GAME STORY: Lehigh Valley - 4 at Hershey - 1 (3/14/21)

HERSHEY, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (7-2-2) took advantage of Hershey's first period parade to the penalty box Sunday afternoon, overcoming an early 1-0 first period deficit and taking care of business in a 4-1 win in what was Lehigh Valley's first game since their last contest was suspended after the first period due to the AHL's COVID-19 protocols.

Tyson Foerster and Wade Allison, who made his pro debut Sunday, tallied their first career pro goals in the Phantoms' victory, while Lehigh Valley also got 1st period power play tallies from Derrick Pouliot and Ryan Fitzgerald to pace the offensive attack. Zane McIntyre surrendered a goal on the first shot he faced, but was dialed in from there - stopping the remaining 32 shots he faced to pick up his sixth win of the season.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

Zane McIntyre got the start Sunday afternoon in Hershey.

There were a plethora of changes to the Phantoms' lineup, the biggest news of course coming in the fact that Wade Allison entered the lineup and made his pro debut - starting on the right wing with linemates Isaac Ratcliffe and Max Willman.

Willman returned to action after missing a few games with an undisclosed injury, as did forward Maksim Sushko and defenseman Logan Day.

Brennan Saulnier was assessed a one-game suspension for an elbowing incident in the first period of Wednesday's game in Newark vs. Binghamton. He served the one-gamer Sunday.

GAME RECAP

1st Period

After having a bit of a clunker last Saturday in Hershey, the Phantoms were hoping for a better start Sunday at Giant Center.

They certainly didn't get the start they were looking for, as the Bears scored on their first shot of the hockey game 1:36 into the contest.

Damien Riat found himself open entering the Bears' offensive zone and took a pass from Blake Pietila before shooting one past Zane McIntyre from between the top of the face-off circles to put Hershey ahead 1-0 early.

Lehigh Valley had a quick response, tying the game up on the next shift when David Kase and Tyson Foerster teamed up for Foerster's first pro goal on a 2-on-1 rush at the 2:18 mark of the first frame. The goal marked Foerster's first career pro goal, as he took a pass from Kase on the right wing and was able to corral a puck on net and past Bears' netminder Zach Fucale.

From there, it certainly wasn't the Phantoms' best hockey - they spent several stretches of the opening period hemmed in their own end and were ultimately out shot 12-8 in the opening 20 minutes - but in a game where special teams could be a factor the Phantoms got their power play unit to give them a big lift.

First, Lehigh Valley converted on a power play chance 8:30 into the contest. From the right-wing wall, Cal O'Reilly got a puck down low to Ryan Fitzgerald. Meanwhile, Derrick Pouliot left his post at the left point and headed to the net - spotted by Fitzgerald, who sent a nifty backhand pass out from the side of the net to the left-wing circle where Pouliot snapped one past Fucale to give the Phantoms a 2-1 lead.

Late in the period, the Phantoms had a critical 5-on-3 in the final minute of the period.

Earlier in the season, when the power play got off to an abysmal 1-for-25 start, they were letting these crucial two-man advantages go to waste. Sunday in Hershey, it was a different story.

After some good puck movement on the perimeter, Pouliot fed defense partner Logan Day for a one-timer from between the circles. Fucale made the initial stop, but Fitzgerald was there atop the crease to bat in the rebound with 4.9 seconds left before the first intermission.

Just like that, a first period that was likely slanted toward Hershey's favor at least a little bit ended with the Phantoms on top 3-1.

2nd Period

The middle frame featured another Phantoms player scoring his first career pro goal, and what a rocket of a shot it was for Wade Allison in his pro debut.

Max Willman leaped up and grabbed a puck that the Bears' defense tried to flip out of the zone, quickly getting it to his stick and feeding Allison on the left wing for Allison's laser of a shot that beat Fucale to the top shelf to extend the Phantoms' lead to 4-1 about seven and a half minutes in.

3rd Period

It was a relatively quiet third period, with neither team getting on the scoreboard.

The Bears, for a third straight period, out-shot the Phantoms but once again Zane McIntyre was equal to the task.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

1:36: HER - Riat (2) - Pietila, Schilling 2:18: LV - Foerster (1) - Kase, Wilson 8:10: HER - (PP) McMichael, minor (interference) 8:30: LV - PPG Pouliot (2) - Fitzgerald, O'Reilly 8:50: HER - (PP) Snively, minor (hooking) 12:13: LV - (PP) Wilson, minor (tripping) 18:22: HER - (PP) Snively, minor (slashing) 19:27: HER - (PP) Jonsson-Fjallby, minor (cross-checking) 19:55: LV - PPG Fitzgerald (5) - Day, Pouliot

2nd Period

4:37: HER - (PP) Nielsen, minor (tripping) 7:23: LV - Allison (1) - Willman 8:52: LV - (PP) Day, minor (interference) 17:41: LV - (PP) Wisdom, minor (holding)

3rd Period

6:35: LV - (PP) bench minor, too many men (served by Kase) 11:28: HER - (PP) Pilon, minor (boarding) 13:35: HER - (PP) Clark, minor (holding)

BOXSCORE

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

Shots

Lehigh Valley   8 - 7 - 5 = 20 Hershey Bears 12 - 10 - 11 = 33

Goalies

LV: Zane McIntyre (32 saves - 33 shots) HER: Zach Fucale (16 saves - 20 shots)

Power Play

LV: 2-for-7 HER: 0-for-4

Penalty Kill

LV: 4-for-4 HER: 5-for-7