GAME STORY: Lehigh Valley - 1 at Cleveland - 2 (2/26/22)

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (18-20-10) once again came up short against the Cleveland Monsters (17-21-9) in Saturday afternoon's rematch, going 0-1-1 on the weekend to the last place team in the Eastern Conference after starting out the week with a big win Wednesday night against W-B/Scranton.

Justin Scott opened the scoring late for the second straight game between these two teams, recording his 11th tally of the season late in the first period, while Robbie Payne added a power play goal late in the second period. That's all the offense the Monsters needed as Jet Greaves stopped 24 or 25 to pick up the win.

Wyatte Wylie made it a one-goal for the Phantoms as his shot from the right point eluded traffic in front of Greaves in the opening minute of the third period, but that's as close as Lehigh Valley would get in a 2-1 regulation setback. Pat Nagle was the Phantoms' best player in his first game back following a nearly one-month hiatus to head to Beijing, China to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics with Team USA, stopping 35 of 37 in taking his first regulation loss of the season (now 7-1-3 on the year).

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Lineup Notes

Pat Nagle got the start in net for Lehigh Valley Saturday afternoon, his first AHL action since a 4-0 shutout of Hartford before he left for the 2022 Olympics in Beijing as one of three goalies on Team USA. Kirill Ustimenko served as the team's backup goaltender.

No other lineup changes from Friday night's game, as it was the same 18 skaters with Charlie Gerard and Hayden Hodgson switching lines on the right wing in the team's top six.

Phantoms Scratches:  Samuel Ersson (inj), Felix Sandstrom (inj), Garrett Metcalf, Cooper Zech, German Rubtsov (inj) Linus Sandin (inj), Ryan MacKinnon (inj), Adam Johnson (inj), Alex Kile (inj) and Tyson Foerster (inj)

Lines/Pairings:

Connor Bunnaman - Cal O'Reilly - Charlie Gerard Garrett Wilson - Tanner Laczynski - Hayden Hodgson Maksim Sushko - Jackson Cates - Nick Lappin Brennan Saulnier - Matthew Strome - Alexis D'Aoust

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

Pat Nagle - Kirill Ustimenko

GAME RECAP

1st Period

For the second time in as many days, it was a pretty sluggish start for both teams in the opening minutes of the first period.

There wasn't a rash of penalties to start like last night, but nonetheless shots on goal were hard to come by in the opening half of the period.

Things began to open up as the period wore on, with Phantoms goaltender Pat Nagle making several timely saves to keep the game scoreless into the final minute of the period.

The big scare in the opening period was that of Cam York blocking a shot late in the period to start a PK, with the puck appearing to hit him in the wrist/hand area - causing him to head off the ice and to the locker room to get it checked out. Thankfully, he did later return to begin the middle frame.

Unfortunately for Lehigh Valley, Justin Scott opened the scoring for the second straight game between these two teams

2nd Period

As previously stated, the good news was the sight of York on the Phantoms' bench to begin period two.

Cleveland, fresh off their goal in the final 30 seconds of the first, had the momentum to begin the middle frame. Nagle had to stand on his head to prevent the Monsters from taking an early 2-0 lead - facing 17 shots in the opening 26 minutes and stopping all but one of them.

The Phantoms' lone chance early in the period was a turnover that led to a 2-on-0 chance that Monsters' goalie Jet Greaves came up big on sliding from post-to-post to deny Matt Strome.

Lehigh Valley seemed to make things more even in the second half of the period until some late period penalties halted any momentum they were building.

An interesting call late in the period, as Tim Berni sent a few cross-checks into the lower back of Brennan Saulnier as the two engaged in a battle for position at the front of the net. Saulnier eventually took exceptions to the chops into his back, turning around and giving Berni a retaliatory chop - drawing the ire of the referee in position in the Phantoms' offensive zone.

Certainly not the time to be taking a penalty with 1:14 left before the second intermission, but Saulnier ended up being the only player in the penalty box - giving the Monsters a late power play chance to extend their lead. Perhaps a moment where Saulnier needs a little more situational awareness -- and thicker skin.

And what do you know, with time winding down in the period Robbie Payne ripped a shot from the circle past Nagle with five seconds left to send Cleveland to the third period ahead by 2-0. Looked like a deflating goal at the time.

3rd Period

The Phantoms made it a one-goal game in the opening minute of the third period after a great keep-in at the center point by Wyatte Wylie. Wylie got it over to York, who went down low to Tanner Laczynski before Laczynski kicked it back up top for Wylie at the center point. Wylie then made a move to create some space and headed toward the top of the right-wing circle before firing one to the net that eluded traffic in front and the Monsters' goalie for Wylie's fourth of the season.

Frustration continued for Saulnier in the third as after he was whistled for a high-sticking minor 7:03 into the third he said something to the officials that drew their ire - levying two ten-minute misconducts against him on top of the minor penalty and effectively ending his afternoon.

The Phantoms killed the penalty, and had their chances late with the goalie pulled but were unable to find an equalizer before running out of time.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

9:12: CLE - (PP) Christensen, minor (cross-checking) 19:34: CLE - Scott (11) - Cassels, Mullin

2nd Period

4:16: LV - (PP) Laczynski, minor (hooking) 9:46: CLE - (PP) Stenlund, minor (interference)

3rd Period

0:48: LV - Wylie (4) - Laczynski, York 7:03: LV - (PP) Saulnier, minor (high-sticking) 7:03: LV - Saulnier, ten-minute misconduct 7:03: LV - Saulnier, ten-minute misconduct 13:55: LV - Wylie, minor (hooking) 13:55: CLE - Slaker, minor (holding the stick)

BOXSCORE

Lehigh Valley   0 - 0 - 1 = 1 Cleveland   1 - 1 - 0 = 2

Shots

Lehigh Valley   7 - 9 - 9 = 25 Cleveland   12 - 14 - 11 = 37

Goalies

LV: Pat Nagle (35 saves - 37 shots) CLE: Jet Greaves (24 saves - 25 shots)

Power Play

LV: 0-for-3 CLE: 1-for-5

Penalty Kill

LV: 4-for-5 CLE: 3-for-3