Phantoms Post-Game EXTRA! (1/29/22)

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms responded in a big way after a 6-2 blowout loss on Friday night, coming into Hartford Saturday playing with purpose from the opening faceoff.

Saturday night's game story: https://insideahlhockey.com/article/game-story-lehigh-valley-4-at-hartford-0-12922

Three Things

1. The Response

After allowing five goals in the first period of Friday night's game, it was the Phantoms scoring at will in the first frame Saturday on their way to a 4-0 shutout victory to inch one win away from .500 hockey (13-14-8).

"I liked the response for sure," head coach Ian Laperriere told InsideAHLHockey.com after the game. "I knew the guys were mad about the way we played yesterday - the way came out yesterday - they took charge and, again, leadership took over and and everybody followed."

The Phantoms got goals 36 seconds apart from Hayden Hodgson and Wyatte Wylie to open up a 2-0 lead, and a third tally, from Alex Kile, not long after to make it a 3-0 game just past the halfway point of the period - a complete 180 from Friday night's five-goal first period that had Lehigh Valley on their heels.

2. Role Players Stepping Up

The Phantoms are no different than any other team in the AHL in that they've seen their top players recalled to their NHL affiliates due to the reintroduction of the taxi squads.

While some teams have faltered, and rightfully so considering teams have played with less than ideal lineups in this league the past two months, Lehigh Valley has had the remaining guys in the locker room rallying around each other and lifting each other up.

Newcomers like Charlie Gerard, Hayden Hodgson and Alex Kile have fit in near seamlessly and have brought stability at a time when its most needed.

"It's huge. They're buying in to the structure - they just buy in." Laperriere said of the remaining players in his locker room. "It's [good] leadership, they just keep doing what they're doing and everybody [else] they have no choice but to buy in."

3. Nagle Shutout Perfect Send Off Pre-Olympics

Pat Nagle has just been such an incredible story, and one that continues to get better and better. In his final AHL start before he heads to the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, China, the 34-year-old journeyman netminder recorded his first career AHL shutout - a 26-save performance to improve his own personal record with the Phantoms this season to 7-0-3.

To give an idea of how much his Phantoms' teammates respect/play for him, up 4-0 last night in final seconds, Matt Strome threw himself in front of a one-timer at the point to help ensure the shutout was preserved.

"To get a shutout before Pat [Nagle] goes to the Olympics I thought was just the cherry on top," Laperriere said. "Everybody's happy for him. That's a big win," he added of Nagle's first career AHL shutout.