Game 76 Recap: Phantoms Finish Penguins In Shootout
ALLENTOWN - It was a rather uneventful contest between the Phantoms and Penguins with the two teams in a scoreless tie into the final two minutes of regulation, but the home team gave its fans some excitement heading into the postseason - overcoming a late goal against before stealing the two points in the shootout.
After Penguins forward Garrett Wilson pushed Alex Lyon's left pad and the puck into the net - a play which Lyon commented on after the game as him genuinely thinking the referees made a mistake - the Phantoms pulled Lyon for the extra attacker and tied the game up with 45.2 seconds left.
Chris Conner tallied his 17th of the season to force overtime, and Lehigh Valley managed to kill off a 4-on-3 Penguins' power play in the extra session to get it to the shootout.
Both goalies - Lyon for Lehigh Valley and former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - stood tall and stopped all shooters they faced in the opening three rounds, but it was Nicolas Aube-Kubel with a nifty backhand-forehand fake in the fourth round that provided the Phantoms with all they needed to end the season on a positive.
Playoff Update: The Phantoms won't know their opponent until tomorrow when Providence/Springfield and Charlotte/Bridgeport provide clarity in the Atlantic Division Standings. What we do know at this point is that Lehigh Valley will face either Providence or Charlotte in the best-of-five opening round series. The most likely opponent is Providence, but if the Bruins win Sunday in Springfield AND Charlotte loses to Bridgeport in regulation then Charlotte will finish fourth in the division and face the Phantoms in the first round.
Looking Ahead: That's it on the regular season for Lehigh Valley. Next up is the opening round of the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs which will begin next weekend with Games 1 and 2 on the road next Friday and Saturday. Opponent to be determined after Sunday's games.
Phantoms' Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)
Chris Conner - Corban Knight - Pascal LabergeIsaac Ratcliffe - Mike Vecchione - Nicolas Aube-Kubel Tyrell Goulbourne - Cole Bardreau - Colin McDonald Alex Krushelnyski - Radel Fazleev - Carsen Twarynski
Reece Willcox - Max LamarcheDavid Drake - Mark Friedman Will O'Neill - Frank Hora
Alex Lyon - Dustin Tokarski
Phantoms' Scratches: Anthony Stolarz, Sam Morin, Phil Myers, Greg Carey, Mikhail Vorobyev, Danick Martel, Phil Varone, James de Haas and T.J. Brennan
POST-GAME REACTION
GAME SUMMARY
1st Period
1:00: WBS - (PP) Wilson, minor (elbowing) 7:10: LV - (PP) Fazleev, minor (cross-checking) 13:44: WBS - (PP) Sestito, minor (cross-checking) 19:37: LV - (PP) McDonald, minor (boarding)
2nd Period
9:31: WBS - (PP) Cramarossa, minor (cross-checking) 9:31: WBS - (PP) Cramarossa, minor (unsportsmanlike) 19:23: LV - (PP) Ratcliffe, minor (goaltender interference)
3rd Period
18:10: WBS - Wilson (17) - Summers, Sprong 19:14: LV - Conner (17) - O'Neill, McDonald
Overtime
2:39: LV - (PP) Friedman, minor (goaltender interference)
Shootout
WBS
Thomas - no goal Sprong - no goal Dea - no goal Wilson - no goal
LV
Ratcliffe - no goal Laberge - no goal Twarynski - no goal Aube-Kubel - GOAL
BOXSCORE
Lehigh Valley 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 1= 2 W-B/Scranton 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 = 1
Shots
Lehigh Valley 10 - 6 - 13 - 2 = 32 W-B/Scranton 5 - 11 - 9 - 2 = 27
Goalies
LV - Alex Lyon (26 saves - 27 shots) WBS - Michael Leighton (30 saves - 31 shots)
Power Play
LV: 0-for-4 WBS: 0-for-4
Penalty Kill
LV: 4-for-4 WBS: 4-for-4
Attendance: 8,643
