GAMEDAY: Game 61 - Charlotte (38-15-7) at Lehigh Valley (30-24-6) 1:15 p.m. ET

ALLENTOWN, PA -- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (30-24-6) look to finish the weekend with a clean sweep of Charlotte (38-15-7) in a rare 1:15 p.m. ET afternoon game.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

Mike McKenna got the start Sunday for Lehigh Valley. Alex Lyon, who picked up the win Friday night, served as McKenna's backup.

Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Phantoms' Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)

Chris Conner - Mikhail Vorobyev - Nicolas Aube-Kubel Greg Carey - Byron Froese - David Kase Connor Bunnaman - Mike Vecchione - Justin Bailey Tyrell Goulbourne - Cole Bardreau - Colin McDonald

David Schlemko - Mark FriedmanPhilip Samuelsson - James de Haas Zach Palmquist - Reece Willcox

Mike McKenna- Alex Lyon

Phantoms' Scratches: Steven Swavely (healthy), German Rubtsov (out for the season), Jori Lehtera (veteran), Carsen Twarynski (healthy), Pascal Laberge (healthy) and T.J. Brennan (veteran)

GAME STORY

FIRST PERIOD

The Phantoms came out with much more energy and pace to their play in the first period Sunday than they did to start things off against Charlotte on Friday night. Despite the improved effort to open the contest, they found themselves trailing 1-0 near the midway mark of the period.

In transition, Charlotte got the puck on the attack in a hurry - with Trevor Carrick chipping a puck in deep and catching a Phantoms' defender falling down. That allowed Morgan Geekie to get to the loose puck first behind Mike McKenna's net, and the rookie forward made a nice spinning move to open himself and Nick Schilkey up in front of the net. All it took was a quick flick of the wrist from Geekie to get the puck in front to Schilkey, and an excellent toe drag from Schilkey to net his 14th of the season at the 8:47 mark of the period.

Lehigh Valley appeared to tie the game with 1:25 left before the first intermission when Zach Palmquist caught a clearing puck at the center point and rifled one past Alex Nedeljkovic with help of a re-direct in front by Connor Bunnaman. The referee in position at the side of the net immediately waived the goal off, and while an explanation wasn't given over the public address feed to fans in the arena it was later revealed the goal was called off to goaltender interference prior to the goal.

To say the Phantoms' bench and fans at PPL Center were unpleased with the call would be an understatement.

Instead of heading to the first intermission deadlocked at 1-1, the Phantoms found themselves on the wrong end of a questionable call and on the wrong end of a 1-0 deficit.

SECOND PERIOD

A bit of a sluggish start to the middle frame by Lehigh Valley allowed Charlotte to extend their lead to 2-0 in the opening minute of the middle frame.

McKenna came up big on a shot from Trevor Carrick in the slot, but the rebound darted out to Tomas Jurco who was able to tuck the rebound in behind the Phantoms' netminder for his seventh of the season just 55 seconds into the second period.

Still, the Phantoms were playing their game and getting chances offensively. Through the first half of regulation, they actually out shot Charlotte 16-12.

The trouble they were having was finishing the scoring chances off. There weren't a whole lot of second and third chance opportunities, which is a credit to how well Charlotte is able to transition from defense to offense and get the puck moving north in a hurry.

A late penalty in the waning seconds of the period gave the Phantoms a power play with 1:44 of carry over time to begin the final frame.

THIRD PERIOD

Not only did the Phantoms fail to convert on the power play, they missed on a subsequent chance early in the period. After being unable to capitalize on the back-to-back power plays to start the period, Charlotte put the game seemingly out of reach shortly after getting  back to full strength.

Geekie was again the setup man, getting a puck just inside the right-wing circle for a quick one-timer from Nicolas Roy that beat McKenna through a screen in front by Schilkey with 15:21 remaining in regulation. Roy's 15th of the season put the Phantoms in a 3-0 hole.

Charlotte added another midway through the third to extend their lead to 4-0 after Schilkey tucked one in past McKenna on the power play on a feed across the top of the crease from Andrew Poturalski with 10:55 remaining in regulation to complete the final score.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

1:57: LV - (PP) Kase, minor (tripping) 4:55: CHA - (PP) Renouf, minor (interference) 8:47: CHA - Schilkey (14) - Geekie, Carrick 16:51: CHA - (PP) Renouf, minor (tripping)

2nd Period

0:55: CHA - Jurco (7) - Carrick, Necas 2:52: LV - (PP) Palmquist, minor (hooking) 9:15: CHA - (PP) Renouf, minor (interference) 11:48: LV - (PP) Froese, minor (cross-checking) 12:49: LV - Friedman, minor (tripping) 12:49: CHA - Geekie, minor (slashing) 19:44: CHA - (PP) Roy, minor (holding)

3rd Period

2:21: CHA - (PP) Jurco, minor (high-sticking) 4:39: CHA - Roy (15) - Geekie 7:28: LV - (PP) Samuelsson, minor (tripping) 9:05: CHA - PPG Schilkey (15) - Poturalski, Saarela 14:32: LV - (PP) Bardreau, minor (tripping) 17:34: CHA - (PP) Poturalski, minor (slashing)

BOXSCORE

Charlotte  1 - 1 - 2 = 4 Lehigh Valley 0 - 0 - 0 = 0

Shots

Charlotte  8 - 13 - 7 = 28 Lehigh Valley  10 - 9 - 3 = 22

Goalies

CHA: Alex Nedeljkovic (22 saves - 22 shots) LV: Mike McKenna (24 saves - 28 shots)

Power Play

CHA: 1-for-5 LV: 0-for-6

Penalty Kill

CHA: 6-for-6 LV: 4-for-5

Attendance: 7,694