GAMEDAY: Game 27 - Hershey (11-15-2) at Lehigh Valley (15-9-2) 7:15 p.m. ET
ALLENTOWN, PA -- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms turn the page and begin a new era - the first "official" game that will count against new head coach Kerry Huffman's AHL head coaching record. The interim head coach previously coached by himself during a game in Charlotte last season, but tonight begins his first game night as the head guy - and what better way to start than against Atlantic Division rival Hershey Bears (11-15-2).
Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes
Lots of roster movement.
Goaltender Carter Hart was called up to Philadelphia, making his NHL debut Tuesday night vs. Detroit. Alex Lyon was loaned to Lehigh Valley, and is expected to get the start in net tonight for the Phantoms.
Forward Phil Varone was reassigned to Lehigh Valley following last night's Flyers game.
Forward Radel Fazleev is on unconditional waivers for the purpose of mutual termination of his contract. Fazleev, in his third season, was a healthy scratch 11 times in the team's first 26 games and three years in was still unable to solidify his spot in the Phantoms' lineup. It's likely that Fazleev will end up playing hockey in his native Russia, with the NHL looking out of reach for the third-year pro losing "prospect" status in a deep system.
In a subsequent move, the Phantoms signed forward Steven Swavely to a professional tryout (PTO) to help with the depth down the middle.
Phantoms' Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)
Greg Carey - Connor Bunnaman - Nicolas Aube-Kubel Alex Krushelnyski - Mike Vecchione - Chris Conner Taylor Leier - Mikhail Vorobyev - Carsen Twarynski Tyrell Goulbourne - Steven Swavely - Colin McDonald
T.J. Brennan - Mark Friedman Philip Samuelsson - Phil MyersZach Palmquist - Reece Willcox
Alex Lyon - Brenden Komm
Scratches: James de Haas (healthy), Cole Bardreau (injured), German Rubtsov (injured - out for season), Phil Varone (healthy) and Michael Huntebrinker (healthy)
Hershey Bears Roster Notes
Bears' Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)
Nathan Walker - Mike Sgarbossa - Riley Barber Grant Besse - Jayson Megna - Jusso Ikonen Liam O'Brien - Garrett Pilon - Steven WhitneyBeck Malenstyn - Brian Pinho - Maximilian Kammerer
Aaron Ness - Jake Linhart Steve Johnson - Ryan SproulJoey Leach - Colby Williams
Vitek Vanecek - Iyla Samsonov
Scratches: Kris Bindulis, Lucas Johansen, Connor Hobbs, Shane Gerisch, Hampus Gustafsson and Mason Mitchell
GAME STORY
FIRST PERIOD
In what was largely a pretty sloppily played first period for both teams - passes weren't crisp or connecting tape to tape - the Phantoms got on the board late in the period on a double deflection goal.
An interesting way to kill a penalty saw Phantoms' defenseman Phil Myers take not one, but two shots on goal from his own goal line in the defensive zone. The second shot attempt nearly beat Bears' goalie Vitek Vanecek. The puck was lost in his equipment, and drew a whistle for a face-off.
Moments later, after a face-off win, Chris Conner had a puck down low behind the Bears' net and got it up top to Philip Samuelsson at the left point. Samuelsson's blast was re-directed in the high slot by Alex Krushelnyski and then was tipped again atop the crease by Mike Vecchione, who was eventually credited with his eighth tally of the season - putting the Phantoms on top 1-0 with 6:37 left in the opening period.
SECOND PERIOD
The start of the 2nd period saw Hershey nearly score on their opening shift, only to have an alert play from a defender clear it out of Lyon's crease with the Phantoms' goalie on his back amid a scramble at the net.
That play turned out to be huge, as shortly after the Bears took a penalty and the Phantoms went on the attack. They didn't score on the man advantage, but the goals weren't far behind.
In fact, the shift after the Phantoms' power play they extended their lead to 2-0.
Mikhail Vorobyev fed Carsen Twarynski through the neutral zone and Twarnyski stepped into and got all of a slap shot that was wired to the top shelf - beating Vanecek high to the blocker side. Reece Willcox added a secondary assist on the play.
Less than three minutes later, it was Nicolas Aube-Kubel picking up a loose puck in the offensive zone - atop the left wing circle - and firing a wrist shot high blocker side in the exact same spot Twarynski beat Vanecek moments earlier.
Just like that, it was 3-0 Phantoms - and they were off and running.
THIRD PERIOD
Alex Lyon made a strong pair of saves at the start of the third to preserve the 3-0 lead, and while he didn't have to make a ton of saves - facing just 13 shots in the opening 40 minutes - it was his timely saves that kept his team in front.
Not long after that, the Phantoms headed to the power play - and extended their lead to 4-0 at the 4:20 mark of the period on quite the fortunate bounce for Greg Carey.
A Bears' defender attempted to clear out a rebound from the side of Vanecek's net, but accidentally flubbed the clear right to Greg Carey who slammed it home for his team-leading 14th of the season.
Connor Bunnaman tallied his sixth of the season on a delayed penalty call to close out the scoring on the Phantoms' 5-0 win.
GAME SUMMARY
1st Period
0:31: HER - (PP) Whitney, minor (interference) 11:10: LV - (PP) Bunnaman, minor (hooking) 13:23: LV - Vecchione (8) - Krushelnyski, Samuelsson
2nd Period
2:58: HER - (PP) Ness, minor (hooking) 5:24: LV - Twarynski (4) - Vorobyev, Willcox 8:18: LV - Aube-Kubel (8) - unassisted 14:57: HER - (PP) Ness, minor (interference) 18:00: LV - (PP) Aube-Kubel, minor (interference)
3rd Period
2:55: HER - (PP) Pilon, minor (slashing) 4:20: LV - PPG Carey (14) - Brennan, Conner 6:52: LV - (PP) Conner, minor (interference) 15:20: HER - (PP) Barber, minor (tripping) 16:41: LV - PPG Bunnaman (6) - Brennan, Conner 16:41: HER - (PP) Megna, minor (slashing) 18:46: HER - (PP) Sgarbossa, minor (unsportsmanlike) 18:46: HER - Sgarbossa, ten-minute misconduct
BOXSCORE
Hershey Bears 0 - 0 - 0 = 0 Lehigh Valley 1 - 2 - 2 = 5
Shots
Hershey Bears 6 - 7 - 4 = 17 Lehigh Valley 8 - 11 - 15 = 34
Goalies
HER: Vitek Vanecek (29 saves - 34 shots) LV: Alex Lyon (17 saves - 17 shots)
Power Play
HER: 0-for-3 LV: 1-for-7
Penalty Kill
HER: 6-for-7 LV: 3-for-3
Attendance: 5,874
