Game 71 Recap: Phantoms Falter In Charlotte To Begin Four-Game Road Trip

CHARLOTTE - Entering Tuesday night's game against the Charlotte Checkers, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms were 31-0-4 when entering the third period with a lead. Despite being largely out-played and out-shot (22-10) through 40 minutes of play, they held a 1-0 lead thanks in large part to the play of goaltender Dustin Tokarski who was under siege early and often.

The Checkers, despite not getting rewarded for their efforts in the first two periods of play, stuck with it and continued to dominate the Phantoms in the third period.

And it paid off.

Charlotte tallied three unanswered goals in the third period to rally for the win, moving one point within third place Providence in the Atlantic Division.

. . .

The Phantoms were largely out-chanced and outplayed by Charlotte in the first period, getting out shot 14-3 in the opening 20 minutes and leaning heavily on goaltender Dustin Tokarski. The Phantoms' netminder kept his team in the game when the ice was tilted in favor of the Checkers.

Despite the wide disparity in shots and offensive zone time, it was Lehigh Valley taking the 1-0 lead while shorthanded with 4:13 left before the first intermission. Nicolas Aube-Kubel stole a puck in the neutral zone, came down the right wing and sent a pass across to Radel Fazleev who beat Jeremy Smith to the short side post for his fourth of the season - his second shorthanded tally.

Lehigh Valley continued to lean heavily on Tokarski throughout the contest, and the Phantoms' goaltender made several incredible stops to keep his team afloat - and enter the third period with a 1-0 lead.

Ultimately, the Checkers' broke through in the third period.

First, a T.J. Brennan turnover in the offensive zone led to a 2-on-1 for Charlotte in the opening two minutes that they would capitalize on, and tie the game at 1-1. Greg McKegg, coming down the left wing, slid a pass across to Andrew Poturalski for his 20th of the season.

The Checkers would take the lead with 4:02 left in regulation on Marcus Kruger's 2nd of the season, and finished the comeback with an empty net tally in the final minute to complete the 3-1 final score.

Playoff Update: The Phantoms' magic number to clinch first place in the Atlantic Division remains at six points following Tuesday night's loss to Charlotte. The second place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defeated Hershey 5-3 to draw within seven points of Lehigh Valley, while third place Providence lost in regulation to Bridgeport. Charlotte's win has them within one point of Providence.

Looking Ahead: The Phantoms rematch the Checkers in Charlotte Wednesday before continuing their road trip Saturday night in Hartford before finishing the week with a Sunday afternoon tilt against the Providence Bruins.

Phantoms' Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)

Greg Carey - Phil Varone - Alex Krushelnyski Colin McDonald - Cole Bardreau - Carsen Twarynski Danick Martel - Mikhail Vorobyev - Tyrell GoulbourneRadel Fazleev - Mike Vecchione - Nicolas Aube-Kubel

T.J. Brennan - Mark Friedman David Drake - Reece Willcox Will O'Neill - Max Lamarche

Dustin Tokarski - John Muse

Scratches: Anthony Stolarz, Sam Morin, Phil Myers, Chris Conner and James de Haas

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

6:51: LV - (PP) Carey, minor (slashing) 10:32: CHA - (PP) Stortini, minor (hooking) 14:02: LV - (PP) Bardreau, minor (hooking) 15:47: LV - SHG Fazleev (4) - Aube-Kubel 16:26: LV - (PP) O'Neill, minor (roughing)

2nd Period

1:30: CHA - (PP) Finn, minor (cross-checking) 6:19: CHA - (PP) Gauthier, minor (holding) 12:32: LV - (PP) Martel, minor (slashing) 12:39: CHA - (PP) Tolchinsky, minor (high-sticking)

3rd Period

1:58: CHA - Poturalski (20) - McKegg 6:42: CHA - (PP) Kitchton, minor (holding) 10:58: LV - (PP) Martel, minor (goaltender interference) 15:58: CHA - Kruger (2) - Tolchinsky, Kitchton 19:12: CHA - ENG Ferrantino (3) - Roy, Robertson

BOXSCO0RE

Lehigh Valley   1 - 0 - 0 = 1 Charlotte  0 - 0 - 3 = 3

Shots

Lehigh Valley  3 - 7 - 12 = 22 Charlotte  14 - 8 - 17 = 39

Goalies

LV - Dustin Tokarski (27 saves - 29 shots) CHA - Jeremy Smith (10 saves - 13 shots)

Power Play

LV:  0-for-5 CHA: 0-for-5

Penalty Kill

LV: 5-for-5 CHA: 5-for-5

Attendance: 4,443