GAME STORY: Lehigh Valley - 2 at Springfield - 6 (1/28/22)

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (12-14-8) simply didn't show up ready to play Friday night in Springfield. They surrendered two goals in the opening 2:27 of the contest, and allowed five total goals in the first period on their way to a 6-2 drubbing at the hands of the Thunderbirds (20-13-5).

Reloaded with players from their NHL affiliate, the St. Louis Blues, the Thunderbirds wasted no time pouring it on the Phantoms with the five-goal first period. Nathan Walker had a natural hat trick in the first period and an assist in the third to pace Springfield's attack. Nikita Alexandrov, Sam Anas, Matthew Peca and Steven Santini all chipped in with two assists each for the Thunderbirds while Joel Hofer stopped 28 of 30 in the win.

Garrett Wilson and Nick Lappin tallied third period goals for Lehigh Valley, while Adam Clendening took over the team's scoring lead with two assists in the loss. Goaltender Felix Sandstrom was hung out to dry in the first period, though he finished with 20 saves on 26 shots after being victimized for five goals in the opening 17:34.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

Felix Sandstrom got the start in net for Lehigh Valley Friday night. Pat Nagle served as the team's backup goaltender.

Defenseman Egor Zamula missed Friday's game due to illness.

Forwards Connor Bunnaman and Isaac Ratcliffe up with Philadelphia, while Jackson Cates and Linus Sandin were returned to Lehigh Valley.

Forward Garrett Wilson returned from injury to give the Phantoms 11 healthy forwards.

Ryan MacKinnon entered the Phantoms' lineup as the team's 7th defensemen/12th forward.

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

Lines/Pairings:

Maksim Sushko - Cal O'Reilly - Hayden Hodgson Garrett Wilson - Jackson Cates - Linus Sandin Alex Kile - Matt Strome - Charlie Gerard Brennan Saulnier - No One -  Nick Lappin

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

Felix Sandstrom - Pat Nagle

Springfield Thunderbirds Roster Notes

Lines/Pairings:

Hugh McGing - Matthew Peca - Sam Anas Nathan Walker - Nikita Alexandrov - Will Bitten Mackenzie MacEachern - Dakota Joshua - Alexey Toropchenko Keean Washkurak - Tanner Kaspick - Mathias Laferriere

Tommy Cross - Calle Rosen Tyler Tucker - Steven Santini Griffin Luce - Josh Wesley

Joel Hofer - Charlie Lindgren

GAME RECAP

1st Period

By the time the Phantoms managed their first shot of the contest, just shy of five minutes into the first period, they were already trailing the Springfield Thunderbirds 2-0.

That's because a sluggish start from Lehigh Valley - especially in their defensive zone coverages - allowed Springfield to execute some backdoor plays to build an early lead.

Hugh McGing got things going for the Thunderbirds just 1:04 into the game, getting his seventh of the season on assists from linemates Matthew Peca and Sam Anas.

Just 1:23 later, defenseman Josh Wesley crept in from his position on the right point and was uncovered - getting a cross-ice pass from Nikita Alexandrov on the back door and putting it past Phantoms' netminder Felix Sandstrom.

Then, a natural hat trick from Nathan Walker really blew the game wide open.

Walker tipped a Steven Santini point shot past Sandstrom for his first tally of the period at 9:40.

Sandstrom was under siege for most of the period, and Walker victimized him a second time with the Thunderbirds on a power play. After a great pass from Nikita Alexandrov, Sandstrom came up big on Walker's initial attempt but was unable to get any help on the rebound as Walker stuffed it in to make it 4-0.

Head coach Ian Laperriere opted to take his timeout after Walker's second tally made it 4-0, but it didn't make too much of a difference.

Walker completed the hat trick on a power play with 2:26 left in the period to make it five first-period goals.

2nd Period

The Phantoms held Springfield without a shot in the opening 10 minutes of the middle frame, but it had a too little, too late feel to it with the scoreboard reading a 5-0 score.

After killing off a bench minor for too many men, the Phantoms got a power play of their own after Tanner Kaspick caught Brennan Saulnier with a questionable knee-on-knee collision.

Saulnier didn't hesitate to settle the score, seeking Kaspick out and getting him to oblige to dropping the gloves - a decision Kaspick surely would re-think with hindsight being 20/20.

Saulnier connected with two punches, the second of which - an uppercut - sent Kaspick to the ice. The Thunderbirds' forward was later helped to the locker room with a towel on his chin and a pool of blood on the ice.

Lehigh Valley was unable to convert on the ensuing power play, and allowed an additional power play to go by the wayside - preventing them from cutting into their five-goal deficit.

Despite playing much better in the middle frame, and out shooting Springfield by a 14-5 margin in the period, the Phantoms were still staring at a 5-0 deficit heading into the final frame.

3rd Period

The Phantoms got goals from Garrett Wilson and Nick Lappin in the final frame, but it was certainly too little, too late.

Will Bittner tallied between the Wilson and Lappin goals, so the game never truly felt in jeopardy for the Thunderbirds at any point during the contest.

A bit of frustration shown by Garrett Wilson tonight, perhaps trying to send a message to his own teammates more so than the opposition with a big hit he put on Dakota Joshua late in the third period. Wilson was whistled for the lone penalty, and it negated a Phantoms' power play, but in a 6-2 game perhaps it was also the appropriate time to do so.

Only time will tell as the Phantoms have no time to waste as they are back in action Saturday night in Hartford against the first-place Wolf Pack.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

1:04: SPR - McGing (9) - Peca, Anas 2:27: SPR - Wesley (2) - Alexandrov, Bitten 9:40: SPR - Walker (11) - Santini, Bitten 10:45: LV - (PP) Zech, minor (hooking) 11:52: SPR - PPG Walker (12) - Alexandrov, Peca 15:53: LV - (PP) Sushko, minor (slashing) 17:34: SPR - PPG Walker (13) - McGing, Anas

2nd Period

1:02: LV - (PP) bench minor, too many men (served by Strome) 4:42: SPR - (PP) Kaspick, minor (kneeing, served by Washkurak) 4:42: SPR - Kaspick, major (fighting) 4:42: LV - Saulnier, major (fighting) 6:49: SPR - (PP) bench minor, too many men (served by Laferriere) 8:18: LV - (PP) Wilson, minor (tripping) 19:44: SPR - (PP) Washkurak, minor (slashing)

3rd Period

0:26: LV - PPG Wilson (9) - Sandin, Clendening 1:44: SPR - Bitten (6) - Walker, Santini 9:56: LV - Lappin (2) - Clendening, Saulnier 13:21: SPR - (PP) Cross, minor (holding) 14:26: LV - (PP) Wilson, minor (interference) 19:11: LV - (PP) Lappin, minor (holding)

BOXSCORE

Lehigh Valley   0 - 0 - 2 = 2 Springfield  5 - 0 - 1 = 6

Shots

Lehigh Valley   5 - 14 - 11 = 30 Springfield  15 - 5 - 6 = 26

Goalies

LV: Felix Sandstrom (20 saves - 26 shots) SPR: Joel Hofer (28 saves - 30 shots)

Power Play

LV: 1-for-4 SPR: 2-for-6

Penalty Kill

LV: 4-for-6 SPR: 3-for-4