GAME STORY: W-B/Scranton - 4 at Lehigh Valley - 5 (OT) 3/21/21

ALLENTOWN, Pa.  - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (8-2-2) continued their overtime magic Sunday evening against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (5-4-4), pulling even in the third period and getting the two points in the extra session for their American Hockey League (AHL) leading fifth OT win on the season.

Tanner Laczynski tallied his first career pro goal to tie the game 6:55 into the third period, and also got the game-winner in OT for a two-goal performance. Fellow rookies Wade Allison and Tyson Foerster also scored goals in the win for the Phantoms, while Chris Mueller added a goal in the middle frame to pace the Lehigh Valley attack. Felix Sandstrom picked up the win in net for the Phantoms, stopping 22 of the 26 shots he faced.

### Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

Felix Sandstrom got the start in net for Lehigh Valley Sunday.

Several lineup changes for the Phantoms, with Tyler Wotherspoon, Mason Millman, Tanner Laczynski and Linus Sandin returning to the lineup while Wyatte Wylie, Sam Morin, Pascal Laberge and Garrett Wilson were out.

Per AHL transactions, forward Matthew Strome has been reassigned to Lehigh Valley. Strome was added to the Flyers' taxi squad on Saturday, but a day later he has reportedly returned to the Phantoms' roster.

Lines/Pairings:

Ryan Fitzgerald - Cal O'Reilly - Zayde Wisdom Maksim Sushko - Chris Mueller - Linus Sandin Max Willman - Tanner Laczynski - Wade Allison Isaac Ratcliffe - David Kase - Tyson Foerster

Tyler Wotherspoon - Linus Hogberg Egor Zamula - Logan Day Mason Millman - Derrick Pouliot

Felix Sandstrom - Zane McIntyre

Phantoms' Scratches: Eamon McAdam, Tanner MacMaster, Matthew Strome, Ralph Cuddemi, Brennan Saulnier, Chris Bigras, Wyatte Wylie, Pascal Laberge, Garrett Wilson and Samuel Morin

W-B/Scranton Penguins Roster Notes

Lines/Pairings:

Justin Almeida - Josh Currie - Tim Schaller Felix Robert - Drew O'Connor - Nick Schilkey Jonathan Gruden - Jordy Bellerive - Kyle Olson Luke Stevens - Chase Berger - Zach Nastasiuk

Pierre-Olivier Joseph - Jon Lizotte Kevin Czuczman - Billy Sweezey Cam Lee - Zach Trotman

Shane Starrett - Brett Brochu

Penguins' Scratches: Emil Larmi, Dylan MacPherson, Will Reilly, Jesper Lindgren, Jan Drozg, Josh Masiscalco and Sam Miletic

GAME RECAP

1st Period

The Phantoms put themselves behind the eight-ball early, taking a penalty on the second shift of the hockey game, but the AHL's top penalty-killing team was able to continue their success - not allowing the Penguins to get a single shot on the early game man advantage.

It seemed like Lehigh Valley was getting the better of play while at 5-on-5 in the opening period, but it also seemed like every time the Phantoms started to get some momentum that it was disrupted.

A second Phantoms' penalty just past the midway mark of the period had the home team playing shorthanded again. Forwards Max Willman, Isaac Ratcliffe and Maksim Sushko were all getting the job done on the PK.

Lehigh Valley got a power play of their own late in the period, but were unable to convert. The top unit of Ryan Fitzgerald, Cal O'Reilly, Zayde Wisdom with Tyson Foerster and Derrick Pouliot up top had some good chances - including a Foerster one-timer from the top of the left wing circle - but were unable to break the scoreless tie before the first period concluded.

2nd Period

After a largely uneventful first period, the flood gates opened in the middle frame to the tune of SIX goals in the opening 10:07 of the period.

Wade Allison got the game's offensive outburst started 14 seconds into the period, taking a pass from Egor Zamula between the circles before sniping one past Penguins' goalie Shane Starrett to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead. The goal marked Allison's second tally in as many games this season.

The Penguins responded just over a minute and a half later to tie the game at 1-1 on Nick Schilkey's third of the season, but Lehigh Valley put their foot right back on the gas - tallying twice in 2:11 to grab a hold of momentum and extend their lead to 3-1 on a backhand mini-breakaway goal from Tyson Foerster and a tic-tac-toe passing play between Allison, Linus Sandin and Chris Mueller resulted in Mueller with a tap-in atop the crease.

From there, however, it was the Penguins scoring three unanswered goals and taking a 4-3 lead into the third.

First, Drew O'Connor re-directed a shot from the right point past Phantoms's netminder Felix Sandstrom to cut the Penguins' deficit to 3-2. On the next shift, Jonathan Gruden sped behind the Phantoms' defense and scored on the rebound of his breakaway attempt to tie the game 50 seconds after O'Connor's goal.

The Phantoms appeared to respond after Gruden's tying goal, spending large portions of the second half of the period on the attack in the offensive zone. After Mason Millman gambled at the offensive zone blue line and failed to keep a puck in, Jordy Bellerive whizzed past the Phantoms' rookie blueliner and scored on the ensuing 2-on-1 rush - giving the Penguins their first lead of the game with 2:31 left before the second intermission.

Third Period

The Phantoms were playing with purpose, trailing by one goal as the third period began. They were able to tie the game back up at 4-4 just under seven minutes into the period after Wade Allison got a puck back to Mason Millman at the left point.

Millman went tape-to-tape to his defense partner Derrick Pouliot, who made a nice fake and headed to the net before centering for Tanner Laczynski. Laczynski's quick shot from the slot beat Starrett for Laczynski's first pro goal at 6:55 of the third period.

Both teams had a chance to take the lead on the power play, as the two teams traded man advantages in the middle part of the period. Neither team was able to break the 4-4 tie on their respective power plays.

Late in regulation, Zayde Wisdom drew a tripping minor on Gruden - giving the Phantoms a power play chance with 1:15 left to play. They were unable to cash in, so the game headed to overtime.

Overtime

The Phantoms had a few good chances in the opening minute of OT, with Allison getting a pair of shots from the left-wing circle, but were unable to get one past Starrett until after the penalty had expired.

Laczynski entered the offensive zone driving the middle and Pouliot centered for him, with Laczynski sneaking a wrister past the glove of Starrett to lift Lehigh Valley to a 5-4 OT win on Laczynski's second tally of the game.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

1:08: LV - (PP) O'Reilly, minor (holding) 10:21: LV - (PP) Sushko, minor (high-sticking) 17:29: WBS - (PP) Robert, minor (hooking)

2nd Period

0:14: LV - Allison (2) - Zamula 1:47: WBS - Schilkey (3) - Lee, Robert 2:34: LV - Foerster (2) - Day, Ratcliffe 4:45: LV - Mueller (2) - Sandin, Allison 9:17: WBS - O'Connor (3) - Sweezey, Schilkey 10:07: WBS - Gruden (2) - Bellerive, Trotman 12:44: WBS - (PP) Czuczman minor (interference) 17:29: WBS - Bellerive (5) - Czuczman, Trotman

3rd Period

6:55: LV - Laczynski (1) - Pouliot, Millman 10:16: WBS - (PP) O'Connor, minor (tripping) 13:07: LV - (PP) O'Reilly, minor (holding) 18:45: WBS - (PP) Gruden, minor (tripping)

Overtime

1:08: LV - Laczynski (2) - Pouliot, Day

BOXSCORE

W-B/Scranton  0 - 4 - 0 = 4 Lehigh Valley   0 - 3 - 1 - 1 = 5

Shots

W-B/Scranton  6 - 11 - 9 - 0 = 26 Lehigh Valley   4 - 7 - 9 - 3 = 23

Goalies

WBS: Shane Starrett (18 saves - 23 shots) LV: Felix Sandstrom (22 saves - 26 shots)

Power Play

WBS: 0-for-3 LV: 0-for-4

Penalty Kill

WBS: 4-for-4 LV: 3-for-3