Game 36 Recap: Toronto Steals Shootout Win Against Lehigh Valley
TORONTO - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms turned around a slow start and a goal against in the opening minute with a pair of back-to-back goals in the middle frame Friday night in Toronto.
T.J. Brennan told Toronto media between the 2nd and third periods during an intermission interview that the Phantoms needed their best period of the night in the third, but were only able to hold onto the 2-1 lead until the final 3:39 of regulation.
Instead, Toronto stormed back and won the game in the shootout, stealing two points from Lehigh Valley and leaving them with just one point to show for their efforts.
Alex Krushelnyski and Oskar Lindblom tallied the goals for the Phantoms, the latter of which has now tallied goals in three straight games and five of his last six.
It was a goaltender's duel that saw Garret Sparks (33 saves) pick up the win after he stopped both shooters he faced in the shootout. Alex Lyon (35 saves) was not successful in securing any saves in the shootout loss for Lehigh Valley.
Looking Ahead: The Phantoms finish their two-game weekend road trip Saturday in Rochester against another tough North Division opponent Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Phantoms' Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)
Greg Carey - Phil Varone - Chris Conner Danick Martel - Corban Knight - Nicolas Aube-KubelOskar Lindblom - Mike Vecchione - Colin McDonald Alex Krushelnyski - Steven Swavely - Radel Fazleev
T.J. Brennan - Max LamarcheMark Friedman - Mark Alt Reece Willcox - Phil Myers
Alex Lyon - Dustin Tokarski
Scratches: Sam Morin, Will O'Neill, Cole Bardreau, Mikhail Vorobyev and Matt Read
Lineup Notes
Alex Lyon made his third straight start Friday night in Toronto. Dustin Tokarski served as the Phantoms' backup goaltender.
Defenseman Mark Alt returned to Lehigh Valley's lineup on defense, back from his call up to Philadelphia in the month of December. With Alt back, the Phantoms loaned James de Haas to their ECHL affiliate Reading Royals.
Forward Colin McDonald returned for his first game since suffering an undisclosed injury back on December 9th in Hershey.
Forward Tyrell Goulbourne was called up to Philadelphia Wedneday, his first career NHL call up. Travel issues prevented him from making his NHL debut on Thursday, but he is expected to play Saturday.
Defenseman T.J. Brennan and forward Danick Martel were named 2018 AHL All-Stars Thursday. Brennan making his fifth consecutive appearance, and continuing to rack up milestones - appearing in his 600th professional game Friday.
GAME RECAP
It looked as if it was going to be a long night for Lehigh Valley in Toronto Friday night, as the Marlies scored in the opening minute to take a 1-0 lead.
Kasperi Kapanen fired a shot from the right-wing circle that Alex Lyon was able to stop, but as he directed it to the far side corner Miro Aaltonen and T.J. Brennan converged and the puck ended up bouncing in off Aaltonen and in behind the Phantoms' goaltender. Lyon appeared to have been contacted before the goal, but there was no review or even a discussion amongst the officials. The goal stood as Aaltonen's sixth of the season.
For most of the period, Toronto was really taking it to the Phantoms. If not for some timely saves from Lyon, the game could have been much worse than just a 1-0 game heading into the 2nd period - perhaps foreshadowing the middle frame.
The Phantoms started to get to their game toward the end of the first period, and were rewarded for their efforts early in period two.
Alex Krushelnyski blocked a shot from the left point and raced to the loose puck - creating a breakaway and fooling Marlies' goaltender Garret Sparks with a smooth move to the backhand for his first of the season 2:27 into the middle frame to tie the game at 1-1.
The Phantoms took the lead with 11:15 left in the period, as Oskar Lindblom was the beneficiary of a friendly bounce on an odd man rush to the net.
Lindblom, on the left wing, tried to send a pass across to a Phantoms' forward cutting to the back door. Instead, the puck hit a defender and bounced right back to Lindblom, who was able to sneak one into what was basically an empty half of the net for his 12th of the season. The goal marked the third straight game Lindblom scored a goal, and he now has goals in five of his last six games.
Unfortunately, the Phantoms weren't able to hold on for the 2-1 win, as Toronto would tie the game late in the third period.
T.J. Brennan tried to pass to Steven Swavely from the corner in the defensive zone, and the pass was intercepted by Colin Greening who quickly took it to the net and beat Lyon with 3:39 left in regulation to tie the game up at 2-2.
The Phantoms had a late power play chance in the final 56 seconds, and it carried over into a 4-on-3 to start overtime, but were unable to win it with a power play goal.
Toronto also had a 4-on-3 power play late in OT, but also failed to convert - sending the game to the shootout.
In the shootout, Miro Aaltonen and Kasperi Kapanen both scored for Toronto to give them the extra point, while Chris Conner and Oskar Lindblom were stopped by Sparks.
GAME SUMMARY
1st Period
0:49: TOR - Aaltonen (6) - Kapanen
2nd Period
2:27: LV - Krushelnyski (1) - unassisted 8:15: LV - Lindblom (12) - Willcox 8:45: LV - (PP) McDonald, minor (slashing) 13:24: TOR - (PP) Clune, minor (tripping) 13:59: LV - (PP) Carey, minor (interference)
3rd Period
6:11: LV - (PP) Aube-Kubel, minor (kneeing) 10:04: TOR - (PP) Johnsson, minor (holding) 16:21: TOR - Greening (6) - unassisted 19:03: TOR - (PP) Mueller, minor (tripping)
Overtime
3:16: LV - (PP) Varone, minor (tripping)
Shootout
LV
Conner, no goal Lindblom, no goal
TOR
Aaltonen, goal Kapanen, goal
BOXSCORE
Lehigh Valley 0 - 2 - 0 - 0 = 2 Toronto 1 - 0 - 1 - 1 = 3
Shots
Lehigh Valley 13 - 12 - 8 - 2 = 35 Toronto 10 - 10 - 14 - 3 = 37
Goalies
LV - Alex Lyon (35 saves - 37 shots) TOR - Garret Sparks (33 saves - 35 shots)
Power Play
LV: 0-for-3 TOR: 0-for-4
Penalty Kill
LV: 4-for-4 TOR: 3-for-3
Attendance: 4,533
