Phantoms Post-Game EXTRA! (1/1/22)

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms (9-11-6) made it seven straight games with a point following a 2-1 overtime win over the Bridgeport Islanders, their second extra session win in as many nights to make it 6-0-1 in their last seven games coming out of the other end of an eight-game winless skid earlier this season.

Saturday night's game story -> https://insideahlhockey.com/article/game-story-bridgeport-1-at-lehigh-valley-2-ot-1122

Three Things

1.'Bend But Don't Break'

It hasn't been overly flashy, and Saturday's low-scoring, grind it out overtime win is a perfect example of how this Phantoms team is going to be successful. The coaching staff has been preaching since day one the need to sticking to the structure that's in place - defending well, supporting each other and working hard - and allowing the offense to come as a result of that.

"We've got a lot of character in that room and we're starting to gel as a team. We're starting to find ways to win hockey games," Phantoms forward Garrett Wilson said after the win Saturday.

Earlier in the season, the Phantoms seemingly couldn't find a way to win - dropping every single one of their one-goal games prior to their current seven-game points streak (6-0-1). Now, they appear to have turned things around after just three wins in their first 19 games.

"What I like about our team [right now], they bend but they don't break," Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere said after Saturday's win. "I love it. We're making mistakes, but we learn from our mistakes and we're becoming better. And right now this team is trusting each other, they work for one another and that's why we're getting the results we're getting right now."

2. Metcalf

Garrett Metcalf was a relatively unknown name to Phantoms fans until Saturday night, and even the Phantoms' coaching staff upon his arrival to the team on a professional tryout contract (PTO) earlier in the week.

"I didn't know the guy, like he was in Utah. And the only way I know it's because I Google his name." Laperriere said of Metcalf.

To his credit, Metcalf made his AHL debut Saturday and stepped up in a big way - stopping all but one of the 26 shots he faced to lift his team to a big win.

"Obviously, my excitement was probably a little bit higher than normally playing in ECHL, but the guys made it really easy out there and my nerves were pretty calm after probably the first five minutes," Metcalf said after the game.

Metcalf had quite an interesting week coming out of the holiday break, and after speaking with his agent it's a heck of a story that we hope to have for everyone in the return of our weekly Monday Feature tomorrow.

3. Same Trio = Back-To-Back OT Wins

For the second straight night, the Phantoms needed overtime to decide which team got the second standings point.

And for the second straight night, the trio of Cal O'Reilly, Hayden Hodgson and Adam Clendening sealed the deal.

"Those two seem to have a little bit more chemistry than including me," Clendening said of O'Reilly and Hodgson, "but no it's worked out. We'll take what we can get."

In the OT Saturday night, Islanders forward Richard Panik fell down and Clendening scooped up the puck and scored at the other end on a 3-on-1 rush.

"One of them fell, obviously, [and] left the puck there. And then I just wanted to get the puck onside before I made a pass," Clendening explained of his thought process as he was coming up ice with the game on his stick. "And then the [defensemen] actually did a pretty good job of taking the pass away. I caught the goalie cheating just a little bit. Just liked what I saw."