GAMEDAY: Game 3 - Lehigh Valley (1-1-0) at Springfield (1-0-1) 7:05 PM ET

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SPRINGFIELD - After a tough 7-0 blowout loss on home ice last night, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (1-1-0) had a roughly four-hour overnight bus ride to Springfield, Mass. to think about things heading into tonight's rematch against the Springfield Thunderbirds (1-0-1) at the Mass Mutual Center.

If you missed it and dare to re-live last night's debacle, here's our GAMEDAY Live Blog covering last night's game -> http://insideahlhockey.com/article/gameday-game-2-springfield-0-0-1-at-lehigh-valley-1-0-0-705-pm-et

Also, our Post-Game EXTRA! from last night's game with video interviews featuring team captain Colin McDonald and Phil Varone (embedded below) -> http://insideahlhockey.com/article/phantoms-post-game-extra-greater-game-2-springfield-7-at-lehigh-valley-0

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

It was Carter Hart getting the start, and then Anthony Stolarz coming on in relief in the second period last night in Allentown. Tonight in Springfield - coming off a 7-0 loss to these same Thunderbirds 24 hours ago - it's anyone's guess as to who Scott Gordon turns to in net. He wasn't pleased with the performance of either goaltender Friday night at PPL Center.

Perhaps Alex Lyon, who was scratched as the third goalie on the roster Friday, will get a chance to step in and work his way back into a rhythm following his injury during the NHL preseason last month.

On defense, the only healthy scratch Friday was David Drake as Philip Samuelsson made his Phantoms' debut last night. It's possible Drake re-enters the lineup tonight, but I would expect the same six defenders on the blue line for Lehigh Valley tonight.

Reece Willcox is still out with an undisclosed injury.

Up front, rookie David Kase was a surprise healthy scratch Friday as rookie Connor Bunnaman - who sat out the season opener last weekend - made his pro debut. I suspect Kase will almost definitely be back in the lineup tonight unless his absence last night was not of the healthy variety.

Taylor Leier returned to the Phantoms and made his regular season debut last night, taking the place of Radel Fazleev in the lineup.

Lehigh Valley Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)

Greg Carey - Phil Varone - Nicolas Aube-KubelTaylor Leier - Mike Vecchione - Chris Conner (A) David Kase - German Rubtsov - Colin McDonald (C) Connor Bunnaman - Radel Fazleev - Cole Bardreau

T.J. Brennan (A) - Philip SamuelssonZach Palmquist - Phil Myers James de Haas - Mark Friedman

Anthony Stolarz - Carter Hart

Phantoms Scratches: Alex Lyon, David Drake (healthy), Tyrell Goulbourne (healthy), Carsen Twarynski (healthy) & Reece Willcox (undisclosed injury)

Springfield Thunderbirds Lines  (Starters in Bold/Italics)

Dryden Hunt - Harry Zolnierczyk - Paul Thompson Blaine Byron - Jonathan Ang - Anthony Greco Joel Lowry - Henrik Borgstrom - Jayce Hawryluk Patrick Bajkov - Jake Horton - Sebastian Repo

Ian McCoshen - Matt Mangene Ludwig Bystrom - Thomas Schemitsch Riley Stillman - Julian Melchiori

Chris Driedger - Samuel Montembeault

POST-GAME REACTION

Stay tuned after tonight's game for Phantoms Post-Game Extra!

GAME STORY

FIRST PERIOD

The Phantoms came out strong in the opening five minutes of the period. They were getting pucks deep, winning 1-on-1 puck battles as well as being the first to loose pucks more times than not. Unfortunately for Lehigh Valley, they weren't rewarded with the game's opening goal.

Instead, it was the Thunderbirds opening the scoring for the second straight night. Ian McCoshen had his shot from the right point blocked, but Harry Zolnierczyk was first to the loose puck in the right-wing circle - firing a quick shot past Stolarz 6:37 into the contest to give Springfield an early 1-0 lead. Thunderbirds captain Paul Thompson also added an assist on the play.

From there, a penalty parade ensued - a total of eight penalties were called in the final 12:27 of the opening period.

After last night's poor performance on the penalty kill, it was the Phantoms' penalty killers tying the game up at 1-1 with 5:19 left before the first intermission. Cole Bardreau stole a puck and came down the left wing with Radel Fazleev joining the rush. Bardreau elected to shoot and his well-placed shot beat Thunderbirds goalie Chris Driedger to even things up. Bardreau's first of the season came both shorthanded and unassisted.

The penalties continued until the final whistle of the first frame, with a late scuffle between Thompson and Phantoms' defender T.J. Brennan giving Lehigh Valley carry over power play time to begin the middle frame.

SECOND PERIOD

The Phantoms cashed in on the carry-over power play time in the opening minute of the second period, taking a 2-1 lead. Phil Varone got a puck back to Brennan at the center point, and Brennan's shot appeared to change direction on its way past Driedger at the 0:54 mark of the period. Credit Greg Carey with a secondary assist.

Lehigh Valley appeared to be taking control of the game, but they got sloppy with the puck - committing what seemed like turnover after turnover either in the D-zone or coming out of the zone. A turnover along the boards in the D-zone by Radel Fazleev gave the Thunderbirds and extended offensive zone chance that ended up in the back of the Phantoms' net as Jake Horton re-directed Riley Stillman's shot from the outside past Stolarz to even the game at 2-2.

Phil Myers had a tough go of it, especially, in the middle frame. He seemed to be trying to do too much with the puck on his stick, often forcing a play that wasn't there or turning the puck over - or both. He had a sequence in the final seconds of the period that nearly cost his team dearly heading into the third period.

Taking a poor pursuit angle on a puck in the defensive zone on an extended offensive shift for Springfield, Myers was tagged for hooking. On the delayed call, a frustrated Myers leveled a Thunderbirds' forward with a big cross-check to the back and was given a second minor for interference - putting the Phantoms shorthanded for four minutes with 6.8 seconds left in the period.

Springfield scored as time expired, but the play was reviewed and the goal was overturned - allowing the Phantoms to escape to the second intermission in a 2-2 tie.

THIRD PERIOD

The Phantoms' PK came up big to start the third period, killing off all 3:54 of carry-over time from Myers' penalties at the tail end of the second and keeping the game tied at 2-2.

Unfortunately for the Phantoms, it was all for not as Springfield would tally two goals 18 seconds apart not too long after the big PK effort, and seemingly took control of the game with a 4-2 lead.

Things were looking desperate for the Phantoms as head coach Scott Gordon opted to pull Anthony Stolarz for the extra attacker with just under three minutes left in regulation.

At that point, what's the difference between 4-2 and 5-2.

Things got interesting when David Kase tipped one in for his first career AHL goal - making it a one goal game with 2:23 left in regulation.

Then, in the final 30 seconds, the Phantoms forced overtime when Greg Carey finished off his third of the season with assists to Philip Samuelsson and T.J. Brennan.

OVERTIME/SHOOTOUT

After a bevy of chances in the 3-on-3 shinny hockey session produced no goals, it was on to the shootout where Taylor Leier and Henrik Borgstrom were the only scorers through three rounds - forcing extra rounds of the shootout.

That's when rookie German Rubtsov made a similar move that Leier successfully scored on - a backhand to forehand move for a quick shot over the right side of Driedger. The shootout win capped an improbable comeback - something last year's Phantoms' team was not unfamiliar to.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

6:37: SPR - Zolnierczyk (1) - McCoshen, Thompson 7:33: SPR - (PP) Bystrom, minor (interference) 10:31: LV - (PP) Aube-Kubel, minor (slashing) 11:22: SPR - (PP) Mangene, minor (interference) 13:07: LV - (PP) Aube-Kubel, minor (slashing) 14:41: LV - SHG Bardreau (1) - unassisted 15:27: SPR - (PP) Lowry, double-minor (high-sticking) 15:39: LV - (PP) Carey, minor (interference) 16:07: LV - (PP) Varone, minor (tripping) 19:32: SPR - (PP) Thompson, minor (slashing)

2nd Period

0:54: LV - PPG Brennan (1) - Varone, Carey 2:25: LV - (PP) Bardreau, minor (boarding) 7:09: SPR - Horton (1) - Stillman, Greco 8:35: LV - (PP) Myers, minor (interference) 15:42: SPR - (PP) McCoshen, minor (interference) 19:53: LV - (PP) Myers, minor (hooking) 19:53: LV - (PP) Myers, minor (interference)

3rd Period

6:05: SPR - Byron (1) - Melchiori 6:23: SPR - Thompson (3) - Schemitsch, Zolnierczyk 7:58: SPR - (PP) Lowry, minor (hooking) 9:02: LV - (PP) Aube-Kubel, minor (high-sticking) 17:37: LV - Kase (1) - Conner, McDonald 19:37: LV - Carey (3) - Samuelsson, Brennan

Overtime

No stats/scoring

Shootout

LV

Conner - no goal Leier - GOAL Kase - no goal Rubtsov - GOAL

SPR

Byron - no goal Borgstrom - GOAL Ang - no goal Bystrom - no goal

BOXSCORE

Lehigh Valley  1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 1 = 5 Springfield  1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0 = 4

Shots

Lehigh Valley  12 - 4 - 14 - 4 - 1 = 35 Springfield   13 - 8 - 9 - 1 - 0 = 31

Goalies

SPR - Chris Driedger (30 saves - 34 shots, plus stopped two of four shooters in the shootout) LV - Anthony Stolarz (27 saves - 31 shots, plus stopped three of four shooters in the shootout)

Power Play

SPR: 0-for-8 LV: 1-for-7

Penalty Kill

SPR: 6-for-7 LV: 8-for-8