GAME STORY: Hershey - 1 at Lehigh Valley - 4 (3/31/21)

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (11-3-2) got a big night from rookie Tyson Foerster (two goals, two assists) and a solid performance in net from new father Zane McIntyre (27 saves - 28 shots) in a 4-1 win over rival Hershey (11-5-2).

The win also made it 400 career wins for Scott Gordon as an American Hockey League (AHL) head coach, as Gordon became the 6th coach in AHL history to reach the 400-win mark with Wednesday night's victory.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

Zane McIntyre, who recently missed some time to be with his wife for the birth of their first child over the weekend, got the start for Lehigh Valley Wednesday vs Hershey. Eamon McAdam served as McIntyre's backup.

Matthew Strome was reassigned to ECHL Greenville earlier this week. With the return of Isaac Ratcliffe and the arrival of Wade Allison, the Phantoms suddenly find themselves with quite a few extra bodies. Strome gets a chance to get into regular game action, which is what the second year pro needs. He tallied one goal in three AHL appearances with the Phantoms this season.

Mason Millman and David Kase exited the Phantoms' lineup, while Wyatte Wylie returned on defense and Maksim Sushko replaced Kase up front.

Max Willman slotted in at center as the team is short at the position, while Sushko took Willman's old spot on the line with Laczynski and Allison.

Lines/Pairings:

Ryan Fitzgerald - Cal O'Reilly - Zayde Wisdom Maksim Sushko - Tanner Laczynski - Wade Allison Isaac Ratcliffe - Chris Mueller - Linus Sandin Garrett Wilson - Max Willman - Tyson Foerster

Tyler Wotherspoon - Logan Day Linus Hogberg - Chris Bigras Derrick Pouliot - Wyatte Wylie

Zane McIntyre - Eamon McAdam

Phantoms Scratches: Felix Sandstrom, Egor Zamula (injury), Tanner MacMaster, Mason Millman, Ralph Cuddemi, Brennan Saulnier, Pascal Laberge and David Kase

Hershey Bears Roster Notes

Lines/Pairings

Matt Moulson - Philippe Maillet - Brian Pinho Axel Jonsson-Fjallby - Connor McMichael - Damien Riat Joe Snively - Aliaksei Protas - Brett Leason Kale Kessy - Shane Gerisch - Kody Clark

Martin Fehervary - Paul LaDue Cameron Schilling - Reece Willcox Eddie Wittchow - Tyler Nanne

Zach Fucale - Pheonix Copley

Scratches: Lucas Johansen, Will Graber, Andrew Nielsen, Mason Morelli, Riley Sutter and Blake Pietila

GAME RECAP

1st Period

The Phantoms appeared to take an early 1-0 lead on the game's opening power play, only to have the play blown dead erroneously by an out-of-position referee.

Derrick Pouliot got a puck through from the center point, and Bears' goalie Zach Fucale tried to scoop the puck out of mid air with his glove - instead sending the rebound to the far side of the crease where an open Zayde Wisdom backhanded it into the empty net. Unfortunately, the referee lost sight of the puck and blew the play dead an instant before the puck went onto Wisdom's backhand - much to the chagrin of the Phantoms' fans at PPL Center.

Lehigh Valley did end up opening the scoring with 7:15 left in the period, on what was the beginning of a strong offensive showing from Tyson Foerster. Tyler Wotherspoon got a puck across to Wyatte Wylie in the Phantoms' defensive zone, and on the breakout Wylie got a puck ahead to Max Willman on the left wing. Willman sent a quick pass ahead to Foerster at the offensive blue line and Foerster did the rest - skating the puck in to the top of the left-wing circle before snapping one under the short side blocker for his third tally of the season.

On the next shift, the Phantoms extended their lead to 2-0.  Foerster hustled to the right-wing wall to force a turnover on a forecheck, getting a puck to Pouliot at the center point. Pouliot tried to send one to the net front for a tap in for Willman, but his pass went off the stick of Bears' forward Kody Clark - blooping up into the air and fluttering over Fucale and into the net.

Two Phantoms' goals in 26 seconds gave the home team plenty of momentum. They added to their lead a few minutes later on the power play, extending the lead to three.

Wade Allison had a pair of good chances on the aforementioned power play, the second of which - a hard quick one-timer from the slot - created a rebound that went right to Foerster for a rebound tally and Foerster's third point of the period. Foerster's 4th of the season capped three goals in a span of 3:18 to send the Phantoms to the first intermission with a 3-0 lead.

2nd Period

The Phantoms continued to apply pressure to start the 2nd period, which was encouraging to see considering Lehigh Valley's -11 goal differential in the middle frame this season was tied for the 2nd worst in the AHL this season.

A pair of Phantoms' penalties in the opening half of the period gave Hershey a chance to get back into the game, but the AHL's best penalty killing team was able to prevent the Bears from creeping back into the game in the middle period - killing off both penalties thanks to some timely saves from Zane McIntyre.

Lehigh Valley had a power play chance of their own in the final 1:54 of the period, with several just-miss attempts before the final horn sounded for the second intermission.

3rd Period

The two teams traded power play chances to start the final frame, with Hershey breaking McIntyre's shutout bid with 12:59 left in regulation on a re-direction in front by Kody Clark.

The Bears had a chance to make things interesting with 6:44 left to play, getting a power play with a chance to make it a one-goal game, but the Phantoms' penalty kill stood tall to preserve the 3-1 lead.

Foerster unselfishly passed across on a 2-on-1 in the closing seconds, allowing Ryan Fitzgerald to tally an empty net goal to cap the scoring on a 4-1 win for Lehigh Valley.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

5:04: HER - (PP) LaDue, minor (delay of game) 12:45: LV - Foerster (3) - Willman, Wylie 13:11: LV - Pouliot (3) - Foerster 15:01: HER - (PP) Schilling, minor (tripping) 16:03: LV - PPG Foerster (4) - Allison, O'Reilly

2nd Period

5:48: LV - (PP) Allison, minor (tripping) 9:12: LV - (PP) Foerster, minor (hooking) 18:06: HER - (PP) LaDue, minor (slashing) 19:43: LV - ENG Fitzgerald (9) - Foerster

3rd Period

1:57: HER - (PP) Wittchow, minor (tripping) 5:32: LV - (PP) O'Reilly, minor (slashing) 7:01: HER - PPG Clark (7) - Fehervary, Riat 13:16: LV - (PP) Wotherspoon, minor (slashing)

BOXSCORE

Hershey Bears  0 - 0 - 1 = 1 Lehigh Valley    3 - 0 - 1 = 4

Shots

Hershey Bears  7 - 9 - 12 = 28 Lehigh Valley    12 - 10 - 7 = 29

Goalies

HER: Zach Fucale (25 saves - 28 shots) LV: Zane McIntyre (27 saves - 28 shots)

Power Play

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

Penalty Kill

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