GAME STORY: Hershey - 2 at Lehigh Valley - 3 (1/30/22)

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (14-14-8) overcame an early third period deficit on the back of two shorthanded tallies from captain Cal O'Reilly and a game-winning tally from Linus Sandin (one goal, one assist) in another big regulation win over a top team in the Atlantic Division.

After starting the season with just three wins in their opening 19 games, tonight's win moves the Phantoms to a .500 record for the first time this season.

Felix Sandstrom stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced to pick up his fifth win of the season.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Lineup Notes

Felix Sandstrom got the start in net for Lehigh Valley Sunday against the Bears. Garrett Metcalf served as the Phantoms' backup goalie, with Pat Nagle (Team USA) off to Beijing for the 2022 Olympics.

Egor Zamula remained out of the lineup with what head coach Ian Laperriere told InsideAHLHockey.com Friday night is a non-COVID illness.

German Rubtsov missed his fourth straight game with what InsideAHLHockey.com is hearing is a lower body ailment.

Samuel Ersson and Tyson Foerster remain on the team's injured list, though both are skating and working their way back into the fold.

Phantoms' Scratches: Samuel Ersson, Egor Zamula, German Rubtsov and Tyson Foerster

Lines/Pairings:

Maksim Sushko - Cal O'Reilly - Charlie Gerard Garrett Wilson - Jackson Cates - Linus Sandin Alex Kile - Matthew Strome - Hayden Hodgson Brennan Saulnier - Nick Lappin - Ryan MacKinnon

Linus Hogberg - Adam Clendening Cooper Zech - Wyatte Wylie Mason Millman - Logan Day

Felix Sandstrom - Garrett Metcalf

Hershey Bears Lineup Notes

Zach Fucale got the start in net for Hershey Sunday evening in Allentown. Pheonix Copley served as the team's backup goaltender.

Bears Scratches: Cody Franson, Macoy Erkamps, Mike Sgarbossa, Garrett Pilon, Matt Moulson, Alex Alexeyev and Bobby Nardella

Lines/Pairings:

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby - Mike Vecchione - Brian Pinho Beck Malenstyn - Shane Gersich - Mason Morelli Kale Kessy - Marcus Vela - Kody Clark Drake Rymsha - Riley Sutter - Chris Brown

Lucas Johansen - Dylan McIlrath Colby McAuley - Tobias Geisser Eddie Wittchow - Jake Massie

Zach Fucale - Pheonix Copley

GAME RECAP

1st Period

The Phantoms got off to a good enough start in their third game in three days, getting an early power play chance and opening up a 5-1 edge in shots on goal, but were unable to get an early goal Sunday like they did in rapid succession Saturday night in Hartford.

It seemed like the Phantoms' early momentum was going to be slowed after Hayden Hodgson was whistled for an offensive zone hooking infraction at the 7:00 mark of the opening period.

Instead, Charlie Gerard chipped a puck behind the Bears' net on the ensuing penalty kill and later stole the puck - feeding it below the right-wing circle for Cal O'Reilly. After a slick toe-drag move to elude a Bears' defender at the side of the net, he roofed one past Bears' goaltender Zach Fucale for his seventh of the season to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead with 11:56 left in the first frame.

In fact, the Phantoms nearly scored a second shorthanded goal on the next shift following O'Reilly's tally. Jackson Cates and Linus Sandin nearly teamed up to put Lehigh Valley ahead by two, but credit Fucale for making a big stop to prevent an even further momentum swing in the Phantoms' favor.

2nd Period

Things slowed down a bit in the middle frame after an early chance from Garrett Wilson in the left-wing circle.

Lehigh Valley, in their third game in as many days, played a simple yet effective game - preventing much of anything from getting through to netminder Felix Sandstrom. And when did make it through, Sandstrom was in position to make the necessary save to preserve the Phantoms' 1-0 lead.

Hershey started to generate some chances as the period wore on, and threatened on the power play in the final three minutes - tying the game at 1-1 with 2:04 left before the second intermission.

Former Phantoms forward Mike Vecchione fired a hard shot through traffic from the right point, and it found the back of the net. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Lucas Johansen picked up assists on the game-tying goal.

Bears' defenseman Jake Massie took exception to a hit he took from Hayden Hodgson in the closing seconds of the period, and appeared ready to drop the gloves with the Phantoms' forward. Hodgson dropped his gloves and began swinging away on Massie, who could only manage to defend himself by protecting his head/face as Hodgson swung away.

Tempers flared as the period came to a close, and the two teams headed to the locker room in a 1-1 deadlock.

3rd Period

The low-event game continued into the final frame before Vecchione tallied his second of the game to put Hershey in front with 13:15 left in regulation.

Vecchione re-directed a point shot from Lucas Johansen from atop the left-wing circle, and the puck eluded Sandstrom on its way into the back of the net. Brian Pinho added a secondary assist on the play.

But the Phantoms didn't quit.

Instead, O'Reilly tied the game at 2-2 on his second shorthanded tally of the evening with 7:46 left in regulation after a great area pass from Linus Sandin.

The momentum created from O'Reilly's tying goal propelled the Phantoms as just over two minutes later Sandin finished off a play at the net to put Lehigh Valley ahead 3-2.

Hershey pulled Fucale for the extra attacker in the final 1:15, and were buzzing at the Phantoms' net to the final horn, but Lehigh Valley was able to hold on for a big 3-2 regulation win.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

1:34: HER - (PP) Clark, minor (slashing) 7:00: LV - (PP) Hodgson, minor () 8:04: LV - SHG O'Reilly (7) - Gerard 9:44: LV - (PP) Millman, minor (interference) 16:05: HER - (PP) McAuley, minor (slashing)

2nd Period

2:17: LV - (PP) Millman, minor (hooking) 17:14: LV - (PP) Lappin, minor (holding) 17:56: HER - PPG Vecchione (8) - Jonsson-Fjallby, Johansen 19:26: LV - Hodgson, major (fighting) 19:26: HER - Massie, major (fighting)

3rd Period

6:45: HER - Vecchione (9) - Johansen, Pinho 7:25: HER - Brown, minor (cross-checking) 7:25: HER - Gersich, minor (roughing) 7:25: LV - Day, minor (roughing) 7:25: LV - Wilson, minor (roughing) 10:49: LV - (PP) Clendening, minor (delay of game) 12:14: LV - O'Reilly (8) - Sandin, Hogberg 14:26: LV - Sandin (6) - Wilson, Cates

BOXSCORE

Hershey Bears 0 - 1 - 1 = 2 Lehigh Valley   1 - 0 - 2 = 3

Shots

Hershey Bears 7 - 11 - 10 = 28 Lehigh Valley   11 - 7 - 4 = 22

Goalies

HER: Zach Fucale (19 saves - 22 shots) LV: Felix Sandstrom (26 saves - 28 shots)

Power Play

HER: 1-for-5 LV: 0-for-2

Penalty Kill

HER: 2-for-2 LV: 4-for-5