GAME STORY: 2019-20 Season - Hershey at Lehigh Valley 12/6/19

ALLENTOWN, PA -- After falling 3-1 in Springfield Wednesday night in a 63-shot barrage, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms returned to PPL Center Friday night for the first in a home-and-home series with in-state rival, the Hershey Bears.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

Line rushes in warmup:

Greg Carey - Cal O'Reilly - David Kase Pascal Laberge - Connor Bunnaman - Carsen Twarynski Isaac Ratcliffe - Steven Swavely - Gerry Fitzgerald Matthew Strome - Kyle Criscuolo - Kurtis Gabriel

Andy Welinski - T.J. Brennan Mark Friedman - Nate Prosser Reece Willcox - Tyler Wotherspoon

Alex Lyon - J-F Berube

GAME STORY

1st Period

The Phantoms sent 13 pucks towards the net in the first, but despite a somewhat shaky start by Vitek Vanecek, it was the Bears who lit the lamp first.

After killing off an early Kody Clark high-sticking penalty, the Bears recorded the game’s first goal just 5:50 into the period. Philippe Maillet sent the puck towards Alex Lyon where Matt Moulson was waiting.

But the Bears couldn’t stay out of the penalty box, and with Eddie Wittchow sitting for holding the stick, the Phantoms evened the score late in the period. After some good side-to-side movement, Andy Welinski teed off on a shot from right inside the blueline which bounced off Vanecek and ended up in the back of the net. EDIT: The scoring of the goal was later changed to Welinski's fifth of the season, assisted by Kase and Mark Friedman.

Both Vanecek and Alex Lyon faced 13 shots. The Phantoms were 0-for-2 on the PP - though their goal came just as the penalty to Wittchow had expired. They also played a clean period of hockey, keeping out of the penalty box in the opening 20 minutes and keeping the Bears from getting to the man-advantage themselves.

2nd Period

Both teams were unable to capitalize on scoring opportunities in the second period until Mike Sgarbossa picked up the puck in the neutral zone and dropped the puck to a trailing Joe Snively to put Hershey back ahead on the scoreboard.

In an odd twist with 3:05 left in the middle period, the Phantoms went on a 5-on-3. With Shane Gersich in Hershey’s penalty box for a delay of game, Beck Malenstyn lost his helmet, but tried to play the puck out of the defensive zone giving the Phantoms a two-man advantage for 1:50. But the Phantoms were unable to capitalize on a handful of terrific chances as Vanecek the the Hershey PK stood tall.

At the end of the period, the Bears led 2-1 on the scoreboard and 29-21 in shots. The Phantoms were 0-for-2 on the PP in the period, while the Bears, who have the league’s worst PP % went 0-for-1.

3rd Period

In the third period, the Phantoms were unable to capitalize on an early PP after Beck Malenstyn decked Mark Friedman up high in front of the Hershey bench causing a minor confrontation. Friedman would be helped off the ice, but the Bears PK kept the pressure on Lyon and off of Vanecek, possessing the puck longer than the Phantoms for the two-minute minor.

Things went from bad to worse for the Phantoms as the period progressed as they were unable to mount much of an offensive, managing just four shots. Additionally, Connor Bunnaman was assessed a holding penalty on Erik Burgdoerfer late in the period, giving the Bears a man-advantage and limiting Scott Gordon’s chances to lift Alex Lyon for an extra attacker to try to tie the game.

With 1:30 to go in the game, Lyon finally was able to get to the bench, and the Phantoms had extended time in the offensive zone, but managed just one final shot on Vanecek who earned the win with 25 saves. The victory halted Hershey’s road-losing streak at seven.

Lyon was terrific in net, stopping 35 shots, but ultimately took the loss. The Phantoms finished the night 0-for-5 on the PP while the Bears were 0-for-2.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

2:40: HER - (PP) Clark, minor (high-sticking) 5:50: HER - Moulson (6) - Maillet, O'Brien 16:40: HER - (PP) Wittchow, minor (closing hand on puck) 18:41: LV - Kase (4) - Welinski, Friedman

2nd Period

1:47: LV - (PP) Wotherspoon, minor (high-sticking) 14:11: HER - Snively (6) - Sgarbossa, Pilon 16:45: HER - (PP) Gerisch, minor (delay of game) 16:55: HER - (PP) Malenstyn, minor (playing without helmet)

3rd Period

5:53: HER - (PP) Malenstyn, minor (checking to the head) 16:11: LV - (PP) Bunnaman, minor (holding)

BOXSCORE

Hershey  1 - 1 - 0 = 2 Lehigh Valley  1 - 0 - 0 = 1

Shots

Hershey  13 - 16 - 8 = 37 Lehigh Valley  12 - 9 - 5 = 26

Goalies

HER: Vitek Vanecek (20 saves - 21 shots) LV: Alex Lyon (27 saves - 29 shots)

Power Play

HER: 0-for-2 LV: 0-for-5

Penalty Kill

HER: 5-for-5 LV: 2-for-2