GAMEDAY: Game 33 - Lehigh Valley (19-10-3) at Providence (14-15-5) 7:05 p.m. ET
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PROVIDENCE, RI - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (19-10-3) take on the Providence Bruins (14-15-5) to kick off a three-in-three weekend for the orange and black.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes
The Philadelphia Flyers claimed goaltender Mike McKenna off waivers Friday afternoon. With Michal Neuvirth joining Brian Elliott and Anthony Stolarz on the Flyers' injured goalie list and the Phantoms down to Alex Lyon and Branden Komm, the path of least resistance - for at least this weekend - is the addition of McKenna.
Status quo for Kerry Huffman's Phantoms.
Alex Lyon is expected to make his seventh straight start in net for Lehigh Valley.
Injured forwards Cole Bardreau and David Kase didn't make the trip. Michael Huntebrinker skated with the team Friday in Whitehall, and is expected to be the healthy scratch up front.
On defense, James de Haas is expected to be the odd man out. Though with three games in three nights, surely de Haas will spell one of the defensemen at some point this weekend.
Expected Phantoms' Lines/Pairings
Greg Carey - Connor Bunnaman - Nicolas Aube-Kubel Alex Krushelnyski - Mike Vecchione - Chris Conner Carsen Twarynski - Mikhail Vorobyev - Taylor Leier Tyrell Goulbourne - Steven Swavely - Colin McDonald
T.J. Brennan - Mark Friedman Philip Samuelsson - Phil Myers Zach Palmquist - Reece Willcox
Alex Lyon (Backup: Branden Komm)
Phantoms' Scratches: James de Haas (healthy), Cole Bardreau (injured), German Rubtsov (out for season), Michael Huntebrinker (healthy) and David Kase (injured)
Providence Bruins Roster Notes
Bruins' Lines
Anton Blidh - Jordan Szwarz - Ryan Fitzgerald Peter Cehlarik - Gemel Smith - Mark McNeill Joona Koppanen - Austin Fyten - Zach Senyshyn Cameron Hughes - Trent Frederic - Karson Kuhlman
Chris Breen - Emil Johansson Kyle Cumiskey - Connor Clifton Jeremy Lauzon - Jakub Zboril
Zane McIntyre (Backup: Dan Vladar)
Bruins' Scratches: Ander Bjork, Tanner Pond, Wiley Sherman and Cody Goloubef
GAME STORY
FIRST PERIOD
An early power play for Lehigh Valley almost netted the Phantoms an early goal. After getting it setup midway through the man advantage, a series of passes broke down the PBruins' PK box and saw Colin McDonald feed it in front to an open Mike Vecchione. Fortunately for Zane McIntyre and Providence, the pass hit the heel of Vecchione's stick and the one-touch shot to the net missed the mark.
The end-to-end action carried through the first eight minutes of the period, with Providence and Lehigh Valley exchanging chances. At one end, it was the Phantoms hitting a post off the rush while the PBruins had an extended shift or two in the Phantoms' defensive zone - firing pucks toward Alex Lyon from anywhere and everywhere. Some key shot blocks from Lehigh Valley limited the PBruins to just four shots on goal in the opening half of the first frame.
As the period wore on, Providence began gaining momentum and an edge in play - getting extended shifts in the Phantoms' defensive zone. Despite being out-shot 10-7 heading into the final three minutes of the period, you got the feeling the PBruins were due for a bounce to go their way and get them on the board.
In fact, the PBruins tallied three goals in a span of 78 seconds to break the scoreless tie and take a commanding 3-0 lead into the first intermission.
Trent Frederic finished off a 2-on-1 chance with Cameron Hughes with 2:28 left in the 1st period.
Five seconds after T.J. Brennan was whistled for a cross-checking minor, Gemel Smith picked a corner on Alex Lyon and extended the PBruins' lead to 2-0 with 1:31 left in the 1st frame.
Just 21 seconds after Smith's 2nd goal of the season, he added another in a scramble in the slot to make it a 3-0 Providence lead. Just like that.
SECOND PERIOD
The PBruins had obvious momentum heading into the middle frame, coming off three quick tallies to finish the first frame. In fact, they held the Phantoms without a shot in the opening eight minutes of the period - getting relentless pressure on the Phantoms' defensemen and goaltender Alex Lyon.
Lyon rattled off seven straight saves, making several flashy glove saves and equally impressive second-chance stops to keep his team afloat - seemingly down and out in a 3-0 hole.
That's when Chris Conner stole a puck at the Phantoms' defensive zone blue line and turned on the jets for a breakaway. His patented move to the five-hole beat McIntyre and got the Phantoms on the board with Conner's 11th of the season coming unassisted 8:29 into the middle frame.
Less than five minutes later, the comeback train continued.
On a bit of a broken play, Mikhail Vorobyev attempted to feed a puck to the slot but instead banked the pass off a PBruins' defender and into the net behind McIntyre. The second unassisted Phantoms goal of the period made it a one-goal game with 5:39 left before the second intermission.
The two goals marked the Phantoms only two shots on goal in the period, but it was enough to get them to the third period in a one-goal game.
THIRD PERIOD
Providence re-gained a two-goal lead early in the third period, after a D to D pass and subsequent shot from the right point by Connor Clifton was tipped past Lyon by Joona Koppanen with 16:27 left in regulation.
Lehigh Valley had a chance on the power play toward the middle of the period, but were unable to get the game back to within a goal despite having several good chances on that man advantage.
Ultimately, the three goals allowed in a 78-second span late in the first period proved costly in a 4-2 loss to Providence.
GAME SUMMARY
1st Period
1:40: PRO - (PP) bench minor, too many men (served by Peter Cehlarik) 17:32: PRO - Frederic (7) - Hughes, Kuhlman 18:24: LV - (PP) Brennan, minor (cross-checking) 18:29: PRO - PPG Smith (2) - Zboril, Frederic 18:50: PRO - Smith (3) - Clifton, Senyshyn 20:00: LV - Brennan, major (fighting) 20:00: PRO - Lauzon, major (fighting)
2nd Period
4:34: LV - (PP) Aube-Kubel, minor (hooking) 8:29: LV - Conner (11) - unassisted 13:22: LV - Vorobyev (4) - Leier
3rd Period
3:33: PRO - Koppanen (2) - Clifton, Cumiskey 8:05: PRO - (PP) Szwarz, minor (interference) 13:48: LV - (PP) Brennan, minor (delay of game)
BOXSCORE
Lehigh Valley 0 - 2 - 0 = 2 Providence 3 - 0 - 1 = 4
Shots
Lehigh Valley 13 - 2 - 8 = 23 Providence 12 - 13 - 8 = 33
Goalies
LV: Alex Lyon (29 saves - 33 shots) PRO: Zane McIntyre (21 saves - 23 shots)
Power Play
LV: 0-for-2 PRO: 1-for-3
Penalty Kill
LV: 2-for-3 PRO: 2-for-2
Attendance: 7,764
