GAME STORY: Hartford - 3 at Lehigh Valley - 1 (10/23/21)

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms had come up short in two games last weekend, but had been generating the better of the play in their back-to-back 2-1 losses last week.

Tonight was a different story, in that the Phantoms were out-worked and out-competed by their opponent Saturday night in their home opener at PPL Center. If not for the play in net from Felix Sandstrom (38 saves - 40 shots) Lehigh Valley wouldn't have found themselves in a 1-1 game deep into the third period.

A go-ahead goal from Wolf Pack captain Jonny Brodzinski with 5:02 left was all Hartford needed, but they added an empty net insurance marker to seal the deal on a 3-1 win over Lehigh Valley who drops to 0-3-0 on the season with a quick turnaround Sunday at 3:05 p.m. ET when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins come to town.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Lineup Notes

Felix Sandstrom got the start in net for Lehigh Valley Saturday night against Hartford, with Samuel Ersson serving as the team's backup goaltender.

Mason Millman (lower body) and Linus Sandin (upper body) are on the team's injured list.

Phantoms Scratches: Mason Millman, Linus Sandin, Samu Tuomaala, Ryan MacKinnon & Hayden Hodgson

Lines/Pairings:

Max Willman - Morgan Frost - Tyson Foerster Isaac Ratcliffe - Cal O'Reilly - Gerry Mayhew Garrett Wilson - German Rubtsov - Maksim Sushko Brennan Saulnier - Connor Bunnaman - Jackson Cates

Cam York - Adam Clendening Egor Zamula - Logan Day Linus Hogberg - Wyatte Wylie

Felix Sandstrom - Samuel Ersson

Hartford Wolf Pack Lineup Notes

Adam Huska got the start in net Saturday in Allentown. Keith Kinkaid, who got the start Friday night in Wilkes-Barre, served as Huska's backup.

One lineup change from last night for Hartford, with Austin Rueschoff coming out and Cristiano DiGiacinto entering the lineup up front.

Scratches: Jeff Taylor and Austin Rueschoff

Lines/Pairings:

Tim Gettinger - Jonny Brodzinski - Anthony Greco Ty Ronning - Tanner Fritz - Lauri Pajuniemi Patrick Khodorenko - Justin Richards - Alex Whelan PC Labrie - Mike O'Leary - Cristiano DiGiacinto

Anthony Bitetto - Zac Jones Matthew Robertson - Braden Schneider Tarmo Reunanen - Zach Giuttari

Adam Huska - Keith Kinkaid

GAME RECAP

1st Period

There were quite a few whistles in the opening minutes, which didn't allow for much pace at the start of the contest, but as the period wore on the Phantoms' forecheck was really starting to establish itself - making life difficult for Hartford on the breakout.

Lehigh Valley got an early opportunity on the power play at the 2:03 mark, but were unable to convert. Tyson Foerster set up the Phantoms' best chance - and only registered shot - on that man advantage, spotting Maksim Sushko in the slot and from the right point sending a slap pass to the middle that Sushko was able to re-direct on net. Credit Wolf Pack goaltender Adam Huska for coming up with a timely save to keep the game scoreless.

Phantoms' netminder Felix Sandstrom also needed to come up with some big stops in the first frame, most notably stopping a Hartford breakaway attempt with a blocker save in the middle part of the period.

For as well as the Phantoms were playing, it still wasn't showing up on the scoreboard where it counts most. Hartford started to generate some attack in the waning moments of the period and appeared to be gaining an edge in play. A late period penalty on Adam Clendening on a Hartford scoring chance at the net front gave the Wolf Pack a chance to seize momentum before the first intermission.

Instead, Morgan Frost gloved down a puck at the defensive zone blue line on a chip-in attempt by the Wolf Pack power play unit and sent speedy forward Max Willman off to the races on a breakaway. Willman converted on the ensuing breakaway, going five-hole on Huska to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead - their first lead of the 2021-22 season - in the final 37 seconds of the period.

2nd Period

Credit to Hartford for not letting the late period goal from Willman to prevent them for getting right back at it in the middle frame.

They nearly tied the game on the opening shift of the period, if not for a great stop by Sandstrom. Anthony Greco got behind the defense entering the zone and he was able to re-direct a shot-pass on net. Luckily for Lehigh Valley, Sandstrom was equal to the task to keep Lehigh Valley ahead 1-0.

The Phantoms almost extended their lead in the opening five minutes, but a tipped shot hit the bottom of the crossbar and stayed out. The puck luck was not on Lehigh Valley's side, as the Wolf Pack took the puck down the other end and scored later on the same shift - with a gift from the hockey gods.

Ty Ronning sent a backhander on net on a 2-on-1 chance, and while Sandstrom made the pad save the rebound went right into the skate of Garrett Wilson and into the back of the Phantoms' net. Ronning got credit for the 'own goal', tying the game at 1-1 and giving Hartford momentum on their side.

Lehigh Valley had a chance late in the period on a power play, but turned in a poor effort on the ensuing man advantage. They didn't have even one successful zone entry during the two minutes, and the fans at PPL Center were booing as the power play expired.

If not for Sandstrom and his timely saves, the Phantoms would have found themselves trailing heading to the third instead of in a 1-1 deadlock.

3rd Period

Hartford jumped out to a strong start in the third period, recording the first eight of ten recorded shots on goal in the opening half of the period. Credit Sandstrom with some exceptional saves to keep Lehigh Valley in a tied game late into the third period.

While the theme of the Phantoms' two games last weekend was that of out-chancing and out-shooting their opponents but coming up short, it was Hartford taking it to Lehigh Valley in the middle frame and most of the third period. If not for Sandstrom's play in net, the game certainly wouldn't have been 1-1 in the final six minutes of regulation.

Then, off of a broken play following a Phantoms' defensive zone face-off, a puck bounced out from the corner right onto the tape of Hartford captain Jonny Brodzinski in the slot for a quick goal to put Hartford ahead 2-1.

Lehigh Valley had one last chance with 2:41 left to play, as Anthony Bitetto elbowed Brennan Saulnier up high in the corner and the Phantoms headed to a power play. They had several chances, but were unable to convert.

Bitetto exited the penalty box as Hartford was clearing the puck out of their zone, and Bitetto tallied an empty net marker to seal the deal on the Wolf Pack's 3-1 victory of the Phantoms.

After Bitetto's ENG, Garrett Wilson jumped him in response to his questionable elbow on Saulnier. Wilson, under AHL rule for being tagged for an instigator in the final five minutes of the game, will likely be receiving an automatic one-game suspension. Wilson got 29 minutes in penalties assessed to him after Hartford's empty net goal.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

2:03: HFD - (PP) Labrie, minor (slashing) 18:59: LV - (PP) Clendening, minor (slashing) 19:24: LV - SHG Willman (1) - Frost

2nd Period

5:05: HFD - Ronning (1) - Pajuniemi, Fritz 8:51: LV - Saulnier, major (fighting) 8:51: HFD: Labrie, major (fighting) 14:38: HFD - (PP) bench minor, too many men (served by Khodorenko) 19:49: LV - (PP) Ratcliffe, minor (high-sticking)

3rd Period

8:42: LV - Bunnaman, minor (roughing) 8:42: HFD - Fritz, minor (cross-checking) 10:06: LV - (PP) Foerster, minor (holding) 14:58: HFD - Brodzinski (2) - Greco, Gettinger 17:19: HFD - (PP) Bitetto, minor (interference) 19:27: HFD - ENG Bitetto (1) - Ronning 19:27: HFD - Bitetto, major (fighting) 19:27: LV - (PP) Wilson, minor (roughing) 19:27: LV - (PP) Wilson, minor (unsportsmanlike) 19:27: LV - Wilson, major (fighting) 19:27: LV - Wilson, ten-minute misconduct (instigating) 19:27: LV - Wilson, game misconduct (instigator in final 5:00)

BOXSCORE

Hartford   0 - 1 - 2 = 3 Lehigh Valley 1 - 0 - 0 = 1

Shots

Hartford   12 - 12 - 17 = 41 Lehigh Valley 8 - 7 - 7 = 22

Goalies

HFD: Adam Huska (21 saves - 22 shots) LV: Felix Sandstrom (38 saves - 40 shots)

Power Play

HFD: 0-for-5 LV: 0-for-3

Penalty Kill

HFD: 3-for-3 LV: 5-for-5