GAME STORY: Lehigh Valley - 1 at Hershey - 5 (3/23/22)

HERSHEY, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms took a big step forward over the weekend in defeating first place Springfield on back-to-back nights, but took a step backward in a 5-1 drubbing in Hershey Wednesday night.

Wade Allison gave the Phantoms a 1-0 lead just 20 seconds into the contest, but the Bears went on to tally five unanswered goals in a game that never really felt close after the Bears tallied two goals late in the first period.

Beck Malenstyn scored two goals, while Cody Franson and Mason Morelli recorded two assists each in the win for Hershey who got 26 saves on 27 shots from Phoenix Copley.

Adam Johnson and Egor Zamula assisted on Allison's seventh of the season, but that's all the offense the Phantoms could muster in what was certainly a disappointing defeat coming off two big wins over the weekend in Springfield. Felix Sandstrom was often hung out to dry, allowing five goals on 34 shots in a losing effort.

The Phantoms finish their six-game road trip this weekend with a trip to Canada for games against Laval Friday and Belleville on Saturday night.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

Felix Sandstrom got the start in net Wednesday night in Hershey, his ninth straight appearance as well as his eighth start in the team's last nine games. Pat Nagle, called up from Reading earlier this week, served as Sandstrom's backup while Kirill Ustimenko tends to a minor injury.

Linus Hogberg (upper body) left Saturday's game in Springfield in the first period, and didn't return. He was out of the lineup Wednesday night.

Nick Lappin returned to game action as the only new player inserted into the lineup, as Ryan MacKinnon shifted back to defense.

Hayden Hodgson was called up to the Flyers prior to the game, two days after signing his first career NHL contract at the age of 26.

Ryan Fitzgerald took the warmup skate for the first time this season, after working his way back from hip surgery in September. He didn't play Wednesday night, but appears ready to return to game action and will make his regular season debut Friday in Laval.

Phantoms Scratches: Samuel Ersson, Kirill Ustimenko, Garrett McFadden, Linus Hogberg, Ryan Fitzgerald, Jackson Cates, and Alex Kile

Lines/Pairings:

Adam Johnson - Cal O'Reilly - Wade Allison Garrett Wilson - Tanner Laczynski - Linus Sandin Isaac Ratcliffe - Matt Strome - Maksim Sushko Brennan Saulnier - Charlie Gerard - Nick Lappin

Egor Zamula - Adam Clendening Cooper Zech - Wyatte Wylie Logan Day - Ryan MacKinnon

Felix Sandstrom - Pat Nagle

GAME RECAP

1st Period

Before some fans at Giant Center made it to their seats for the start of Wednesday night's game, Wade Allison found himself wide open below the left-wing circle as Adam Johnson won a race to a loose puck in the corner. Johnson quickly sent it out to Allison for a quick shot past Copley just 20 seconds into the contest.

From there, the Phantoms controlled play in the opening half of the period - out shooting the Bears 7-1 and really taking it the home team.

As the period wore on, however, the Bears started to get to their game. They were rewarded for their efforts to the tune of two goals in the final 3:12 of the period to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead heading into the middle frame.

2nd Period

The Phantoms were on their heels in the opening half of the middle frame as Hershey out-shot Lehigh Valley by as much as a 12-4 count at one point in the period, but the Phantoms' bend but don't break defense seemed to be keeping themselves in a one-goal game.

Well, the Phantoms' "broke" later in the period and Hershey capitalized, scoring two goals 83 seconds apart to break open the game from a 2-1 nail biter into a 4-1 game heading to the third.

Lehigh Valley appeared to have scored their second goal of the evening when Cal O'Reilly stuffed home a rebound with just under four minutes left before the second intermission.

The consensus on press row was that the puck was in the back of the net before any kind of whistle was blown.

Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere pleaded his case to the referees during the ensuing stoppage, but to no avail.

3rd Period

Lehigh Valley needed a big third period to have any hopes of a comeback, but they were held without a shot on goal for most of the final frame - being out-shot 10-1 in the period before allowing a late shorthanded goal against to complete the 5-1 final score.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

0:20: LV - Allison (7) - Johnson, Zamula 11:56: LV - (PP) Zech, minor (delay of game) 16:48: HER - Gersich (12) - Vecchione, Leason 18:07: HER - Protas (6) - Franson, Morelli

2nd Period

2:39: LV - (PP) Clendening, minor (high-sticking) 8:15: HER - (PP) Malenstyn, minor (interference) 10:14: LV - (PP) bench minor, too many men (served by Lappin) 14:25: HER - Johansen (7) - Franson, Clark 15:48: HER - Malenstyn (9) - Nardella, Morelli

3rd Period

10:48: LV - (PP) Wilson, minor (interference) 13:31: LV - (PP) Sushko, minor (boarding) 17:42: HER - (PP) Johansen, minor (tripping) 17:51: HER - SHG Malenstyn (10) - unassisted

BOXSCORE

Lehigh Valley   1 - 0 - 0 = 1 Hershey Bears  2 - 2 - 1 = 5

Shots

Lehigh Valley   12 - 14 - 1 = 27 Hershey Bears  9 - 15 - 10 = 34

Goalies

LV: Felix Sandstrom (29 saves - 34 shots) HER: Pheonix Copley (26 saves - 27 shots)

Power Play

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

Penalty Kill

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