GAME STORY: 2019-20 Season - Lehigh Valley at Hershey (12/7/19)

HERSHEY, PA -- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (10-9-5) look to finish the week on a positive after dropping games on Wednesday and Friday. They finish a home and home series with rival Hershey (10-9-5) at Giant Center Saturday.

GAME STORY

1st Period

In the opening period of the home-and-home rematch with rival Hershey, the Phantoms tested Hershey net-minder, Vitek Vanecek a bit more than they did in Allentown Friday night, but came away empty in the first period.

After a rather slow start that saw the Bears garner a few nice chances of their own on J-F Berube, the Phantoms kicked up the pressure, ending the period with 13 shots on goal. Berube was strong in net, stopping all seven pucks he faced in a very busy crease.

Both teams were unable to score on their lone powerplay chances.

2nd Period

In the second period, things got a bit physical after Kale Kessy sent Cal O’Reilly into the boards behind Vanecek. Greg Carey stepped up in defense of O’Reilly, but the scrum ended just about as quickly as it started with both players sitting for four-minutes.

After play resumed, Isaac Ratcliffe chased Tyler Lewington into the boards and appeared to elbow Lewington who is sporting a bubble after last Sunday’s game. Lewington took immediate offense and took a swipe at Ratcliffe with his stick. The pair squared off with both earning roughing penalties and misconducts. Ratcliffe also earned a minor for elbowing, which led to the game’s first goal.

Hershey defensemen, Christian Djoos and Alex Alexeyev sent the puck around the ice to Mike Sgarbossa who ripped a shot past Berube from inside the faceoff circle to give the Bears the lead.

The Phantoms then went on a powerplay of their own, but once again were unable to capitalize. A minor penalty to Reece Wilcox put the Hershey PP back out on the ice, but a big save from Berube kept it a one-goal game.

The Phantoms were 0-for-1 on the PP in the second while Hershey went 1-for-2. Vanecek stopped all seven pucks he faced in the period while Berube made seven saves on eight shots.

3rd Period

The third period started off with a bang as Kurtis Gabriel and Liam O’Brien engaged in some “friendly” conversation after coming out of the locker rooms, but it was Kale Kessy who answered Gabriel’s call as the two engaged in a lengthy scrap that ended with Kessy pointing to the Phantoms’ bench on his way down the tunnel. Gabriel took offense and was taken down to the ice by a linesman to avoid another altercation.

Less than a minute later, the Bears went on the man-advantage after TJ Brennan cross-checked Alex Alexeyev into the corner boards. The linesmen were quick to step in to stop yet another fracus.

Even though both teams benches were depleted due to injury and disqualification, the play didn’t slow down in front of Vanecek as the Phantoms kept the pressure on and held the Bears to five shots. Vanecek came up huge on all 12 shots he faced in the period including after Berube was lifted for the extra attacker.

The difference tonight ended up being the man advantage, where Lehigh Valley finished the game 0-for-4 including two third period power play chances. Hershey, on the other hand, went 1-for-4 - scoring the game's lone goal on the man advantage.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

10:29: LV - (PP) de Haas, minor (holding) 15:42: HER - (PP) Gerisch, minor (tripping)

2nd Period

11:49: LV - Carey, double-minor (roughing) 11:49: HER - Kessy, double-minor (roughing) 12:36: LV - (PP) Ratcliffe, minor (elbowing - served by Twarynski) 12:36: LV - Ratcliffe, minor (roughing) 12:36: LV - Ratcliffe, ten-minute misconduct 12:36: HER - Lewington, minor (roughing) 12:36: HER - Lewington, ten-minute misconduct 14:16: HER - PPG Sgarbossa (9) - Alexeyev, Djoos 14:58: HER - (PP) Nardella, minor (tripping) 17:15: LV - (PP) Willcox, minor (interference)

3rd Period

2:38: LV - Gabriel, major (fighting) 2:38: LV - Gabriel - game misconduct (abuse of officials) 2:38: HER - Kessy, major (fighting) 2:38 HER - Kessy, ten-minute misconduct (instigating) 2:38: HER - Kessy, game misconduct (fighting at puck drop) 3:21: LV - (PP) Brennan, minor (cross-checking) 12:53: HER - (PP) Fehervary, minor (hooking)

BOXSCORE

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

Shots

Lehigh Valley  13 - 7 - 12 = 32 Hershey  7 - 8 - 5 = 15

Goalies

LV: J-F Berube (19 saves - 20 shots) HER: Vitek Vanecek (32 saves - 32 shots)

Power Play

LV: 0-for-4 HER: 1-for-4

Penalty Kill

LV: 3-for-4 HER: 4-for-4