GAME STORY: Lehigh Valley - 5 at Charlotte - 2 (1/23/22)

For the second straight day, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (12-13-8) had managed a one-goal lead into the third period.

On Saturday, three goals against in a span of 4:58 saw their opponent, the Charlotte Checkers, storm back and defeat them in regulation.

But on Sunday, the Phantoms 'stuck to the structure' in the final frame and tightened up defensively - not allowing the Checkers much of anything in terms of offensive chances before pulling away in the final three minutes on their way to a 5-2 win to finish the weekend.

Wyatte Wylie had a game-high three points, all assists, setting up goals for Connor Bunnaman, Matthew Strome and Hayden Hodgson. Hodgson added an empty net goal for a two-goal performance, while Cal O'Reilly tallied a goal and an assist and the Phantoms got 24 saves on 26 shots from Pat Nagle in the win.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

Head coach Ian Laperriere returned from COVID protocol Saturday and was back behind the bench for Lehigh Valley.

Pat Nagle got the start in net Sunday in Charlotte, with Felix Sandstrom serving as the team's backup.

German Rubtsov (undisclosed) was unable to play Sunday, so Ryan MacKinnon entered the lineup and the Phantoms went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen to start Sunday's game.

The Phantoms actually ended up finishing the game with only 10 forwards and seven defensemen as forward Garrett Wilson left the game injured and didn't return. Wilson had just returned to game action Saturday after missing a few games following a laceration to his arm from a game two weeks ago in Wilkes-Barre.

Scratches: Samuel Ersson (injured), Garrett Metcalf, Mason Millman, German Rubtsov, Brennan Saulnier and Tyson Foerster (injured)

Lines/Pairings:

Maksim Sushko - Cal O'Reilly - Charlie Gerard Garrett Wilson - Connor Bunnaman - Linus Sandin Isaac Ratcliffe - Matthew Strome - Hayden Hodgson Alex Kile -  - Nick Lappin

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

Pat Nagle - Felix Sandstrom

Charlotte Checkers Roster Notes

Billy Christopoulos got the start in net Saturday for Charlotte. Evan Fitzpatrick served as the team's backup goaltender.

Scratches: Karch Bachman, Max Gildon, Grigori Denisenko, John Ludvig, Henry Bowlby, Gustav Olofsson, Ryan Lohin, Luke Henman

Lines/Pairings:

Scott Wilson - Zac Dalpe - Logan Hutsko Max McCormick - Alex True - Kole Lind Craig Martin - Cole Schwindt - Carsen Twarynski Max Zimmer - Spencer Asuchak - Serron Noel

Cale Fleury - Connor Carrick Brandon Fortunato - Nolan Kneen Bobby Russel - Blake Siebenaler

Billy Christopoulos - Evan Fitzpatrick

GAME RECAP

1st Period

Things got off to a great start for Lehigh Valley Sunday afternoon on a quick turnaround from Saturday's loss.

Linus Sandin drew a hooking minor on Alex True on the second shift of the game, and Cal O'Reilly scored his sixth of the season on the ensuing power play to put the Phantoms ahead 1-0.

O'Reilly's goal came after a great keep in at the right point from Adam Clendening, who quickly flung the back to O'Reilly atop the left circle for the captain's chop shot that eluded Checkers' goaltender Billy Christopoulos 1:30 into the contest.

From there, however, Charlotte tied things up at 1-1 just under two minutes later. After True won an offensive zone face-off to Kole Lind, Lind got it to Max McCormick for a quick shot past Phantoms' goaltender Pat Nagle at 3:35.

Just over three minutes later, the Checkers made it 2-1 with 13:20 still left to play in the opening period.

Defenseman Nolan Kneen stepped up from his position on the point and put a rebound attempt in past Nagle to fully flip the Phantoms' early momentum into an offensive surge for the Checkers.

The Phantoms seemed to stymie the Checkers' momentum as the period came to a close, but they headed to the first intermission trailing 2-1.

2nd Period

Lehigh Valley owned the middle frame, opening up an 17-0 (!) edge in shots on goal in the opening half of the period, getting a game-tying goal from Connor Bunnaman with 9:12 left in the middle frame.

Credit to Wyatte Wylie for keeping a puck in at the point and getting past a few Checkers skaters caught cheating up ice to get it to Bunnaman before he flung one that dribbled in past Christopoulos.

Nearly three minutes later, the Phantoms took the lead.

Isaac Ratcliffe won a puck battle behind the net and got the puck to Wylie at the point, and Wylie's shot bounced in past Christopoulos and was initially credited to Matthew Strome at the net-front.

Though while converging to celebrate the goal, Strome told Wylie to lead them back to the bench perhaps signifying the puck bounced in off a Checkers' defender in front meaning it was actually a goal for Wylie.

In all, it was a 20-3 shots edge for the Phantoms in a period they dominated. For a second straight game in Charlotte, they took a one-goal lead to the third period.

3rd Period

The Phantoms did a solid job of clogging things up and not allowing the Checkers to get much of anything through to Nagle for much of the period.

It was definitely a bend-but-don't-break style of play for Lehigh Valley, nursing a one-goal lead, but they were able to seal the deal with 2:53 left in the period after a shot from Wylie at the right point was tipped home by Hayden Hodgson to give the Phantoms an insurance marker and 4-2 lead.

Hodgson later tallied his second of the game, an empty netter with 1:18 left to complete the 5-2 final score.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

0:49: CHA - (PP) True, minor (hooking) 1:30: LV - PPG O'Reilly (6) - Clendening 3:35: CHA - McCormick (8) - Lind, True 6:40: CHA - Kneen (1) - Schwindt, Twarynski

2nd Period

4:55: LV - (PP) Wilson, minor (high-sticking) 10:48: LV - Bunnaman (6) - Wylie 11:20: CHA - (PP) McCormick, minor (high-sticking) 13:37: LV - Strome (1) - Wylie, Ratcliffe 14:42: CHA - (PP) Martin, minor (hooking) 17:50: LV - (PP) Clendening, minor (interference)

3rd Period

17:07: LV - Hodgson (7) - Wylie, O'Reilly 18:42: LV - ENG Hodgson (8) - unassisted

BOXSCORE

Lehigh Valley   1 - 2 - 2 = 5 Charlotte  2 - 0 - 0 = 2

Shots

Lehigh Valley   7 - 20 - 7 = 34 Charlotte  15 - 3 - 8 = 26

Goalies

LV: Pat Nagle (24 saves - 26 shots) CHA: Billy Christopoulos (29 saves - 33 shots)

Power Play

LV: 1-for-2 CHA: 0-for-3

Penalty Kill

LV: 3-for-3 CHA: 1-for-2