GAME STORY: 2019-20 Season - Laval at Lehigh Valley 1/11/20

ALLENTOWN, PA -- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (13-19-5) hope to turn things around this weekend when they face a Laval Rocket team that enters Saturday night's contest in the midst of a five-game winning streak.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

Line rushes in warmup:

Andy Andreoff - Morgan Frost - Mikhail Vorobyev Greg Carey - Cal O'Reilly - Kyle Criscuolo Isaac Ratcliffe - Connor Bunnaman - Pascal Laberge Maksim Sushko - Gerry Fitzgerald - Kurtis Gabriel

Tyler Wotherspoon - Nate Prosser Chris Bigras - Eric Knodel James de Haas - Reece Willcox

Alex Lyon - J-F Berube

Phantoms Scratches: Andy Welinski, German Rubtsov, Carsen Twarynski, Max Willman and T.J. Brennan

GAME STORY

1st Period

The Phantoms have to consider escaping the first period scoreless a moral victory after registering just three shots on net in the frame. With that being said, Lehigh Valley's defense in the first 10 minutes of the period was very strong. They only yielded one shot on net in that stretch because of their stout positioning which allowed them to negate shooting lanes and block some shots.

Laval was a different team in the second half of the frame. After winning a 7-5 barn-burner in Syracuse last night, it took them a little bit to get their legs under them. Alex Lyon came up huge for Lehigh Valley numerous times, especially on Laval's three power play opportunities.

2nd Period

Despite Laval's dominance early in the period, it's the Lehigh Valley Phantoms that exit the frame with a 1-0 lead. Kyle Crisuolo recorded his fifth of the season as he deflected a James de Haas point shot past Rocket goaltender Keith Kinkaid with 3:39 remaining before the second intermission.

Crisuolo's goal was the Phantoms' first in their last six periods on home ice. The last home goal they scored came in the second period of December 28th's tilt against the Utica off the stick Gerry Fitzgerald.

Alex Lyon's brilliance in net kept the Phantoms in the game early in the second when they were pinned in their own zone for long stretches. The veteran goaltender has stopped all 22 Laval shots through 40 minutes of play.

Phantoms were out-shot in the frame 13-10.

Third Period

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms, led by Alex Lyon, defeated the Laval Rocket 2-0. Lyon, after being pulled after allowing two goals in 3:05 of action last night against Utica, recorded his first shutout of the season and his second over his last three seasons.

After Criscuolo's late second period goal gave the Phantoms momentum heading into the break, the team took it into the third, notching seven of the first nine shots in the period. The team extended their lead when defenseman Tyler Wootherspoon's point shot found its way past Rocket goalie Keith Kinkaid.

The Phantoms will look to string two wins in a row together tomorrow afternoon when the take on the Cleveland Monsters.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

4:43: LV - (PP) Prosser, minor (delay of game) 7:22: LAV - (PP) Jevpalovs, minor (slashing) 12:54: LV - (PP) Sushko, minor (tripping) 17:55: LAV - (PP) Alain, minor (goaltender interference) 19:33: LV - (PP) Vorobyev, minor (tripping)

2nd Period

8:40: LV - (PP) Ratcliffe, minor (kneeing) 8:43: LAV - (PP) Barber, minor (tripping) 16:21: LV - Criscuolo (5) - de Haas, Bunnaman

3rd Period

3:59: LV - Wotherspoon (3) - Prosser, Vorobyev 7:02: LV - (PP) Prosser, minor (interference)

BOXSCORE

Laval Rocket  0 - 0 - 0 = 0 Lehigh Valley  0 - 1 - 1 = 2

Shots

Laval Rocket  9 - 13 - 15 = 37 Lehigh Valley  3 - 10 - 8 = 21

Goalies

LAV: Keith Kinkaid (19 saves - 21 shots) LV: Alex Lyon (37 saves - 37 shots)

Power Play

LAV: 0-for-5 LV: 0-for-3

Penalty Kill

LAV: 3-for-3 LV: 5-for-5