GAMEDAY: Game 72 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (35-26-10) at Lehigh Valley (34-30-7) 7:15 p.m. ET

ALLENTOWN, PA -- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (34-30-7) returned home after a disappointing end to a five-game road trip in Charlotte saw them drop a pair of games to the Checkers earlier this week. Saturday, they begin a two-game set at PPL Center in a pair of games against Atlantic Division rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (35-26-10).

Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster Notes

Phantoms' Lines (Starters in Bold/Italics)

Greg Carey - Connor Bunnaman - Chris Conner Tyrell Goulbourne - Byron Froese - Nicolas Aube-KubelCarsen Twarynski - Cole Bardreau - Pascal Laberge Matthew Strome - David Kase - Colin McDonald

James de Haas - T.J. Brennan Phil Samuelsson - Phil MyersZach Palmquist - Reece Willcox

Alex Lyon - Mike McKenna

Phantoms' Scratches: David Schlemko (injured), Mikhail Vorobyev (injured), German Rubtsov (injured), Jori Lehtera (veteran), Mike Vecchione (injured) and Rob Michel (healthy)

GAME STORY

FIRST PERIOD

The playoffs might be just about out of reach, but it didn't stop the Phantoms from attacking the opening minutes of the contest. They didn't score in the early surge - or even record a shot on goal - but it was a positive sign that the team was going to come out and put forth an effort in front of the home crowd in an early April regular season game.

The Penguins, who entered the game trailing 4th place Providence by three points, got to their game as the period continued - nearly netting the game's first goal on their opening shot after a Zach Palmquist outlet pass was blocked down and retrieved in the high-slot by Joseph Cramarossa. Luckily for Lehigh Valley, Alex Lyon was in position and came up with a right pad save to keep the game scoreless.

In fact, the Pens responded a surge of their own - recording the game's first three shots and establishing themselves after a sluggish opening 90 seconds.

The back-and-forth play continued, with the Phantoms' second line of Tyrell Goulbourne, Byron Froese and Nicolas Aube-Kubel working down low and eventually getting the puck to the net. Their initial push didn't get one past Penguins' goaltender Tristan Jarry, but they were able to get the puck back to the center point for James de Haas. The Phantoms' defender patiently dragged the puck around a Penguins' forward before his shot bounced in past Jarry off the leg of Goulbourne to give the Phantoms a 1-0 lead with 12:25 remaining in the period.

Byron Froese added a secondary assist on the play, extending his points scoring streak to seven games - tallying three goals and six assists in that span.

The Phantoms headed to the game's first penalty kill of the evening with 4:13 left before the intermission, and a herculean effort from Cole Bardreau to start the PK extended the Phantoms' lead to 2-0.

Bardreau got a stick on Ryan Haggerty's pass along the left-wing wall before chipping a puck past him and going around. Then, he out-muscled Ethan Prow through the netural zone to re-gain control and give himself a mini-breakaway that he tucked five-hole under Jarry's left pad with 3:59 left. It was Bardreau's sixth goal of the season, and his third shorthanded tally on the year.

The Penguins struck on the power play just over a minute later to cut the Phantoms' lead in half. Sam Lafferty came through the middle of the ice, nearly lost control and spun around to re-gain control in the offensive zone, before spotting an open Haggerty on the left-wing and feeding him for a knee drop one-timer from the left circle past Lyon with 2:47 left before the first intermission. For Haggerty, his 23rd on the season and eighth goal in seven games against the Phantoms.

SECOND PERIOD

The rivals butted heads on the opening shift of the period, almost quite literally. After a bouncing puck in Lyon's crease was eventually corralled and held onto by the Phantoms' netminder, Lafferty and Aube-Kubel decided to mix it up and drop the gloves. In a one-punch fight, Aube-Kubel connected and dropped Lafferty before the two wrestled on the ice 36 seconds into the middle frame.

Then, seconds later, a controversial disallowed goal.

Adam Johnson was hooked by James de Haas on his way to the net with the puck. He was able to get a shot on net toward Lyon, but a second effort on the rebound allowed Johnson to poke the puck in. The red goal light came on, but the referee in position at the side of the net immediately waved off the goal.

Instead, the Penguins went to the power play with de Haas in the box for hooking.

At the tail end of the Penguins' man advantage, Carsen Twarynski chipped a puck past the defender at the blue line and was off to the races. Jarry stopped Twarynski's mini-breakaway but Bardreau followed it up with a rebound goal for his second shorthanded tally of the evening - effectively changing the game from what should have been a 2-2 game into a 3-1 Phantoms' advantage.

Talk about a turn of events.

That would be the only goal of the period, which saw the teams combine for 24 shots and several quality chances. Both goaltenders - Lyon for the Phantoms, and Jarry for the Penguins - were equal to the task to keep the game a 3-1 score in favor of the Phantoms heading to the final frame.

THIRD PERIOD

The Penguins got pucks to the net in the final frame, recording nine of the period's first 10 shots on goal. Lyon was equal to the task, and the Phantoms added an insurance marker near the midway mark of the period to extend their lead to 4-1.

Philip Samuelsson faked a slap shot from the left point before sending it down behind the net for Byron Froese, who swiftly brought the puck out in front and sneaked one past Jarry for his 20th of the season.

The Penguins got one back with 5:38 left in regulation after a point shot was partially blocked to the side of the net where Brandon Hawkins tapped one in past Lyon to cut the Phantoms' lead to 4-2. It marked Hawkins' second career pro goal in just his second pro game, joining the Penguins on an amateur tryout following his collegiate career with Northeastern.

The Pens pulled Jarry for the extra attacker with just under three minutes left to play, but to no avail.

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

7:35: LV - Goulbourne (9) - de Haas, Froese 15:47: LV - (PP) Palmquist, minor (roughing) 16:01: LV - SHG Bardreau (6) - unassisted 17:13: WBS - PPG Haggerty (23) - Lafferty, Miletic

2nd Period

0:36: LV - Aube-Kubel, major (fighting) 0:36: WBS - Lafferty, major (fighting) 0:44: LV - (PP) de Haas, minor (hooking) 2:10: LV - SHG Bardreau (7) - Twarynski 11:48: LV - (PP) Twarynski, minor (interference)

3rd Period

9:12: LV - Froese (20) - Samuelsson, Aube-Kubel 14:22: WBS - Hawkins (2) - Summers, Blandisi

BOXSCORE

W-B/Scranton 1 - 0 - 1 = 2 Lehigh Valley  2 - 1 - 1 = 4

Shots

W-B/Scranton  7 - 13 - 15 = 35 Lehigh Valley  6 - 11 - 6 = 23

Goalies

WBS: Tristan Jarry (19 saves - 23 shots) LV: Alex Lyon (33 saves - 35 shots)

Power Play

WBS: 1-for-3 LV: 0-for-0

Penalty Kill

WBS: 0-for-0 LV: 2-for-3

Attendance: 8,435