GAME STORY: Lehigh Valley - 3 at Hershey - 4 (OT) 1/5/22

HERSHEY, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (9-11-7) almost managed the unthinkable Wednesday night against the Hershey Bears (16-9-3) in a game overshadowed by the fact that three Phantoms forwards - captain Cal O'Reilly, Isaac Ratcliffe and Maksim Sushko - were unavailable for the game due to being placed in the American Hockey League's (AHL) COVID -19 protocol.

The Bears jumped out to a 3-0 lead and appeared poised to coast to the finish line against a Phantoms lineup featuring nine forwards and eight defensemen, one short of a full lineup and certainly not of the traditional 12-forward/6-defensemen variety.

Instead, the Phantoms battled and clawed their way back to tie the game up at 3-3 and force overtime thanks to an extra attacker goal from Egor Zamula with 16.1 seconds left. Linus Sandin (1st) and Charlie Gerard (2nd) started the comeback with goals late in the second period and early in the third period, respectively, before Zamula's tying goal.

The Bears ended up winning in overtime, but the OT loss extends the Phantoms' points streak to eight games (5-0-3).

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Lineup Notes

Pat Nagle got the start in net for Lehigh Valley Wednesday night in Hershey. Garrett Metcalf served as the team's backup goaltender.

Forwards Cal O'Reilly, Maksim Sushko and Isaac Ratcliffe have entered the AHL's COVID protocol.

The Phantoms' remaining healthy players - nine forwards and eight defensemen - comprised of Lehigh Valley's lineup Wednesday.

Phantoms Scratches: Samuel Ersson, Cal O'Reilly, Wade Allison, Maksim Sushko, Isaac Ratcliffe and Tyson Foerster

Lines/Pairings

Nick Lappin - Connor Bunnaman - Charlie Gerard Brennan Saulnier - Garrett Wilson - Hayden Hodgson German Rubtsov - Matthew Strome - Linus Sandin Mason Millman - xxxxxxxx - Ryan MacKinnon

Linus Hogberg - Adam Clendening Egor Zamula - Wyatte Wylie Cooper Zech - Logan Day

Pat Nagle - Garrett Metcalf

Hershey Bears Lineup Notes

Zach Fucale got the start in net for Hershey Wednesday night at home against Lehigh Valley. Pheonix Copley served as the Bears' backup.

Bears' captain Matt Moulson will be out indefinitely following successful back surgery on December 30.

Bears' Scratches: Ryan Bednard, Hunter Shepard, Jake Massie, Macoy Erkamps, Christopher Brown, Marcus Vela, Matt Moulson, Brian Pinho, Colby McAuley, Jordan Subban, Eddie Wittchow and Will Graber

Lines/Pairings

Joe Snively - Garrett Pilon - Axel Jonsson-Fjallby Beck Malenstyn - Mike Vecchione - Ryan Dmowski Shane Gersich - Drake Rymsha - Mason Morelli Kale Kessy - Riley Sutter - Kody Clark

Lucas Johansen - Dylan McIlrath Alex Alexeyev - Bobby Nardella Tobias Geisser - Cody Franson

Zach Fucale - Pheonix Copley

GAME RECAP

1st Period

The Hershey Bears flat out dominated Lehigh Valley to start the contest, scoring on the opening shift, adding a second goal 5:00 into the first frame and out-shooting the Phantoms 11-0 in the opening half of the period.

With three forwards in COVID protocol and only nine healthy forwards in the lineup, the Phantoms knew they were in for it Wednesday night in Hershey. The Bears started the game playing like a team that knew their opponent was over matched. They were relentless in the offensive zone and kept the Phantoms on their heels most of the period.

The Phantoms managed only four shots on goal in the opening frame, but perhaps a little bit of life was injected into them by a late period fight from forward Nick Lappin.

2nd Period

Things cooled off after tempers flared at the end of the first period.

There weren't many chances to be had for either team, but trailing 2-0 the Phantoms were unable to generate much more than a shot on goal in the period before one of the flukiest goals you'll ever see was scored to extend the Bears' lead to 3-0.

Phantoms netminder Pat Nagle left his crease and attempted to send a puck up the left wing wall, but inadvertently sent the puck directly into the face of Phantoms' defenseman Cooper Zech. After hitting Zech in the face, the puck bounced past Pat Nagle and right onto the stick of Bears' forward Axel Jonsson-Fjallby for essentially an empty net marker with 12:45 left in the middle frame.

The Phantoms thought they cut the deficit to 3-1 with 7:53 left, but a tipped puck by Brennan Saulnier that got in behind Bears' netminder Zach Fucale was deemed to be played with a high-stick and was ruled no goal.

Later, they got on the board for real - with German Rubtsov and Matthew Strome teaming up behind the net with Strome getting it in front to Linus Sandin for a quick shot past Fucale to make it a 3-1 game with 3:58 left before the second intermission.

3rd Period

The Phantoms simply didn't quit Wednesday night. They got a goal from Charlie Gerard in the opening minute of the period, and turned a once 3-0 deficit into a one-goal hockey game with 19:18 left in regulation.

Lehigh Valley continued to grind it out all the way down to the final minute.

With a defensive zone face-off and only 52 seconds left on the third period clock, Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere opted to take his timeout. The Phantoms were able to get the puck out of their end and on the attack, so Laperriere waved his goalie to the bench for the extra attacker.

Meanwhile, Egor Zamula was able to keep a puck alive in the offensive zone with a great keep-in at the left point. He got it across to Adam Clendening before getting the puck back at the center point. Zamula opted to shoot, and stepped into one - getting it to go past everyone on its way into the back of the net to tie the game at 3-3 with 16.1 seconds remaining.

Despite playing a skater short the entire night, and with just nine forwards, Lehigh Valley made a game of it - extending their points streak to eight games and getting the game to overtime.

Overtime

Hershey was able to avoid total collapse in the 3-on-3, getting a game-winning goal from Snively for his second tally of the night.

Still, given the circumstances, a herculean effort from Lehigh Valley to battle back and manage a point out of the game.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

0:17: HER - Snively (9) - Pilon, Jonsson-Fjallby 5:00: HER - Gersich (6) - Rymsha, McIlrath 5:32: HER - (PP) Clark, minor (tripping) 13:56: LV - Sandin, minor (cross-checking) 13:56: HER - Sutter, minor (slashing) 19:50: LV - Lappin, major (fighting) 19:50: HER - Dmowski, major (fighting)

2nd Period

7:45: HER - Jonsson-Fjallby (7) - unassisted 8:42: LV - (PP) Millman, minor (slashing) 16:02: LV - Sandin (1) - Strome, Rubtsov 16:53: HER - (PP) Rymsha, minor (roughing)

3rd Period

0:42: LV - Gerard (2) - Bunnaman, Lappin 1:15: LV - (PP) Saulnier, minor (hooking) 19:43: LV - Zamula (3) - Clendening, Hodgson

Overtime

0:57: HER - Snively (10) - Pilon

BOXSCORE

Lehigh Valley   0 - 1 - 2 - 0 = 3 Hershey Bears  2 - 1 - 0 - 1 = 4

Shots

Lehigh Valley   4 - 9 - 8 - 0 = 21 Hershey Bears  15 - 12 - 5 - 2 = 34

Goalies

LV: Pat Nagle (30 saves - 34 shots) HER: Zach Fucale (18 saves - 21 shots)

Power Play

LV: 0-for-2 HER: 0-for-3

Penalty Kill

LV: 3-for-3 HER: 2-for-2