GAMEDAY: Game 59 - Lehigh Valley (28-24-6) at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (27-22-8) 7:05 p.m. ET
WILKES-BARRE, PA -- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (28-24-6) look to set the tone in the first of six remaining games against Atlantic Division rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (27-22-8) this season beginning tonight at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes
Alex Lyon got the start in net for Lehigh Valley Wednesday night in Wilkes-Barre. Mike McKenna served as the team's backup.
Justin Bailey was recalled by Philadelphia earlier in the week.
Cole Bardreau took the warmup skate for the first time since early December. He was the final scratch up front, but it appears he is close to making a return to the lineup.
Philip Samuelsson and Jori Lehtera were the veteran scratches Wednesday.
Phantoms' Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)
Chris Conner - Mikhail Vorobyev - Pacal Laberge Greg Carey - Byron Froese - David Kase Carsen Twarynski - Connor Bunnaman - Mike Vecchione Tyrell Goulbourne - Steven Swavely - Colin McDonald
James de Haas - T.J. Brennan David Schlemko - Mark FriedmanZach Palmquist - Reece Willcox
Alex Lyon - Mike McKenna
Phantoms' Scratches: David Schlemko (veteran), Cole Bardreau (injured), Greg Carey (injured), German Rubtsov (out for the season), Chris Conner (veteran) and David Kase (healthy)
GAME STORY
FIRST PERIOD
After endless stoppages in play in the opening six minutes of the contest, the game started to be played with some pace before a series of penalties thrust both teams into a special teams affair.
First, it was the Phantoms on the penalty kill with a strong showing.
Then, after a pair of matching minors, the Penguins appeared to take a 1-0 lead when Kevin Czuczman drove to the net and put the past Alex Lyon. But, the play was whistled for a charging minor on Czuczman as the Penguins defender made contact with Lyon and jarred the Phantoms' netminder's mask off his head.
On the ensuing Phantoms' power play, Connor Bunnaman gave the Phantoms the 1-0 lead when he sniped one to the top corner blocker-side on Tristan Jarry from inside the left-wing circle. Mikhail Vorobyev and David Schlemko picked up assists on Bunnaman's 15th of the season.
As the period wore on, the Phantoms started to hold a distinct advantage in play - avoiding some trouble late in the period before heading to the first intermission with the 1-0 lead.
SECOND PERIOD
A defensive zone turnover proved costly for the Phantoms early in the middle frame, allowing Jimmy Hayes to get the puck to the middle for a shot for Matthew Abt. Lyon made the initial stop through traffic, but Adam Johnson drove to the net for the rebound - lifting it over Lyon's outstretched glove to tie the game at 1-1 just 1:55 into the second period.
The Phantoms responded right away, taking the lead back just over two minutes later after a great hustle play from Chris Conner to touch up at the blue line to keep the rush up ice onside.
Conner got a puck to Mikhail Vorobyev before getting it back down low in the right-wing and sending it across the top of the cross to the far side for Pascal Laberge to lift over the blocker side of Jarry to restore the Phantoms' lead at 2-1. The goal marked Laberge's first career AHL goal in what was a long road to recovery after having hip surgery and missing the team's first 50+ games.
Laberge put the Phantoms shorthanded late in the period, but Lehigh Valley's penalty killers came through with another strong effort to preserve the 2-1 lead heading into the third.
THIRD PERIOD
Alex Lyon and the Phantoms defense closed the door in the third, getting another strong effort from the penalty killers in addition to timely saves before adding an insurance marker with 4:12 left to play to complete the 3-1 final score.
A good passing play between the line of Greg Carey, Byron Froese and David Kase resulted in Kase dishing to a wide-open Froese at the net-front for an easy tap in past Jarry for Froese's first tally with the Phantoms.
GAME SUMMARY
1st Period
7:07: LV - (PP) Schlemko, minor (tripping) 8:45: LV - Froese, minor (slashing) 8:45: WBS - Miletic, minor (unsportsmanlike) 9:44: WBS - (PP) Czuczman, minor (charging) 11:25: LV - PPG Bunnaman (15) - Vorobyev, Schlemko
2nd Period
1:55: WBS - Johnson (17) - Abt, Hayes 4:03: LV - Laberge (1) - Conner, Vorobyev 16:52: LV - (PP) Laberge, minor (tripping)
3rd Period
7:02: LV - (PP) Goulbourne, minor (hooking) 15:48: LV - Froese (15) - Kase, Carey 18:36: WBS - (PP) Czuczman, minor (tripping)
BOXSCORE
Lehigh Valley 1 - 1 - 1 = 3 W-B/Scranton 0 - 1 - 0 = 1
Shots
Lehigh Valley 11 - 16 - 7 = 34 W-B/Scranton 8 - 10 - 10 = 28
Goalies
LV: Alex Lyon (27 saves - 28 shots) WBS: Tristan Jarry (31 saves - 34 shots)
Power Play
LV: 1-for-2 WBS: 0-for-3
Penalty Kill
LV: 3-for-3 WBS: 1-for-2
Attendance: 4,428
