GAME STORY: Lehigh Valley - 1 at Hershey - 2 (10/17/21)

HERSHEY, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms finished off the weekend with a Sunday afternoon clash with the Hershey Bears at Giant Center, looking to get back in the win column after a 2-1 loss in Wilkes-Barre the night before.

In a game largely similar to Saturday's loss, the Phantoms created plenty of chances but ultimately were unable to convert on them - falling again by the same 2-1 score to the Bears.

Former Phantom Mike Vecchione scored his first goal as a member of Hershey in the first period, and noted Phantom-killer Axel Jonsson-Fjallby put the Phantoms in a 2-0 hole in the middle frame before Gerry Mayhew scored to cut the deficit in half in the waning moments of the third.

Samuel Ersson had a strong game, stopping 21 of the 23 shots he faced but a lack of offensive support prevented him from picking up his first career AHL win. Instead, he was outdueled by Bears' goalie Zach Fucale (23 saves - 24 shots)

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

With Felix Sandstrom getting the start in net on opening night, it was Samuel Ersson's turn to make his official AHL debut Sunday in Hershey.

Phantoms' Scratches: Maksim Sushko, Matthew Strome, Samu Tuomaala and Ryan MacKinnon

Lines/Pairings:

Garrett Wilson (A) - Morgan Frost - Tyson Foerster Isaac Ratcliffe - Cal O'Reilly (C) - Gerry Mayhew Jackson Cates - German Rubtsov - Linus Sandin Brennan Saulnier - Connor Bunnaman (A) - Hayden Hodgson

Cam York - Wyatte Wylie Linus Hogberg - Adam Clendening Mason Millman - Logan Day

Samuel Ersson - Felix Sandstrom

Hershey Bears Roster Notes

Zach Fucale got the start in net for the Bears Sunday, with Pheonix Copley - who played Saturday in a 5-2 in over Charlotte - serving as his backup.

Bears' Scratches: Jake Massie, Mason Morelli, Ryan Dmowski, Kale Kessy, Riley Suttera and Eddie Wittchow

Lines/Pairings:

Joe Snively - Mike Sgarbossa - Garrett Pilon Matt Moulson (C) - Mike Vecchione - Brian Pinho Axel Jonsson-Fjallby - Aleksei Protas - Brett Leason Beck Malenstyn - Shane Gerisch - Kody Clark

Michal Kempny - Cody Franson Tobias Geisser - Dylan McIlrath Lucas Johansen - Alex Alexeyev

Zach Fucale - Pheonix Copley

GAME RECAP

1st Period

While the Phantoms were dominant in the first period last night in Wilkes-Barre, it was quite a sluggish start for Lehigh Valley Sunday in Hershey - at least in the opening half of the period.

Hershey rattled off the first five shots of the hockey game on their way to opening the scoring at 8:49 when a familiar face scored against his former team.

Mike Vecchione, now a member of Hershey, tallied his first goal as a Bears forward - knocking in the rebound of a Tobias Geisser point shot past Samuel Ersson to put the Bears ahead 1-0. Noted Phantoms-killer Axel Jonsson-Fjallby recorded a secondary assist on the play.

It won't count as a power play goal, but Vecchione's marker came just 13 seconds after Isaac Ratcliffe exited the penalty box.

The shot disparity was as wide as 9-3 in favor of the Bears, but the Phantoms seemed to get to their game as the period wore on - getting several good looks on their power play late in the period. Unfortunately for Lehigh Valley, Zach Fucale was sharp, stopping all 11 shots he faced in the opening period -including one on Logan Day on a backdoor play with the Phantoms' defender all alone in the left-wing circle.

2nd Period

The Phantoms continued to draw penalties in the middle frame, and seemed to have the better of the chances in the period, but the Bears added to their lead 9:17 into the 2nd when a designed misfire from the point from Cody Franson bounced off the endboards and right to Jonsson-Fjallby at the side of the net. Ersson was a split-second late to hugging his left post, and Jonsson-Fjallby stuffed it home for his first of the season to make it 2-0 Hershey.

The second half of the period was spent almost exclusively at 5-on-4 for Lehigh Valley, and the Phantoms' had several Grade-A opportunities but were simply unable to cash in. Credit Zach Fucale for making all the important saves to keep his team ahead 2-0.

Lehigh Valley caught a big break at the end of the period, as Hershey scored and thought they took a 3-0 lead. Referee Jaqueline Zee Howard pointed to the net for a good goal, as the puck definitely crossed the line, but it was reviewed and later overturned as the puck was deemed to cross the line after time had expired.

3rd Period

Again, the Phantoms had their chances in the third period to get back into the game. Unfortunately for Lehigh Valley, it wasn't until the goalie was pulled for the extra attacker that the Phantoms cut the 2-0 deficit in half.

After a strong forecheck, Cam York was able to force a turnover in the Phantoms' offensive zone. York quickly took the puck to the left-wing circle before sliding a pass across to Gerry Mayhew, who was parked at the side of the net. Mayhew was able to lift one past Fucale with 2:30 left to play to get the game within a goal.

Then, the Bears took two penalties on back-to-back shifts (an interfernce minor on a Phantoms' breakout, and a delay of game for puck over glass) and the Phantoms found themselves on a 5-on-3 turned 6-on-3 in the final 80 seconds of play.

Time ran out once again on the Phantoms for a second straight night in another 2-1 regulation loss.

The story of the third period quickly became the lack of ice time for Morgan Frost. He might've had a shift or two in the beginning of the period, but he was glued to the bench for most of the period.

Whether or not you agree or disagree with new head coach Ian Laperriere's decision to keep Frost on the bench - even late in the game with the goalie pulled - it was obvious by those in attendance that Frost wasn't having a strong game. Laperriere chose to hold him accountable for that, even during the Phantoms' 6-on-3 in the final 1:20 of play when they were down a goal.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

4:52: HER - (PP) Vecchione, minor (tripping) 6:36: LV - (PP) Ratcliffe, minor (roughing) 8:49: HER - Vecchione (1) - Geisser, Jonsson-Fjallby 14:02: HER - (PP) Vecchione, minor (hooking)

2nd Period

9:17: HER - Jonsson-Fjallby (1) - Franson, Protas 10:29: HER - (PP) Sgarbossa, minor (tripping) 13:51: HER - (PP) Moulson, minor (high-sticking) 16:23: HER - (PP) Vecchione, minor (delay of game, puck over glass)

3rd Period

3:12: HER - (PP) Gersich, minor (interference) 12:58: LV - (PP) Mayhew, minor (hooking) 17:30: LV - Mayhew (1) - York 17:58: HER - (PP) Pilon, minor (interference) 18:40: HER - (PP) Geisser, minor (delay of game) 19:59: LV - (PP) Mayhew, minor (slashing)

BOXSCORE

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

Shots

Lehigh Valley   11 - 7 - 6 = 24 Hershey Bears 11 - 6 - 6 = 23

Goalies

LV: Samuel Ersson (21 saves - 23 shots) HER: Zach Fucale (23 saves - 24 shots)

Power Play

LV: 0-for-8 HER: 0-for-2

Penalty Kill

LV: 2-for-2 HER: 8-for-8