail Vorobyev, Max Lamarche and Mike Vecchione

Lineup Notes

Dustin Tokarski got the start in net, his first start since being pulled from action three games ago in Charlotte after allowing three goals in 8:46 of play Tuesday night.

Other than the change in net, it was the same 18 skaters from the night before.

Both Max Lamarche and Phil Myers traveled with the team to Bridgeport, but neither took the pre-game warmup skate.

RECAP

In a fast-moving first period Sunday afternoon in Bridgeport, it was the Sound Tigers opening the scoring and taking a 1-0 lead on the Phantoms near the midway point of the opening frame.

Kane Lafranchise started the play with a seemingly harmless dump into the Phantoms defensive zone, but as the puck rimmed around the end boards it was Casey Bailey first to the puck and quickly centering one to Michael Dal Colle cutting to the net for his third of the season. Interestingly enough, Dal Colle's last goal came back on November 25th in the last meeting between these two teams.

After being largely out-played in the opening period, the Phantoms started the second frame on their heels a bit too - nearly going down 2-0 in the opening 90 seconds if not for a sharp save from Dustin Tokarski.

Instead, the Phantoms got back in the game - tying at 1-1 after a failed keep in by Bridgeport sprung Radel Fazleev on a 2-on-1 rush with Steven Swavely. Fazleev skated down the right wing with the puck and sent it cross-ice for Swavely, who beat Gibson to the spot for his 1st AHL goal this season in his third game up with the Phantoms this week.

Just over three minutes later, it was the Phantoms again lighting the lamp on a somewhat controversial goal by Danick Martel.

Corban Knight, from his stomach behind the net, flipped a puck for Martel in front and the rebound popped up in the air. Martel batted it in out of mid-air, but looked like he played the puck above the height of the cross-bar. The Sound Tigers argued the goal call, and after a quick center-ice meeting among the officials the goal stood.

Credit Swavely and Fazleev for sparking the Phantoms to a two-goal surge to turn a disappointing 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead in the middle frame.

The Phantoms and Sound Tigers almost made it all the way through the game without a single penalty until James de Haas's slashing minor 4:42 into the third period.

Lehigh Valley killed off the game's first penalty, but were clinging to the one-goal lead in the final frame - being out shot 10-1 at one point with about seven minutes left in regulation.

It was only a matter of time before Bridgeport would eventually tie the game up, and they did so on their 2nd power play of the period with four minutes left.

Sebastion Aho got the puck at the right point, and his point shot was tipped in past Tokarski by Casey Bailey to even the score at 2-2.

The Phantoms seemingly were lucky to get the game to overtime and salvage a standings point in the process, but early in the 3-on-3 Matt Read steered a puck out of the corner in the defensive zone and sent a stretch pass up to Knight on the right wing.

Knight skated in and let loose a slap shot that Gibson got a piece of with his glove, but not enough as it hit twine and sent the Phantoms bench over the boards to meet Knight behind the net to celebrate a rather fortunate 3-2 overtime win.